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Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
January 30, 2014

Rasa

Yong Tau Foo Curry Mee

Celia Sin-Tien Cheng

The Malaysian cuisine at Rasa might remind you of Laut, the one-Michelin-starred restaurant where Rasa’s co-owners, brother-and-sister team Camie and Tommy Lai, were before starting this new venture. With Rasa, the Lais bring underrepresented Malaysian home-style cooking to the city, and those are the dishes you must try. The yong tau foo curry mee, for example, is phenomenal. The combination of two of Camie’s favorite dishes, yong tau foo (a Hakka soup dish with stuffed bean curd and fish balls among other delights) and curry mee (rice noodles), is comforting with a spicy kick. The smooth coconut milk-based curry soup and light rice noodles are complemented by the texture of the soup’s deep-fried elements: fishcake-stuffed eggplant and jalapeños and shrimp paste-stuffed tofu skins. Lai explains that five-spice powder and black pepper are what make the fishcake stuffing so delicious. Sometimes she also adds okra to the mix, and there’s always fried tofu. This is one of those dishes ideal for cold winter days. I am already craving it again. On a side note, if you’re not usually a fan of restaurants that serve a variety of cuisines under the same roof, don’t let the fact that Rasa also serves sushi be a deterrent. Just go straight for the delicious Malaysian selections and don’t look back — trust me.

Rasa

25 W 8th St
New York, NY
10011
WebsiteMenu
Price
$$
Neighborhood
Greenwich Village