A couple of weeks back, we scoured the web for a good Singaporean restaurant in town that can satiate my Bah Kut Teh and Hainanese chicken rice cravings. The search led us to Rasa in Cubao’s Araneta Center, right beside the coliseum entrance.

How does it fare? Here’s what I thought.

Popiah (P89 for a single serving) — a variant of the popular lumpia in Fujian Chinese cuisine, glazed with a sweet sauce and crushed peanuts.

The Rasa Shake (P65) is very refreshing. We’ll totally go back if only for this!

The Rasa Sampler (P255), with crispy squid, satay prima, oriental fresh green salad, and roti — a very appetizing starter platter. The crispy squid stands out in my memory, with its crunchy texture and sweet-salty flavor.

Seafood Laksa Fried Rice (P169) — an original fried rice recipe based on the sour noodle soup dish laksa. Very tasty

The Five Foot Way Trilogy (P449) is a sampler platter of their crispy, Hainanese, and soy chickens. The Hainanese chicken meat was tender, going well with Hainanese rice and minced ginger sauce. Not the best I had, but not bad either.

A single serving of Beef Kwey Teow (P125), which was sweet and filling. We loved this dish a lot, but thought that it wasn’t very authentic (Char Kwey Teow as I remember it is not sweet).

Bah Kut Teh (P189) — a satisfying meal in itself, with a very flavorful broth and fall-off-the-bone pork ribs

The Deep Fried Spareribs (P215) dish was sweet and spicy.

Dessert — Raffles Cheesecake (P109). I’m not a fan of cheesecake, but the others liked it.

and the popular Ice Kachang (P65) — Singapore’s version of our Halo-halo. Sweet and gooey

Setting. The place is simple and brightly-lit, with ample dining space both indoors and out. It does not exude any particular cultural theme, but is definitely a comfy hangout. A small stairway leads to the loft level, which can be reserved for small functions by arrangement.

Service was good, our server pleasantly and patiently took our order while carrying a courteous conversation on recommended items. We were well attended to throughout the meal.

Price range: ~P500-600 per head.

Overall verdict. The one flavor that stood out in most of the dishes was sweet, and as such if you’re looking for 100% authentic Singaporean fare, Rasa’s not the place for you. That said, and while Rasa probably won’t win high-end gourmet citations anytime soon, it does deliver fairly well with its semi-localized menu. All in all, my craving palate was pleased, and I certainly wouldn’t mind coming back.

Rasa The Best of Singapore
Coliseum Circle, Araneta Center
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Tel. #: +63 2 995-0851

You might also like:

Lemon Grass (The Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu)

[15 Dec 2008 | 3 Comments | ]

Jasmine (New World Renaissance, Makati)

[7 Dec 2009 | No Comment | ]

Fu by Hai Shin Lou (G/F Serendra)

[13 Apr 2009 | 2 Comments | ]