Rasa: Unique view into Indian cuisine
By: Chris Cunningham
Located in East Greenwich right on Main Street, lies a small building with a colorful awning. Rasa, which means “essence” in Sanskrit, is the the third Indian restaurant opened by chef Sanjiv Dhar. Dhar, who studied at the University of Salzburg in Austria as well and in India, brings high quality foods to Rhode Island from one of the most interesting and exotic places on Earth: India.
Indian food originates from a very unique culture. While the vast Himalayas kept it cut off from the rest of the world for centuries, the Indian subcontinent developed a very unique culture, while it’s warm and tropical climate create a landscape where various spices flourished. These spices, such as coriander, pepper, and chilies have mixed with a unique culture, allowing India to host a vast array of unique and wonderful foods unlike anywhere else in the world. Luckily for us, we can experience a small portion of this unique culture right here in Rhode Island, at Rasa.
From the outside, Rasa is easily recognizable from its bright blue exterior, and a simple bright orange lettering that reads “Rasa”. Inside, Rasa sports a sleek and modern dining room, with plenty of seating and a full bar. It’s dim interior is accented with bright orange walls and colorful designs on some of the walls. One feature that stands out is the large mirror pillar in the center of the room, offering some unique perspectives of the restaurant. This pillar leads up to the ornate tin roof to wrap up the contemporary design.
Rasa offers a wide array of appetizers and entrees, with appetizers ranging from $5 — $10, and entrees ranging from $8 — $20, depending on what you get and if you order the lunch or dinner version (the dinner portion being sizably larger). To start of any Rasa order, I’d recommend a side of the cauliflower, which can either be served fried or in my personal favorite, sweet and spicy. The sweet and spicy gives you something almost like a candy, very sweet and delicious but with a hint of spice as well. This makes for a savory dish that almost anyone will love. Another great item is the chicken tikka masala, which is pieces of chicken in a creamy and slightly spicy sauce made primarily from yogurt and various spices. It is a great dish, and a safe choice for any hesitant dinners. Also, no Indian order would be complete without an order of one of the types of naan bread available at Rasa. My personal favorite is the date and coconut naan, which is possibly my favorite item at Rasa; If I could I’d eat a whole basket by myself with ease. Other great dishes I can vouch for at Rasa include the honey and ginger duck, Tandoori lamb chops, and the Hyderabadi chicken korma.
Although not required by Hinduism, vegetarianism is very popular within the Hindu community. Therefore, Rasa offers a thorough vegetarian menu that includes things like roasted eggplant, crispy okra with a Chinese-style sauce, and chana masala, which is chickpeas soaked in the masala sauce.
Rasa offers a unique experience that can open up many door for people. Before I went to Rasa, I was hesitant to try a lot of the things on the menu because they were so foreign. However, If found that you should always try a new food. You should never disregard a dish because you think it will taste bad because you never know, it could be a new favorite. So, if you ever go to Rasa, I encourage you to try something you’ve never had before, because if it’s on the menu, it must be good to someone.
