Just an excellent restaurant. Everything is good. Loved the lettuce wraps, satay chicken, duck main course.

Rasa Malaysia was splendid. Maybe my expectations were low for a Malaysian restaurant in the Triangle, but they were well above my expectations. Service was top-notch, with beautiful decor and plants that make it good for casual or intimate dinners, and most importantly, the food was good. We got the chicken mushroom lettuce wraps, which I could've continued to eat for the whole meal (5+/5). We also got the assam shrimp and calamari, which was sweet, tart, and spicy -- 5/5. We also tried the pineapple fried rice, which I wasn't a fan of, but my friend loved it. I look forward to going back for more. read more

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I've had Rasa Malaysia in my sights for a while & finally had the opportunity to visit. The food did not disappoint! Everything we had was well seasoned and generous portions. The Wat Tan Hor has the desired wok essence that is the hallmark of a well made Hor fun. I really enjoyed my Nasi Lemak which is a dish that is a challenge to find down here in the Triangle. The Char Siu Wantan soup was flavorful with the right type of chewy egg noodles that's very familiar to lovers of Cantonese cuisine. Service was excellent and attentive. I really appreciated that they cleaned the service carts in between serving. The restaurant was beautifully decorated and situated in a nice walkable area with plenty of shopping. This will be added onto my go-to lists for sure! read more

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Had a party of 9 for dinner here and Al the food was dished in spectacular fashion, with everything thoroughly enjoying every bite. My personal dish was the Beef Rendang, which had rice and some kind of cucumber and pineapple mix on the side? It was super flavorful and mixing each item into one whole bite was my favorite way to consume it. They have a Christmas tree up all year that they decorate in accordance with what's happening, so when we went it was decorated for graduation season (funny since we were celebrating a family member graduating). The service was polite and timely, and the owner Simon is a blessing to the state of North Carolina. read more

Great food and atmosphere. Service was amazing. My friend and I shared two great dishes Sambal Olek Fish and Penang Char Kway Teow. Both were amazing and plenty to share and have left over. Definitely will revisit and highly recommend to anyone wanting great service and great food. read more

Rasa Malaysia - Sambal Delek Fish - Malaysian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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I've been here twice. The first time I had the Rasa Fried Rice with Tofu which was wonderful. Very flavorful and not a lot of sauce so you can really taste the rice, vegetables and tofu. The second time I had the Eggplant and Mushrooms with Basil. And this dish tasted divine. The rice was soft; not like a lot of places where the rice has been sitting for hours. This tasted like fresh cooked rice, soft and fluffy. The vegetables were cooked, but the eggplant was not mushy; it had some bite. Same with the peppers. This was one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. I took another order home as takeout. The owner was onsite both times and was very friendly and happy to answer any questions. I love this place. It's a pretty restaurant with plenty of seating (at least at lunch). I highly recommend and plan to go back as many times as I can. read more

Service was absolutely phenomenal. Our waitress (Olivia) helped us with our orders, refilled water regularly, and helped us box our food up. Everything flowed seamlessly. The laksa is a little smaller than I remember it being, but still packed with flavor. Restaurant interior is beautiful, as always. Nice and a tad formal. read more

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We visited Rasa Malaysia as we used to live in Indonesia and we wanted food that was similar to what we used to eat. It was really good. I had the Nasi Lamak which was excellent, very authentic and perfectly spiced. My husband had the beef rendang which was also really good. Our server was really friendly and helped make the experience even better. We would definitely come back. read more

Rasa Malaysia - Beef rendang - Malaysian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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The food was really good. When we went it was Chinese new year celebration so the place was packed and fully booked but we were able to order food. read more

The staff were not very welcoming. They seemed to be miserable working here and based on the food we received I understand why. The food was very bland and took a very long time. They probably have to deal with unhappy customers all of the time. Will not be going back. read more

For the area, I would say it is very good. However, it's not really a Malaysian restaurant but a Southeast Asian restaurant with Malaysian food. I say that because there is a lot of regional food served that I isn't Malaysian. I understand it's probably to give more options to the patrons who aren't familiar with Malaysian food but are more familiar with other Southeast Asian food. The selection of Malaysian food are common foods you might find in a hawker center that takes little prep time and is almost ready to serve. We order a couple of classic Malaysian dishes: Nasi Lemak, Hainanese Chicken Rice, and Roti Canai. The sambal in the Nasi Lemak was quite nice and it came with Curry Canai which is not traditionally served with it but quite nice for extra food. I thought the Chicken in the chicken rice was a little dry. The owner is on site and is a pleasure to talk to. The decor is pretty typical of Asian restaurant in the area, nothing fancy but presentable. read more

Rasa Malaysia - Nasi Lemak - Malaysian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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We tried Rasa Malaysia to broaden our exposure to Malaysian food beyond Red Pepper Asian in Raleigh. To start things off, we shared the sampler appetizer. Everything was obviously cooked to order and served hot, so that definitely was a plus. Of the items on the sampler, my favorite was the curry samosa as it was a bit lighter than samosa typically served at Indian restaurants. The spring rolls were a bit mushy inside, so they were my least favorite, but they were still good. This was a reasonable value for $14.50 and was plenty for 2 or 3 people to share. I tried the beef rendang for my entree. Flavor wise, it was very good - moderately spicy, with a somewhat heavy coconut curry gravy. This dish takes many hours to prepare, so I knew it would not be cooked to order, but I was disappointed that it was served barely warm. The serving size was also a bit on the skimpy side for $22. My dining companion tried the black olive shrimp. The large serving came straight from the wok and she thought it was excellent as well as noting the olives gave the dish a very different taste from most other Asian shrimp dishes. The roti canai were superb; cooked to order and served hot. They were arguably the best roti I've ever had. They are not listed as a side item on the menu, so you have to ask for them. Definitely try these. For dessert we split the sesame balls. The serving was easily big enough for two to share and served hot. This was one of the better versions of sesame balls that I have tried because they had just enough red bean paste in the center. The restaurant has a bit of an old-fashioned, upscale asian restaurant feel. I thought it was a nice. Our server was very helpful, but definitely inattentive. read more

Although the name of the restaurant is Malaysian cuisine, their menu covers classic cuisines from many Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia. We tried several dishes this time, and each one had its own unique flavor. 1 Thai milk tea: classic and not disappointing, rich milk flavor, and just the right sweetness. 2 Shrimp & squid: salty and rich, super delicious, and you can't stop eating it with white rice! 3 Malaysian Nasi Lemak: full of coconut milk flavor, the curry taste is very similar to what I had in Singapore, and it is paired with crispy Indian pancakes, which is amazing! Fish sauce rice is also a highlight. As the national dish of Malaysia, it is worth a try. 4 Signature Laksa: The overall taste is good, but compared to the authentic Singapore Laksa, the soup base is a little lighter. 5 Fish: The taste is sweet, the seasoning is very special, it is worth a try! Friends who like Southeast Asian food must not miss it! What are you waiting for? Go ahead! read more

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I am originally from Singapore and we share a lot of common food with Malaysia. Came yo NC for a work event. I Googled and found this gem. I am in NC for 4 days and came here twice! The staff are super friendly and the owners are very, very nice. I ordered the Fried Tofu & Peanut Sauce to start, and had the Assam Shrimp & Calamari and Fish Oelek for main courses, and Sago for dessert. I was eating by myself. It's been years since I've had an authentic home-cooked meal. The portions are generous. The food is made to order so please be patient. It's worth the wait. The ingredients are fresh and taste and authenticity on point. Delicious food and I promise you, the taste is exactly like what you would find in Singapore and Malaysia. Thank you for giving me delicious food from home for a fraction of the price. read more

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I don't know why we haven't tried RM sooner. We stopped by on a rainy Wednesday night and couldn't have been more satisfied with the experience. The restaurant has two main rooms, the dining area and the bar area. The decor is typical asian-restaurant style and attractive overall. The menu was an unexpected treat: for us it was an interesting departure from the typical Thai/Chinese fare we see everywhere. There were lots of new dishes on the menu, as well as some old favorites like Pad Thai and Drunken Noodles. There are many veggie options on offer as well. The service was prompt and friendly, and the waitress answered our newbie questions patiently. Both dishes were well prepared from fresh ingredients and the portions are generous. (We both brought home enough for lunch the next day.) I feel like RM is a hidden gem that needs more exposure. We'll be back for sure. read more

Great portions, the Roti Canai was so flavorful. Not a fan of the potato in it but just loved the sauce and chicken and of course the flaky roti. The Laksa noodles were great and had very robust flavors. The crispy lemon fish was flaky, good spice with a tangy lemon touch. I would for sure would go back :) read more

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Amazing food and amazing service. The portions were gigantic (even for lunch) and we loved all of it. The hot tea was great as well as the Thai iced tea. The chicken lettuce wraps and skewers were my favorite of the dishes we tried. Can't wait to come back! read more

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This is the second time having lunch here. The first time was ok. This time, the food was not up to the mark. The mee goreng was blah and the nasi lemak was a cheap, but pricey, imitation. The chicken curry given with the nasi lemak had 2 small pieces of chicken and a large potato. The popia skin was thick and so spoilt the essence of the dish. The service was even worse. While serving us, the waitress laughed and told us we over-ordered. Too much food, she said, commenting that all patrons say that the size of the popia appetizer was huge and could be an entree by itself. Why then did she not tell us when we ordered ?? The experience on the whole was very underwhelming. $60 down the drain. Will never eat here again. read more

This was our first taste of Malaysian cuisine, and we figured it was a great place to start. We arrived for a late lunch, although it seemed we just missed the lunch menu. The menu offered a combination of familiar and unfamiliar items, but it leaned towards what seemed like a Thai influence. Our choices were the Roti canai with curry and Laksa. The food was good but nothing out of this world. The roti was soft and flaky that paired perfectly with the curry. However, the large chucks of chicken were dry. As for the Laksa, it was interesting, and it comes with chicken and tofu, but seemed to be missing something. The service was great. We were promptly attended to, and our server, who might have been the owner, checked on us regularly. We thought it was a good meal but as a newcomer to Malaysian cuisine, I don't have much to compare it to. read more

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High yield alert Came here for din with some friends. Didn't know there was quality Malaysian food in the area but this place is it. We got the hainanese chicken and the drunken noodles. Chicken with super juicy and the noodles were delectable. Portions were huge and reasonably priced. We wanted to have some roti as well - turns out you can just get the roti (without the canai) for just $2 a piece. Excellent spot, will be coming back for dine-in and takeout read more

Rasa Malaysia - Drunken noodles - Malaysian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Food was lovely! The place was clean and a lovely Friday lunch spot. The servers were attentive and polite and did not rush us to leave during their midday post lunch break which was kind. The food was hot and flavorful and it was a place I'd definitely like to revisit. The pricing was solid and food came out quickly so both my friend and I were happy with our first time visit. The curry ayam could use a little more chicken pieces but all in all was quite nice. read more

Rasa Malaysia - Roti canai w/ curry ayam - Malaysian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

So we came here after just having Malaysian Food in a Michelin Bib Gourmand Malaysian restaurant in Washington D.C. and this place is so much more authentic, delicious and non-pretentious than Makan. The staff was so friendly and polite, ask for Penny, and the portions were filling and flavorful. The fact that the Roti Canai was an entree size with three flaky crepes and they didn't charge you separately for the Roti and the Curry alone makes it worth it, not to mention how flaky and yet non-greasy the Rotis were. Great environment and great food, would definitely come back. read more

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We really enjoyed our dinner at Rasa Malaysia. Both the food and service were great. This restaurant compared favorably to my other Malaysian restaurant experiences, mostly in Atlanta, which is a good thing considering the smaller size of Chapel Hill. Rasa Malaysia is located in the Southern Village neighborhood. I believe the restaurant, which was originally known as Merlion before changing ownership, is about as old as the neighborhood itself which was established in 1994. The restaurant changed from Merlion to Rasa Malaysia in 2015. Our amazing server, Lia, told us that the cuisine has always been Malaysian. Our friends, who live in the neighborhood, recommended this place. My wife and I had also heard positive things about this restaurant from others. We found the food to be quite "authentic" and delicious. Here's what we got: Appetizers: * Beef Mango Salad ($9.95) - fresh mango salad and sliced beef with citrus dressing Kampong Favorites: * Roti Canai with Curry Ayam ($15.95) - buttery layered canai (Indian pancake) with chicken and potato curry * Penang Char Kway Teow ($15.95) - wide rice noodles with shrimp, egg, chives, and bean sprouts in Kechap Manis dark sauce * Laksa with chicken ($14.95) - udon noodles, tofu, bean sprouts, and egg in coconut-spiced soup * Rasa Malaysia Nasi Lemak ($15.95) - authentic sambal ikan bilis, crispy ikan bilis, curry chicken, egg, cucumber, roasted peanut, coconut rice Meat & Poultry: * Mango-Mango Ayam ($17.95) - crisped chicken filet, fresh mango salad with tangy mango sauce Seafood: * Sambal Oelek Fish ($19.95) - crisped filet over angel hair carrot in chef's sambal oelek sauce Our favorites were the Roti Canai with Curry Ayam, Penang Char Kway Teow, Laksa, and Sambal Oelek Fish. I recommend each of those dishes. Roti canai is a Southeast Asian flatbread. Rasa Malaysia's menu describes it as an "Indian pancake" which isn't wrong. It's Indian-influenced and it's a pancake in the Asian/Indonesian sense. The Roti Canai we had here was perfect, from taste to texture. For the latter, the flatbread was flaky with a little bit of chew to it. Most roti canai is served with curry and that's how they serve it here. There are sweet variations that include sugar and even fruit and condensed milk, but Rasa Malaysia's is the savory kind. "Ayam" is Malaysian for chicken so "Curry Ayam" is simply chicken curry. Rasa Malaysia's chicken curry was full of flavor. Rich and delicious. It was ideal for dipping torn-off pieces of roti into. The same chicken curry was served as a part of the Rasa Malaysia Nasi Lemak dish. In that case, the curry was fantastic with the accompanying white coconut rice. If anything, there should have been more rice to go with both the curry and the ikan bilis. "Ikan bilis" are small, whole, deep-fried anchovies. Nasi Lemak is a national dish of Malaysia and ikan bilis is one component of it. In Malay, "nasi lemak" literally means "fatty rice." I thought Rasa Malaysia did a good job with their sambal-marinated ikan bilis. It was very flavorful, but not overpowering, and the dried anchovies were delectably crispy. Sambal is a red chili paste/sauce that's used in a lot of Maritime Southeast Asian dishes (e.g. Malaysian, Indonesian, and Singaporean cuisine). Sambal Oelek (or Ulek) is a specific type of sambal, which I believe is technically Indonesian and not Malaysian. Regardless, it's good. The sambal oelek I'm most familiar with is the one you can buy at Asian grocery stores in the clear plastic jars with green caps from Huy Fong Foods: "Sambal Oelek Ground Fresh Chili Paste." It's always been a staple condiment in the fridge wherever I've lived. I'm not sure if Rasa Malaysia uses the same kind of sambal oelek in their Sambal Oelek Fish dish because the sauce in the dish tasted significantly more dialed back, spice-wise. Still, the sauce was quite delightful, packed with wonderful, complex flavor - creamy, curry, spicy, perhaps even coconutty - and the fish itself was fried crisp with outstanding texture, inside and out. The fish was served as a single filet with no bones, which I prefer. The Penang Char Kway Teow was excellent. This is a classic stir-fried noodle dish which is a popular comfort food. Again, Rasa Malaysia gets the consistency just right, this time with the wide rice noodles. They were addictive to eat, especially with their distinctive cooked, smoky flavor. Another terrific, comfort-food-type dish from the region is laksa. Rasa Malaysia's Laksa was served in a big bowl - generous portion size - with a broth and noodles that were very tasty. Even the chicken was nice and tender. Very good quality all around. The Beef Mango Salad and Mango-Mango Ayam weren't bad. They just weren't as outstanding as the other dishes to me. Service was great thanks in large part to our very friendly and attentive server Lia. The restaurant has a spacious indoor dining room and covered patio. The atmosphere is ideal for both groups and date night. read more

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Debated even giving this place a 2 star. For starts, our appetizer took over 50 minutes to get and it was not even busy in there. The appetizer sampler was basically just average fried stuff that you could get out of a freezer bag. Would not recommend. Service was soo slow but we then eventually got our meals. The entrees were fine at best with too little flavor and too much spicy heat. Overall we were disappointed as this place is close and we've been looking for a good Thai/Malaysian place. read more

Ordered food to go for family gathering of 6.!Everything was as ordered, but there were no labels on anything! A positive addition would be to write on the takeout carton. Food was flavorful, plentiful and well seasoned. The shrimp basil was loaded with the advertised calamari, shrimp, nice size mussels-steamed just right, and a couple of decent sized scallops. read more

Best Malaysian food you can find in NC. Hands down. The owner and his wife are incredibly kind and generous. They remember us and even my son that "eats everything" (so they bring him all different special treats and foods you can't get on the menu and they gush over how he has a great palate and isn't afraid to try new things! This place makes Laksa as it's meant to be made. Traditional, authentic and absolutely delicious!! The Roti canai is the absolute best I've ever had. The char kway teow is the best noodles you will ever eat. Trust me. Everything they serve is delicious. Try it and thank me later! read more

Our waitress was amazing! We originally went to order something and she steered us in a different direction. Her recommendations were perfect. We got the roasted duck and the Sambal Olek fish. We have a lot of other dishes we're excited to try! read more

Oh man ... covid has hit this place hard .... they no longer serve hainanese poached chicken due to a shortage in chicken .... I went yesterday and was craving poached Hiananese chicken and drove all the way there to find out that they no longer serve it due to a shortage in fresh chicken that they use for this dish ... instead they only had the fried version .... Definitely disappointed cause the fried version was a bit over fried and dried out .. I talked to the owner a bit after my lunch and he said due to the clientele they get ... they dont serve the traditional poached chicken because the locals dont like dark meat ... I looked at him and said that was crazy cause the dark meat is where the flavor and most juiciest pieces of chicken are ... he totally agreed and said he would have to get the locals on board with eating dark meat to bring back the dish .. he also mentioned that most clientele dont like bone in meat either... I was like wtf ?? Who are these boujee ass people ... He said if I called and came back he would make the dish for me with dark meat and I was like definitely! So definitely going to come back and check it out again read more

Rasa Malaysia - Malaysian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Came on a Friday evening and ate in the outdoor seating, ordering Roti Canai, Sambal Olek fish and the char siu wonton noodle soup. Ambiance: 4.5/5 Service: 3.5/5 While they were friendly service was incredibly slow as the first main dish took at least 30 minutes to come out. Food: 4/5 The rotisserie was decent though I wished the curry was stronger. The char siu wonton noodle soup was not good at all as the soup was bland and the wonton wasn't great. But what "redeemed" the whole experience was that sambal olek fish! It was perfectly cooked and an incredibly delicate fish. And the sambal sauce that came with it was delicious! We could have just gotten that and been happy. Price 4/5 read more

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It was my first time trying these dishes and I loved it! The beef was tender and it came with delicious pickled cucumbers and pineapples that elevated this dish! The meegoreng was tasty too. It has bean sprouts, red peppers, shrimp, and noodles that were all flavorful and evenly distributed. I also had the roti and curry. The roti came in 3 flaky pieces and I loved it. The curry was terrible. It lacked the classic curry flavor and there were 2 large potato halves and chicken that I wasn't able to eat. Will not recommend getting this dish. read more

Rasa Malaysia - Meegoreng - Malaysian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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I loved my experience at Rasa Malaysia. I had stopped by here after being in the Chapel Hill area, and had a great experience. I had always wanted to try Hainanese Chicken Rice, and this restaurant had it! I deducted one star because the chicken was a little overcooked, but otherwise the dish was delicious. The price point was outstanding too. Most entrees were under $15. I'll definitely be back read more

Very good Southeast Asian food. Reasonably priced, and I would say it definitely tries to have as authentic flavors as possible (although not quite there, but I appreciate the effort). Ordered char kway teow, chicken satay, "bo bian" (similar to a wrap/roll). Everything was tasty even if the bo bian wasn't exactly traditional. The satay chicken was pretty moist with mild curry flavor, while the char kway teow was fine. Chef appeared to speak to some diners in Cantonese and the server (maybe his wife?) spoke to us in Mandarin. She was absolutely so, so, sweet with my kids and my friends' kids. This is a great place and would definitely return for another tasty meal. read more

Today, we had an opportunity to have lunch at this restaurant and were impressed. We walked in at 2:15 pm, 15 min before their closing time for lunch but were promptly welcomed and seated. We ordered chicken satay, eggplant with basil, and pad Thai with shrimp. All dishes tasted great and authentic. The wait staff paid the right amount of attention to us without being intrusive. Since the lunch menu we ordered from was limited, we will return tomorrow night for dinner to try other food dishes with the whole family. read more

Mmm yummm. Rasa Malaysia went above and beyond my expectations. The curry and roti go hand in hand in warming my body and soul. The roti was crispy, but had soft, fluffy layers on the inside. The atmosphere is quiet and calm with soothing music. It's the perfect place to enjoy a comforting and delicious meal with someone close. read more

Rasa Malaysia - Malaysian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

It really is difficult in the triangle area to find Laksa, and I had a hankering for Laksa after visiting Singapore where Laksa is a breakfast staple. It was a bit on the oily side but the flavor of the soup was still delicious. Malaysian food really is fantastic, rich, and flavorful. The waitress was also very attentive and kind. Our water glasses were never empty. Moreover, the quantity for the price was on point. Each dish could definitely feed me for two meals. I love this place, and recommend visiting this Chapel Hill staple! read more

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I went back for my second time at Rasa and must admit I got the same dish again because it was simple and delicious. The chicken and basil with veggies is fresh and filling. Portions are generous and the preparation time was surprisingly fast. My friend for the sizzling beef dish and really enjoyed it. This one looked fabulous with broccoli and a few other vibrant veggies. The server was attentive as we stayed to chat for awhile since the food came so soon after we ordered. He checked in on us to top off water and was very friendly and gracious as we left. I enjoy this cuisine so will undoubtedly seek it out when given the chance but we all know service can make such a difference. They definitely take care of you here! Fabulous food and friendly people make for the best dining experience. read more

Isabel likes to get the duck noodle soup here but doesn't think the rest of the food is particularly great. I got the drunken noodles and thought they were good but not above what I'd expect from an average East Asian restaurant. A fun environment with decent enough service. Travis' Rating Taste - 3 Quality - 3 Ambiance - 3 Overall - 3 Isabel's Rating Taste - 3 Quality - 3 Ambiance - 3 Overall - 3 read more

We found this place while doing a packet pickup for the annual Tar Heel 10 Miler - would have never known about it otherwise since it's out of our way and in an area we're not familiar with. Having never tried Malaysian food before, figured this was a good opportunity. It was quite busy when came here on Friday around 6pm - not sure if it was because of the packet pickup for Tar Heel 10 Miler or the usual crowd. The interior was lovely inside and it was spacious with plenty of seating. Looking at the menu, the food is pretty pricey here - almost 20 bucks or more for majority of the items which was kind of a turn off but never the less we were already seated and too late to turn back. We ended up ordering: Chicken lasksa - $16. 95 Roti canai with curry ayam - $17.95 Curry samosas - $7.50 The food was pretty good but not mind blowing or anything. Given the price of the food, I was expecting bigger portions. All of the food reminded me more of Thai food flavors. You could taste coconut milk in both the laksa and the curry ayam - more predominantly in the laksa. They were both on the sweet side too. I guess Malaysian cuisine draws on a Thai background. The flavors were good though. The laksa had copious amounts of chicken and tofu and even included half an egg. The curry ayam was more on the watery side and had a bit too much oil for our liking. You could see some of it floating right on top of the dish. They gave 2 pieces of chicken but they were on the drier side and tough to chew. The roti was so flaky and buttery - that was amazing. They only gave 3 pieces and I wished they would have given more. The curry samosas were very crispy and served with a sweet chili sauce - kinda of the on the smaller side but good. The service was on point. Our server constantly came up to check on how we were doing and refilled our drinks. They had a nice friendly demeanor as well. Overall, the experience was positive. Would we come again? For us, probably not because it's a good drive for us to get here and the food has to be out of the world for us to go out of our way. As mentioned earlier, the food reminded me of Thai food and we have plenty of that in our locality. The price point is also on the higher end for us considering the quantity. It was a good one time experience for us. All in all, come try this place out if you're in the area and haven't tried Malaysian food before. read more

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There are many things Rasa Malaysia does well, but allow me to write a love letter to their one dish that I put on a pedestal: the char kway teow. For the uninitiated, char kway teow is a popular noodle dish found in southeast Asia. It's made of stir-fried, flat rice noodles with soy sauce. Typical add-ons include but are not limited to shrimp, cockles, Chinese sausage, and fish cakes. To make it real, include pork fat and crispy pork lard. Bottom line, this dish NOT something you should eat every day - it's a "treat yo' self" type of meal. Also, this dish is not easily replicated. You can have all the ingredients, but without "wok hei" (the charred aroma), it is nothing. (Google what it takes to achieve wok hei, and you'll understand where this is going.) I lived in Singapore for about four years, but I maintain that the best char kway teow I ever had was in Penang, Malaysia. Now fast forward to 2019. I randomly discovered there was a Malaysian restaurant in Chapel Hill that served CKT. It was imperative that I check it out. When I first stopped by, they were closed for a few weeks because the owner flew back to Malaysia. While I was disappointed, I took it as a sign that this place would be legit. When I finally got to dine in (again, during pre-Covid times), I put in my order for the CKT. When it arrived, it looked and smelled like the dish I was familiar with. On the first bite, my taste buds took me back to that outdoor coffee shop in bustling Penang, eating the best CKT for $4USD. THE CHAR WAS THERE! THE FLAVORS WERE THERE! And, there are no cockles, which I prefer! Am I overdramatic? Perhaps, but I couldn't believe I found a CKT I love, in North Carolina, no less. I've had my husband and in-laws try it, and they all agree that it is legit. Later on, we eventually met the owner, and after chatting, we learned she spent a lot of time in Ipoh, which is about 100 miles away from Penang. So yeah... her cooking is the real deal. So TL;DR: Do yourself a favor and try the char kway teow here if you haven't already. Doing so supports an Asian-owned business during these precarious times. Thank you! read more

Loved the Laksa and Popia. Friendly staff, high end feel. Not the lowest prices, but delicious.