Rasa has been on my list for over a decade so I am glad I was able to try it. Upon entering, there were no tables but the staff moved a group to the bar and we were seated right away. The staff is so kind and attentive. The menu has so many appetizers, noodles, curries, rice dishes etc. Portions are phenomenal and they are halal! Grilled Chicken - was surprised to see how big the chicken piece was, if you're looking for a cleaner option, try this! Pineapple Fried Rice - was missing acidity from lime and was missing texture, perhaps nuts or bean sprouts would have elevated the dish Chicken Pad Thai - perfect, there were a lot of chicken pieces in it too Nasi Lemak (curried chicken) - great as well, loved the anchovies Would love to try the Malay wings, roti canai and egg noodles next time. I also had to wash my hands and the staff was cleaning the bathroom. The individual cleaning was so nice and accommodated me instead of having me wait. read more

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We ate here for lunch on the weekend amid the super cold temperatures outside (10-20 degrees below freezing). So when the server asked us what we'd like to drink, we asked for hot water (later found out we were charged $1 for each cup of hot water). We ordered the beef rendang, chicken satay and singapore noodles (with tofu and vegetables). I had been hoping to try the soft shelled crab but perhaps it's out of season or no longer on the menu as I didn't see it. The chicken satay came out first, it was 4 sticks of skewered chicken drenched in a slightly spicy creamy peanut sauce. This was the second favorite dish of the table as the chicken was tender and the peanut sauce paired well with it. The singapore noodles were unexpected the favorite of the table. The flavor profiles weren't too crazy just a simple curry flavor but mixed with the thin noodles and other ingredients, it was savory and not too heavy to eat a lot of. The beef rendang was the last dish to come out, the beef pieces were very tender and this was the spiciest dish out of all 3 that we had ordered. It came with about a bowl's worth of white rice on the side and some cucumbers and purple cabbage salad. It was a pretty okay lunch. Not the best Malaysian food I've had (Chinatown is still the best spot for me) but it's a good spot if you're craving Malaysian food in the west village area. Bathrooms were immaculately clean which is always a plus. read more

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My friend and I enjoyed a cozy dinner here on a chilly weeknight recently. We walked in at about 7:15 and most tables were full, but we got a seat by the door (not ideal on a cold day since people kept coming in and out, but we were just happy to be seated!). We ordered a couple of apps and a noodle dish to share, and then a couple of desserts. My favorite app was the chicken satay, it was a generous portion of meat and that peanut sauce was sooooooo yummy! The noodle dish was a great serving size for the price, very hearty and perfect for a winter night. Shrimp Shumai also delicious, a little on the small side. We ordered the Onde Onde as dessert, which the woman working there equated to Malaysian mochi and that Rasa is the only place in NYC you could try it! I was excited to try an authentic Malaysian dessert. Mango mousse had the perfect level of flavor (not too sweet) and topped with fresh mangoes. Service was efficient but not rushed, and so friendly! We loved learning more about Malaysian culture and cuisine. Looking forward to coming back and trying more of their dishes! read more

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This place is super underrated!! I'd never heard of it before, but definitely will be back. They have so many options for vegetarians and the portions are really big--great value for the price! I tried curry laksa with tofu for the first time and it was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend stopping by! read more

Rasa - Curry Laksa Noodle Soup - Malaysian Near Me - New York, New York

Second time to Rasa, just as good as the first. I got the nasi lemak again but this time with chicken curry, which was even better than the fried chicken. Serving portions are huge. Teh tarik was also very good- strong and creamy but not too sweet. Service is quick and servers are always pleasant. read more

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Neighborhood staple that's been around for years. Had a lite bite of chicken satay skewers and lettuce wraps. Prices are fair and portions smile. The mango mousse cake was divine. I'd come back just for that. A+ read more

Made a reservation for 4 on a weeknight and got there a little later than our reservation time but they were very nice about it and had no problem getting seated. The dinner rush didn't really start to pick up until around 7pm so it was fairly empty around 6pm. They have a good amount of menu options to choose from from. The beef rendang was delicious and the food didn't take too long to come out. The prices are standard of what you'd find in the west village area so something to keep in mind there. The interior is nice and it didn't get too noisy at all when we were there. read more

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Solid Malaysian food. The roti, nasi lemak, green curry, and hokkien mee were all excellent.

Service and ambiance were okay. In each of the dishes, there was some type of flavor that wasn't fully soaked through all the food. For example the broccoli was cooked well but didn't have much flavor which was surprising since the noodles were insanely good. Would recommend going with multiple people to try different items but I didn't LOVE anything specifically. read more

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If you never tried Malaysian food, I would say coming here is recommended if you want to try something new when around Washington Square Park. Environment: Came in around 2pm, and there were enough seatings. So it was very quiet and I dont even remember hearing a background song. Service: It was great, the waitress gave enough time to think over my order and made sure to fill my cup with water everytime. Food: It wasnt the best or bad, the food is very average and for someone who is trying such a cuisine for the first, I wouldn't criticize it because I dont have a reference. Maybe My choice of dishes could be better next time. But the lamb was maybe over cooked and it was hard to bite into it, the sauce was overwhelming with probably a strong touch of curry. read more

Rasa - Malaysian Near Me - New York, New York

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Great food, amazing service, and great big portions. My only complaint: the phone number on Yelp and on different phone number on Google did not work. read more

I got their nasi lemak and was looking forward to trying it since I heard it's the national dish of Malaysia. However, I thought it was too sweet and didn't have much going on in terms of the flavor profile. My friends who came with me also thought the food was okay. I did enjoy the complimentary kuih lapis though! read more

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Came here after a show for a quick dinner. We were seated right away and had our order taken minutes later. Friendly staff, and a varied menu. I ordered the shrimp which came with rice and vegetables. This dish was not very hot in temperature. The soup that proceeded it, a nice broth with some lettuce pieces in. It, was very hot. My husband's noodle bowl was very hot as well, so I think they may have waited to serve mine until his was done. The restaurant has a nice environment and is centrally located in the West Village. read more

Rasa - Malaysian Near Me - New York, New York

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If you know me in any capacity, you know that Malaysian food is my absolute favorite cuisine in the entire world. When I saw the spot as a potential fountain of flavor, I couldn't wait to come here and sample their menu. I was very excited to try the beef rendang curry here. When I arrived at the restaurant, it was pretty busy and it was also the Halloween day parade so I opted to take my food to go instead. My waitress was super nice and accommodating to my request and packed my food pretty quickly. The ambience here is really nice and perfect for a casual weeknight dinner or a first date although it can get pretty loud. I took my beef rendang and meat stuffed pancake to go. It could be that my food was in a to go container, but the pancake was not as appetizing as I thought it would be. I just feel the meat lacked seasoning and the pancake exterior was not crispy enough. The beef rendang left a lot to be desired. I really wanted to be wowed by this dish, but I was disappointed. The color was not the dark brown caramelized color we expect from beef rendang. This curry definitely needed to stay on the stove for much longer. The flavors were very, very muted. I feel the seasoning was completely lacking. I could not taste any of the Galangal, lemongrass, chilies, or coconut coming through. The curry was also a little bit more on the runnier side, which I don't necessarily mind as long as the flavor is there but sadly this dish definitely needs improvement in that area. I hope they can strive to make the rendang curry closer to the authentic version that is eaten in Malaysia. I would love to come back here again if they work on improving this dish. read more

Rasa - Malaysian Near Me - New York, New York

(Overall: B) - Rasa specializes in home style Malaysian cooking in the heart of West Village. I love the soul that comes from the food as it brings me back to the Southeast Asia so authentically, with a wide array of classic favorites. I did feel like the dishes could use a bit of finetuning, but is otherwise quite enjoyable. (Hokkien Mee: B) - I love the flavors of that dark sweet soy that empowers the thick noodles and squid, it brings me comfort back to the street food of Singapore. The squid was also incredibly tender, which was impressive. I would've liked to see a bit more technique coming from the vegetable front as the leaf of the bok choy was cooked to the point that it could not retain integrity. (Sarawak Laksa: B) - The premise of this 20+ ingredient laksa broth is such a draw, and I do find that the complexity is exhilarating -- although, I found the spiciness to be slightly overshadowing the balance of the many other ingredients. The shrimp, bok choy, and noodles are perfectly tender, though the egg is a bit over. Overall, not bad. Food: +1 Presentation: E Price: E Atmosphere: E Service: E Menu: +1 Overall: 4 stars Insta/Yelp/Beli/TikTok: @amei_eats read more

Rasa - Insta/Yelp/Beli/TikTok: @amei_eats - Malaysian Near Me - New York, New York

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First time having Malaysian food! I love Thai food and they had a lot of the same kinds of curries on the menu which I'm always drawn to, but I wanted to try something classically Malaysian. Got the Nasi Lemak which consisted of curried chicken, coconut pandan rice, peanuts with anchovies, cucumber, and sambal. Chicken was great, had some potatoes mixed in too and it satisfied my love for curry. The rice was so fragrant and good, and I LOVED that it was green how fun!!! Ive actually never had anchovies because they intimidate me but I was brave and they were actually kinda fun, super crunchy! The addition of cucumber here too is amazing bc curry can feel kinda heavy at times and cucumber just made it so much lighter and fresh. It got a bit chilly outside so I wanted a warm beverage so I got the Teh Tarik. YUMMMMM I could drink a gallon that was so fire. I'm craving more of it as I write this. read more

Rasa - Nasi Lemak and Teh Tarik - Malaysian Near Me - New York, New York

Great food. Great environment. Wonderful service. We were seated quickly during the start of dinner time (6pm on a Friday). The restaurant was wonderfully decorated - traditional clothing, fishing nets, straw structures. The wait staff were quick to deliver food and also very attentive. Now for the food: We got the Laksa noodle soup which was highlighted on the menu, the madman curry with beef, and the appetizer combo platter which came with 3 curry puffs, satay chicken, and one more think but I forgot the name. The appetizers were delicious although few for the price. The noodle soup was amazing! Spiced but not spicy. The curry was also thick and creamy with lots of protein. We shared the food between 4 people and left very satiated. read more

Rasa - Curry Puffs Satay Chicken Massaman Curry Entree - Malaysian Near Me - New York, New York

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More like a 4.5 for me than a 4, as this was a real revelation in terms of finding actual Malaysian/Singaporean restaurants I enjoy in the city. I will say outright this place has some excellent satay, curry puffs and hokkien prawn mee. The flavors are absolutely solid and bursting. The curry laksa and the kankung belecan were super awesome and the latter was pretty spicy as well (which I don't mind, though it was hard to make it edible for the kids). My only real disappointment was the hainan chicken rice which was just okay but not as good as some that I've tried elsewhere such as Taste Good in Elmhurst (which is still the gold standard for me re: Malay/Sgp food). But if we're talking about pound for pound great flavor and food - this is absolutely perfectly great for anyone looking to indulge big time. It's also worth pointing out the Cendol ice was also good. Not 100% authentic but still a pretty decent clone of what I used to enjoy in the hawker centers of Singapore. The service here was super friendly and excellent. I'd absolutely come back here any time. read more

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Pretty average food, several dishes being hit or miss. The Haianese chicken rice was very plain, as were a number of the noodle dishes. The Char Kueh Teow tasted a lot like a saltier drunken noodle, and flavour differentiation between dishes was lacking. We loved the roti canai and the satay chicken skewers! The serving size to price was pretty reasonable, but the flavours left much to be desired. Pretty easy to get a table for a large group on a weekday -- we made a reservation for weeknight dinner, but could've just as easily walked in. read more

Rasa - Char Kueh Teow and haianese chicken - Malaysian Near Me - New York, New York

Ordered: Lychee Mojito Mocktail (~$11) Roti Canai (~$10): with chicken curry potato dipping Chicken Satay (~$13): with peanut sauce Chicken Dumplings (~$10): with soy vinaigrette Crispy Fried Chili Chicken (~$25): sauteed with chili padi, red onion and garlic with soy sauce Rendang Beef (~$28): with exotic spices, lemongrass & lime leaves with thick coconut milk Nasi Kerabu with Fried Chicken (~$27): green beans, beansprouts, Vietnamese mint, ginger flower, half salted egg, homemade chili, cucumber Aya's take: Rasa apparently means "taste" in Malay and that truly embodies this meal. To start, it's great to see halal Malaysian in NYC! I started off with the Lychee Mojito Mocktail which was lightly sweet and refreshing. Price is a bit much for a mocktail but was nice to sip on throughout the meal. Out of the 3 appetizers we got, the Chicken Satay was my favorite. The chicken was tender and well-seasoned but the peanut sauce took this to a whole new level. We even used some of the roti from the Roti Canai to dip into the peanut sauce. Speaking of the Roti Canai, the curry sauce was a bit too watery and there wasn't much chicken or potato in it but the sweet & savory curry flavors definitely shined through. I loved the Nasi Kerabu with Fried Chicken - some of the juiciest, crispiest, and aromatic chicken I've had. The blue rice made the dish stand out and didn't taste any different. The Rendang Beef was soft and well-balanced between spiciness and sweetness; you can tell they cooked this slowly and let it simmer for a while. Very comforting bite! All in all, great meal at Rasa and highly recommend making a reservation as they do get busy around dinner. read more

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Its my second favorite Thai spot in city. You always find a table and food is delicious! Tried their beef udon which was amazingggg!! My friend tried their Rendang Beef which also was equally great! Its a little high priced but so worth the food! read more

Rasa - Malaysian Near Me - New York, New York

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Omg so yum! It was my first time trying Malaysian food and it was delicious! There's food is so fresh and the staff is so friendly! The restaurant is dim but is clean and has a lot of seating. We went on a Sunday and it wasn't very busy. Best of all, it's halal! This is one of those restaurants where the food is so comforting and not too heavy or overwhelming! read more

Rasa - Malay Hokkien Mee, Nasi Lemak - Malaysian Near Me - New York, New York

The service is absolutely the most attentive I have ever had. I'm so grateful for their kindness and attention to detail (ie: gave a napkin when I was running low, topped water immediately before it was low, smiles, patient and recommendations). The food was yummy and most important HALAL! Hit the spot. The ambiance is really cute and I love that everyone here seems really happy customers and workers. The place is cute nice friend date place or somewhere romantic. read more

Rasa - Udon noodles with brown Malay brown sauce bok Choy and halal beef - Malaysian Near Me - New York, New York

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The service was fast and courteous. Our server was from Indonesia while the owner and cook was from Malaysia. The food was very good and authentic. I would definitely recommend it. Although a bit pricy at closer to $30 per person. We tried their Nasi Kerabu with Fried Chicken and their Penang Hokkien Mee soup. The portions were large and very filling. We also had their Malaysian Teh Tarik. The restaurant itself is not very big but well decorated and clean. So far this is one of the better Malaysian restaurants in Manhattan. Would definitely return to try some of their other dishes. read more

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I've been to Rasa a couple of times over the years and it's always been a solid halal spot for me. I went with a large group of co-workers and most of us were happy with what we got whether it was fish or meat. I opted for the Sarawak Laksa and it was very tasty but I feel like the broth could've used more coconut flavor. All in all, this will always be a reliable spot for me. read more

Rasa - The spread - Malaysian Near Me - New York, New York

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The food was absolutely delicious and packed with flavor! The service and ambience were excellent as well. We got the chicken satay and roti for starters and they were amazing, so many spices and flavors. We got the Beef Rendang and the Malay Hokkien Mee for our entrees and I would 10/10 recommend both dishes. We received the food quickly and we were both sharing each other's dishes because of how good they both were. Beef Rendang had so many delicious spices and the noodles were so saucy and good. We will for sure be coming back again! read more

Rasa - Malay Hokkien Mee and Rendang Beef - Malaysian Near Me - New York, New York

We were a large group of 8 and they were able to accommodate us on a Thursday night with no issue. It was pretty empty inside. Malaysian fusion restaurant near NYU. Do not expect authentic Malaysian food here. They have alot of items on the menu from various asian cuisines. The Malaysian curry and beef rendang was pretty good. All of the other dishes were average. Do not get the mango salad (not even pictured here) but it tasted like chopped up mango with no flavor. The service was good and pretty quick for such a large order. Nice servers. read more

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I like the shrimp noodle soup. Taste of shrimp Soup is medium strong. I also like their cocktail drink. So strong and cold. Curry sauce is good also more on the sweet side. Waitress was very nice and takes us group pictures. Environment is good lighting and clean. We enjoy this restaurant. read more

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Just okay. Ordered some spice blend broth dish with some claimed connection to Anthony Bourdain. While the broth was outrageously complex, the proteins (hardboiled egg, chicken, and shrimp) were all below grade. The egg was still chilly in parts from being refrigerated, the chicken was spongey, and there were only a few shrimp. I liked the potato/beef appetizer but the main was disappointing and I was hungry again within two hours. read more

RASA! What a cool name right? Don't you just want to rhyme it or make a freestyle out of it? "I was down at Rasa wit my homie Mufasa, Simba WHACK he prolly still eatin microwaved pasta..." But I digress. This place was PHENOMENAL. My homie who rates Thai food for a living gave it "a 8 or 9," and I never seen him give above a 7.5. The best Thai I have had in the city, well Terra Thai lowkey is right there but it's so different I can't compare. WAIT Y'ALL STILL EATING AT FISH CHEEKS?!?!? (LeBron laughing emojis) COULDN'T BE ME!! We went with the little beef pancake thing to start, the Malay Hokkien Mee (noodles), Massaman Curry, and the beef special that was recommended on the back of the menu but I forgot the name. Everything was amazing, but I think the highlight was the noodle dish bec...well now that I type it out and really think on it, idk. Everything was so flavorful, yet not overwhelming. The line between not enough flavor and overwhelming flavor is as fine as a G2 Premium roller pen 0.5mm. Real ones know. RASA DID IT RIGHT! THANK YOU RASA I WILL BE BACK! IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov__ read more

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Rasa was a decent place for southeast Asian food. It was easy to get a seat on a Tuesday evening, thankfully. The interior was clean and spacious for a restaurant in this area, and service was excellent. For mains, the beef rendang was excellent. The beef was tender and the curry was packed with delicious flavors, definitely a great dish. Unfortunately, the Hainanese chicken left a lot to be desired. The chicken was somewhat bland and a little tough in terms of texture. Definitely not the same level of execution as the rendang. Overall, a decent option, with an extensive menu that has plenty of selections. And each entree was under $30, so it didn't break the bank! But the food won't necessarily blow your mind. read more

Rasa - Steamed Hainanese Chicken (with Bones) - Malaysian Near Me - New York, New York

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I came to this restaurant about a few years ago. 2 Saturdays ago, suddenly I craved for Malaysian food so came here again with my sister. We ordered a few dishes and I am glad that they still tasted great. The waiter and waitress were so friendly. The place is clean and nice. I will definitely come back to try more other dishes. read more

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Rasa was amazing! It's my third time here and the food always impresses. Great location, ambience is great and the service is very helpful. The food is full of flavor and it's nice to try to a new Asian cuisine besides the usuals. This is a great way to try halal Malaysian food in New York, and the portions felt huge! read more

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I don't know what happened! I loved the food, delivery for at least 10 times. NOW, portions cut in half. Everything was miniature, fried dumplings smaller than a fortune cookie! Very sad, will never order again read more

I've eaten at Rasa once in the restaurant though this review is for their yu sheng (魚生) that was special-ordered for Chinese/Lunar NewYear for a dinner party at my friend's home. This is a unique Malaysian Chinese traditional dish that is a salad of sorts with strips of raw fish. The ingredients are place unmixed on a large serving platter and tossed together with chopsticks by everyone eating as a kind of symbolic/superstitious "prosperity toss". Each ingredient (27 total according to Wikipedia) has a meaning and basically the intent is that this dish will bring you success and wealth. Usually the ingredients consist of fish with daikon, carrots, red pepper, turnips, red pickled ginger, sun-dried oranges, key lime leaves, coriander, chilli, jellyfish, chopped peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, shrimp crackers or fried dried shrimp, with a sauce made with plum sauce, rice vinegar, kumquat paste and sesame oil. Getting back to Rasa's version of this dish, it was a hit! Everyone including a few kids had fun mixing up the dish and seeing that many people went back for seconds, it was clear the flavors won them over. Personally I think this probably could've used a little more fish but overall I can't complain, this was delicious! read more

Made ressos for 6 people (4 adults + 2 babies) for a Sunday at 1. Not everyone arrived until 1:30 but luckily they were able to accommodate us, which was much appreciated, especially with babies. To start, I had the iced butterfly pea yuzu tea. It was nice and refreshing, and not too sweet. For food, we decided to order a bunch of things to share: -Satay tofu puffs - the satay sauce was really good. This comes with 7 pieces -Roti canai - can't go wrong with roti canai. The curry it came with for dipping was great. Although for $10, I would have expected the roti to be a bit bigger -Char kuay teow (rice noodles with chives, bean sprouts, eggs & soy sauce with chili sauce) - this is usually my go to dish at Malaysian spots and it did not disappoint. Usually, it's make with thin rice noodles but here, they used broad noodles, which I actually preferred because I love me some broad noodles. The flavor was great - plenty of wok hei. For the noodle and rice dishes, you can choose your protein (shrimp, tofu, chicken, beef, squid, seafood). We went with the shrimp and they gave us plenty of plump pieces of shrimp. 10/10 would order again -Kampong fried rice (eggs, onions, sambal anchovies, chili, carrots, peanuts, shrimp paste, cucumbers, and an egg on top - for the protein, we went with shrimp and again, they give a good amount. The fried -Mee Hoon Goreng (thin rice noodles with bean sprouts, carrots, scallion, eggs, fried shallots, with chili sauce) -Hainanese chicken - the chicken was overcooked and a bit dry. It also looked darker than most Hainan chicken. The rice and the ginger chili sauce were good though The food is good but not Chinatown good and of course, not Chinatown prices. The portions are also smaller. But if you're looking for good Malaysian/Singaporean food and you don't want to trek to Chinatown, then Rasa is a great option. read more

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The taste speaks louder than any menu description. They prepare standard fare within remarkable surroundings. Every employee here shows real friendliness. The food consistently impresses with few misses. This place operates below the hype! read more

Love it!! The dishes showcased flavor expertise! The team handles everything promptly while staying personable. The ambiance here is wonderful, the place is spotless, and staff are kind. I regularly point people to this restaurant. read more

The beauty of New York is getting to try food from every country out there. Malaysian good hitting the spot at Rasa NYC. Please get the Rendang beef if you enjoy meat-based dishes! Service is also great and it wasn't too crowded of a spot on a weekday evening. Their chicken noodles were ok - nothing too special so I'd skip it personally. read more

Rasa - Malaysian Near Me - New York, New York

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I've been wanting to try this place, as I am a fan of Malaysian cuisine and have passed by it many times. The interior is spacious with lovely decor with pretty yellow lights in a spherical shape and brick walls. There is a calm and inviting ambiance. For my beverage, I selected the hot Teh Tarik, which is Malaysian pulled tea. This was so tasty, creamy, smooth, with just the right amount of sweetness. The menu is quite extensive and I decided to try one of the chef specialties: Nasi Kerabu with Kampung Fish. Since I had never had Kampung Fish before, I asked what it was like and was told it was similar to Mackarel. This included green beans, beansprouts, vietnamese mint, ginger flower, half salted egg, homemade chili, as well as cucumber. The plating everything was beautiful, but I really wasn't a fan of the fish, as it was bony and tasted very fishy. I also didn't really enjoy the cucumber with beansprouts salad. There was a weird flavor to it that I couldn't put my finger on. One thing I did like was the blue coconut sticky rice, which was cooked perfectly. I mentioned to the waiter that I didn't like the fish, and he graciously let me order something else. I went with Mee Goreng with shrimp, which consisted of egg noodle with beansprouts, tofu, tomatoes, egg, potato, and fried shallots in chili sauce. There were a decent amount of shrimp. They were plump and juicy. However, I felt like the noodles and veggies were not all that flavorful. Service was solid. Our waiter was friendly and patient. The prices were a little high. For example, the tea was $6, noodles cost over $20, and most Chef Specialties were more than $25. Since I wasn't that satisfied with my meal, I don't think I will be returning. read more

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