NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

The Best Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill and the 919

  • NC Triangle Dining Food Blog
  • Home
    • Blog
  • Best Restaurants
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Raleigh, NC
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Durham, NC
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Cary, NC
    • Best Restaurants and Food in Chapel Hill – Carrboro, NC
    • Best Food Specials and Deals in Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill
    • Triangle Top Three’s- Bars
  • News
    • New Restaurants and Bars, Coming Soon to the Triangle
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Cary and Morrisville
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Chapel Hill and Carrboro
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Durham
    • New Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh
    • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2020 Edition
    • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2019 Edition
  • Index of Reviews
    • Cary Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Chapel Hill and Carrboro – Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Durham Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • Raleigh Restaurant and Bar Reviews
    • NC Video Reviews
    • Travel Reviews
  • Food Photos
    • Food Event Photos
    • Memorable Meals for 2019
    • Memorable Meals for 2018
  • About
    • NCTD Blogger- Ron Wen
    • NC Triangle Dining Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog Policy
    • Working with NC Triangle Dining
    • NC Triangle Dining Blog and Social Media Statistics
You are here: Home / Restaurant & Bar Reviews / Chapel Hill / First Take: Rasa Malaysia in Chapel Hill for Real Ethnic Malaysian Eats

January 17, 2017 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

First Take: Rasa Malaysia in Chapel Hill for Real Ethnic Malaysian Eats

Front of Rasa Malaysia in Chapel Hill - NC Triangle Dining
Front of Rasa Malaysia in Chapel Hill – NC Triangle Dining

If you’re a fan of Asian eats, you might be a fan of Chinese, Japanese, Thai or even Laotian cuisine (Bida Manda). But there’s a much broader spectrum of Asian eats given all the countries in the region and one that might have slipped past your foodie radar screen is Malaysian! I’ve only had the chance to try it a handful of times but have always been impressed by the different flavors and ingredients used in the cuisine. And over in Chapel Hill, we may have the only Malaysian restaurant in the area (that I know of), Rasa Malaysia. So on a quiet Friday morning, I hoofed it out to see what they were dishing out!

Dining room at Rasa Malaysia in Chapel Hill - NC Triangle Dining
Dining room at Rasa Malaysia in Chapel Hill – NC Triangle Dining

If you’re familiar with this area of Chapel Hill, you might have known Rasa Malaysia’s predecessor: Merlion. Sitting in this corner of Southern Village I always found it odd that a very ethnic restaurant was located in this very suburban setting. And Rasa Malaysia isn’t really any different. It occupies the same location with the same interior of dark brown and airy whites for the interior. One difference is that the street-facing entrance has been closed, enter through the building foyer to the right. The menu at Rasa Malaysia has definitely taken on a more Malaysian twinge, offering favorites like roti, char kway teow, mee goreng and beef rendang. I decide to go all in on some of the more “exploratory” dishes.

Complimentary soup at Rasa Malaysia in Chapel Hill - NC Triangle Dining
Complimentary soup at Rasa Malaysia in Chapel Hill – NC Triangle Dining

Rasa Malaysia starts off lunch with a small cup of soup. It’s recognizable to me as a simple Chinese soup: Napa cabbage in light chicken broth. Very basic but well done and perfect on a cold afternoon. And then things start to get interesting. My stuffed you tiao (stuffed Chinese cruller) comes to the table as a colorful heap of shredded veggies bathed in a cream sauce. I start scratching my head here, usually Chinese crullers are long, fried pastries and I’m wondering if I ordered the wrong item. A closer look at the menu shows that it’s served with a mango salad and some digging underneath shows off some slice pieces of cruller hidden underneath it all.

Stuffed you tiao at Rasa Malaysia in Chapel Hill - NC Triangle Dining
Stuffed you tiao with mango salad at Rasa Malaysia in Chapel Hill – NC Triangle Dining

So it’s time to dig in! This multi-hued plate has shredded mango, carrot, onion, and cucumber topped with a sweet creamy sauce. The crunchy cruller pieces make for a nice textural and savory contrast to the topping, very different. Again, I think this plate must be pretty Malaysian and a spin off of the “typical Chinese cruller” offering. It tastes of the tropics which makes sense to me.

Nasi lemak at Rasa Malaysia in Chapel Hill - NC Triangle Dining
Nasi lemak at Rasa Malaysia in Chapel Hill – NC Triangle Dining

Next up is my nasi lemak and I had NO idea what to expect other than I understood that it’s a very popular dish in Malaysia. It’s plated beautifully with a variety of colors and textures on the plate. One bowl of coconut rice, some curry chicken, what I think is beef rendang, half a boiled egg, peanuts and sambal ikan bilis (anchovies). Whoa! First time here and yeah, I’m trying to figure things out. The coconut rice is great, perfectly steamed and supple with hints of coconut underneath. Taking a bite of the more savory curried chicken and beef rendang makes for an interesting mouthful with the rice. The anchovies at the bottom of the plate along with the peanuts add some crunch and I’m not sure how the egg fits into this meal! Besides adding some additional protein.

Back bar at Rasa Malaysia in Chapel Hill - NC Triangle Dining
Back bar at Rasa Malaysia in Chapel Hill – NC Triangle Dining

At Rasa Malaysia, there’s one older gentleman running and serving the busy dining room, he’s obviously a pro. And still manages to check in several times to see if I’m enjoying my meal. I can tell you for sure that Rasa Malaysia is the real, authentic ethnic deal. They’re serving up Malaysian cuisine without making too many accommodations for those less familiar with the cuisine. Which is fine by me because I always appreciate authenticity in my food. That being said, you certainly come to Rasa Malaysia with a curious and exploratory mindset and palate, ready to taste some different food. It’s not for everyone but if you enjoy Malaysian eats, I’m pretty sure you’ll love Rasa Malaysia!

 

Rasa Malaysia

410 Market Street

Chapel Hill, NC 27516

984.234.0256

 

Location on Google maps

Last Updated on November 10, 2019

Related

Filed Under: Chapel Hill, Restaurant & Bar Reviews Tagged With: Malaysian Restaurants

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to NC Triangle Dining

Popular Reviews

Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls, Raleigh – A Taste of New England Seafood in North Carolina

Chicken Bee, Durham – Offering Amazing Korean Fried Chicken on 9th Street

KoKyu Southpoint, Durham: A Fun Eatery for Casual Asian-Fusion Fare Loaded with Flavor

Don’t Miss

  • New Restaurants and Bars in Cary and Morrisville, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Durham, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars in Raleigh, Now Open
  • New Restaurants and Bars of the Triangle, 2020 Edition
  • New Restaurants and Bars, Coming Soon to the Triangle

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

New Reviews!

  • Preview: Torchy’s Tacos Brings a Taste of Austin, TX to Raleigh
  • Photos: ParTee Shack for Indoor Mini-Golf in Raleigh
  • Photos: The New Bongiorno & Son Italian Market in Raleigh
  • LuLu Bang Bang, Durham – A Culinary Trip Across Asia for the RTP Crowd

Connect with NCTD

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

NCTD Email Subscription


Handcrafted with on the Genesis Framework