Review on Rasa

When it opened in 1994, Rasa was a groundbreaking venture, the first to bring the subtle cuisine of Kerala to the capital. Since then, Das Sreedharan has spread his message word across the capital with other outlets, including two 'express' takeaways.

The original is done out in the group's trademark pink colours, with lots of artefacts and décor evoking the spirit of this most civilised and enchanting Indian province. The kitchen focuses on the vegetarian cooking of the region and makes much of its core ingredients, including bananas, cashews and – of course – coconut.

Meals open with Rasa's now famous homemade pickles and chutneys served with a tray of crispy snacks and nibbles. Starters are all manner of inviting dishes from sliced aubergines in chilli and coriander batter to banana boli (plantain fritters) with peanut and ginger sauce and the repertoire extends to filled dosas (rolled rice-flour pancakes) served with sambhar and coconut chutney, various curries including beetroot and spinach with yoghurt, and side dishes like stir-fried cabbage and lentil thoran. Desserts feature unusual delicacies like pal payasam – an auspicious rice pudding from the Krishna temple in Kerala.

Rasa is also featured in: Michelin Guide, Good Food Guide, AA Guide

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Cuisine

Indian / Vegetarian

Chef

Rajan Karattil

Restaurant Opening Times

Lunch: 12.00 - 3.00pm Sat & 12.00 - 2.45pm Sun
Dinner: 6.00 - 10.45pm Mon-Thu (6.00 - 11.30pm Fri & Sat) (6.00 - 10.45pm Sun)

Accepted credit cards

Visa, Master Card

Online Booking Availability for Rasa

Facilities at Rasa

  • Private dining room
  • Private parties
  • Vegetarian menu
  • 100 covers

Address

Rasa
55 Stoke Newington Church Street
Stoke Newington
North London
N16 0AR

Customer Ratings on Rasa

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Rasa Sample Menu

SAMPLE MENU

Starters
Vadais, Bolis and Pakodas are ver y popular and enjoyed all over South India. When the tea shops start making these, the whole area is suffused with the aroma of curr y leaves, fried onions and lentils. This in itself is an irresistible attraction to enter these colour ful little village restaurants and taste these delicious snacks.

RASA IDLI £ 4.50
Steamed urad dal (black lentils) cakes topped with chef's speciality mixed vegetable masala. Ser ved with coconut chutney.

Starters
MYSORE BONDA £ 4.50
The tea time snack in Kerala, but delicious at any time. Potato balls laced with fresh ginger, curry leaves, coriander and black mustard seeds, dipped and fried in chickpea flour batter and crisply fried. Served with a moist, creamy coconut chutney.

Starters
BANANA BOLI £ 4.50
Plantains, like coconut and spices, are an integral part of Kerala cooking. Plantain slices are dipped in a batter of rice and chickpea flour seasoned with black sesame seeds, then crisply fried. Served with our specially prepared peanut and ginger sauce. Perfect for children and people who prefer non-spicy
Starters

KATHRIKKA £ 4.50
Finely sliced pieces of aubergines are dipped in a special batter, blended with coriander and chilli, before frying. Served with a fresh tomato chutney.
Starters
MEDHU VADAI £ 4.50
Literally translated as "soft silky dumplings". A spongy dumpling in a crunchy case, made from urad beans and chillies - served with coconut chutney.
Starters
MASALA VADAI £ 4.50
Vadias are South India's great treats, crunchy, deep-fried patties made of mixed lentil batter laced with fresh curry leaves, ginger and green chillies, served with coconut chutney. A favourite tea time snack in the family home.
Starters
BHEL MIX £ 4.50
Famous Bombay roadside snack made of fresh crispy chickpeas, bhel, sev, onions blended in spicy tamarind juice and freshly chopped coriander leaves.

SOUPS
RASAM £ 4.50
The essence of Kerala - a peppery lentil broth laced with garlic, tomatoes, spices and tamarind.
Soups
PARIPPU £4.50
A soup made from a combination of three different lentils, flavoured with tomato, garlic, coriander and black pepper.
Soups

DOSAS
CHILLI ONION RAVA DOSA £ 7.95
A large lacy, crispy pancake made of semolina and rice flour batter mixed with ginger, green chillies and cumin seed. Served with sambar (lentil and vegetable sauce), coconut chutney and spicy potato masala.

Main Dishes
MASALA DOSA £ 7.95
A paper thin pancake made of rice and black gram, folded in half with a filling of spicy potatoes cooked with onions and ginger and served with sambar and coconut chutney. A most popular southern dish.
Main Dishes
NAIR DOSA £ 7.95.00
A speciality dosa from Kerala, usually eaten during festivals and celebrations. A rice and black gram flour pancake filled with a mixture of potatoes, beetroot, carrot, onions and ginger. Served with sambar and fresh coconut chutney.
Main Dishes
PLAIN DOSA £5.50
A paper-thin pancake made of rice and black gram, sered with Sambar and coconut chutney.

Main Dishes
ORGANIC SEASONAL DISH £ 6.95
( Available only on friday,saturday & sunday ) Fragrant explosion of taste on a plate, the irresistible taste of seasonal curr y sure to leave you asking for more!!!!
THAKKALI CURRY £ 5.95
A fresh and tangy dish made of fresh tomatoes, cooked in yoghurt with fresh ginger, onions, spices and coriander.

Curry Selection
AVIAL £5.95
This famous Keralian dish is the ultimate for feasts and celebrations. Potatoes, carrots, beans, green bananas and drum sticks (discard the fibrous outer part and enjoy its fleshy centre), steamed in turmeric water, and mixed with fresh coconut, chillies and home made yoghurt.
Curry Selection
BEET CHEERA PACHADI £ 5.95
An amazingly vibrant dish, traditionally only served at wedding feasts. Fresh beetroot and spinach are blended together in a yoghurt sauce with roasted coconut, mustard seeds and curry leaves - a must for the adventurous.
Curry Selection
RASA KAYI £5.95
A mixed vegetable speciality from the Southern State of Karnataka. A spicy curry made of beans, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes and simmered in a sauce of garlic, ginger and fennel.
Curry Selection
BAGAR BAINGAN £ 5.95
A Hyderabad recipe of aubergines cooked in a ground paste of roasted onions, coriander seeds, chillies and tamarind, mixed with yoghurt and cashew nut sauce.
Curry Selection
CHEERA PARIPPU CURRY £ 5.95
Fresh spinach and toor dal cooked in a thick sauce of garlic, tomatoes and green peppers, flavoured with curry leaves.
Curry Selection
RASA VANGI £ 5.95
Aubergines cooked in a thick tomato and onion sauce, flavored with curry leaves, chilli and coriander.
Curry Selection
NADAN PARIPU £ 5.95
A Kerala lentil curry made of washed mung beans and split yellow lentils with tomato, chillies and garlic.
Curry Selection
MORU KACHIATHU £ 5.95
An unusual combination of sweet mangoes and green bananas cooked in yoghurt with green chillies, ginger and fresh curry leaves. A sweet and sour dish that is highly recommended.
Curry Selection
PANEER CHEERA CURRY £ 5.95
Home made Paneer (curd cheese) and spinach cooked with garlic, peppers and tomato in a creamy sauce. Goes well with lemon rice.
Curry Selection
SIDE DISHES
SAVOY CABBAGE – STIR FRIED £ 4.95
Thoran, an essential dish at every Kerala feast, can be made from a variety of vegetables. This one is made from chopped cabbage, cubed potatoes and lentils stir fried together with onion, fresh coconut and mustard seeds.
Side Dishes
KERALA SALAD £ 4.50
A very unusual salad from Kerala made with guava, avocado, stir fried Indian shallots. Fresh coconut, lemon juice and chilli powder.
Side Dishes
VENDAKKA MASALA £ 4.75
Fresh Okra stir fried with shallots, garlic, then tempered with chillies, mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Side Dishes
SPINACH & POTATOES £ 4.95
Nutritious keralan side dish with the combination of spinach, potatoes and spices.
BLACK EYE BEANS CURRY £ 4.95
Black eye beans stir-fried together with onions, coconut, mustard seeds, dry chilies and curry leaves.
CHANA MASALA £ 4.95
Chickpeas and tomatoes are simmered with a mixture of fried garlic, ginger, onion and spices.

Rice Dishes
Rice is the staple diet of Kerala and South India. Keralites cook their rice for variety and texture.

COCONUT RICE £ 3.95
Plain rice mixed with fresh coconut, urad dal (black lentils) and curry leaves.
Rice Dishes
TOMATO RICE £ 3.95
Basmati rice cooked in coconut milk with fresh tomatoes and cashew nuts.
Rice Dishes
BROWN RICE £ 3.95
Kerala brown rice
Rice Dishes
TAMARIND RICE £ 3.95
Rice tossed gently with tamarind juice (a sweet and sour fruit), cooked with cashew nuts, peanuts and dried red chillies.
Rice Dishes
LEMON RICE £ 3.95
A tangy, fresh tasting rice tossed with lemon juice, fresh curry leaves and mustard seeds.
Rice Dishes
BOILED RICE £ 3.00
Plain white basmati rice.
Rice Dishes
Breads
PARATHA £ 3.00
A Kerala speciality - wheat dough layered and coiled into a coil mat shape then cooked on the griddle. A must with our curries.
POORIES (2 PIECES)£ 3.25
Traditional puffed wheat flour bread.
Breads
UZHUNAPPAM £3.50
A very fragrant bread made of rice flour, Indian shallots, cumin seeds and roasted coconut blended together and cooked into a thick, crispy flat bread.
Breads
APPAM £2.95
A crispy, spongy rice pancake, essential for mopping- up moist curries.
CHAPATTI (2 PIECES) £ 3.00
Round, flat wholemeal bread.

Madhuram
Any auspicious feast in Kerala is not complete with out a "payasam". It is said that the payasam (the sweet) will make the meal memorable for years. We have a selection of traditional Keralan sweets rarely seen outside our villages.

PAL PAYASAM £3.95
An auspicious rice pudding from the famous Krishna temple in Kerala. Rice cooked in boiling milk with cashew nuts and raisins.
Madhuram
BANANA DOSA £ 4.25
This is the Palakkad Iyer (Brahmin) speciality with a difference. These tiny pancakes are made from bananas, plain flour and cardamom.
Madhuram
MANGO HALWA £ 4.25
Chef's speciality sweet made from pureed Indian Alphonso mangoes flavoured with cashew nuts and raisins. Suitable for vegans.
Madhuram
KESARI £ 4.25
A Brahmin recipe of semolina, mango, cashew nuts, and raisins, they are more like Halwas but much lighter and with more flavour.
Madhuram
MANGO SORBET £ 3.50
Mango Sorbet
Madhuram
VEGAN ICE CREAM (PLEASE ASK FOR DETAILS))£ 3.50
Vegan Ice Cream (Please ask for details))
Madhuram
ICE CREAM£ 3.25
Vanilla/strawberry/chocolate

Restaurant menus often vary from day to day, so the above should be treated as examples of what to expect in terms of cuisine and price.

Rasa Christmas Menu

Restaurant menus often vary from day to day, so the above should be treated as examples of what to expect in terms of cuisine and price.

Images of Rasa

Virtual Tour of Rasa