Six months living in Singapore gave me a taste for Malaysian food—spicy, flavorful dishes of meat and vegetables. But spicy foods aren’t really to the Japanese tastes, and we haven’t seen much Malaysian food here. But wandering the streets of Ginza looking for a place to eat, we spotted a sign for Rasa. “Malaysia - Singapore cuisine” Oh, wow!
The menu is full of my old favorites—beef rendang, chicken rice, and a host of seafood dishes with peppery sauces and exotic names. Prices range from 700 - 1800 yen. There’s also an extensive drinks menu including local beers and Singapore favorites like kopi, the-O and wheatgrass juice.
We splurged on the 4,000 yen set. It was eight courses, from steamed chicken salad through black pepper beef and finishing up with mango pudding. Each dish was better than the last and as authentic as you’re likely to find in Tokyo. The chef spent 13 years in Malaysia and 11 in Singapore.
Malaysia Airlines is connected to Rasa (the store card features the airline’s logo, and they play Malaysia Airlines travel videos in the dining room). I wonder if they get their blacan and other key ingredients flown in specially from the source.
Rasa is 1 minute from Ginza Station, exit A3. Go out the exit, and walk towards Citibank. Turn left at that corner and the building is two or three doors down on the left.
Rasa: Malaysia - Singapore cuisine
Ginza Five Star Building, 8F.
Ginza 5-8-13, Chuo-ku
03-3289-1668
Weekdays 11:00 - 14:30 & 17:00 - 23:00
Weekends/Holidays 12:00 - 23:00
