Rasa
South Indian
55 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16 0AR
£
Pink is a delicate, welcoming colour: symbolising romance and charm. Whilst the pink walls in Rasa may not be the most romantic in town, the place does have a definite charm about it. With establishments in both Mayfair and Stoke Newington, Rasa caters to the hungry vegetarian masses wanting decently priced Keralan fare in both the centre of town and further afield.
As a dedicated carnivore trying to moderate my meat consumption, I am always on the lookout for veggie options that won’t leave me feeling too hard done by. Indian cuisine is among one of the easiest options for this, as the base of all the dishes remain the same – the meat often being the ‘final’ ingredient into a complex sauce – easily replaced with vegetables, paneer or tofu. Rasa has a good rep, so I was eager to discover its wonders when 8 of us went one Thursday evening.
As we were in a large group, we bulk ordered two portions of Pre-Meal snacks (£3.95), which consisted of: Achappam, Pappadavadai, Pappadoms, Banana chips and Muruku, as well as two portions of Pickles & Chutneys (£2.95), consisting of: Garlic pickle, Mango pickle, lemon pickle, Coconut Chutney, Mixed vegetable chutney, Coriander chutney. We followed this with one of every main dish on the menu (10 dishes all at £5.95), and 8 Paratha’s (£3). It is worth noting that the Stoke Newington establishment is better value, with each dish being around a pound less than Mayfair, however, it is also worth noting that the Mayfair establishment has meat options too.
The pre-meal snacks were a great mix, much more exciting than just you average pappadoms. The assortment of pickles and chutneys was vast and fresh, topping your typical chutney out of a jar. I was initially sceptical that each dish would end up tasting the same, as is so often the case with your classic ‘Indian’ (aka British) takeaway. Rasa, however, managed to absolutely smash it, with each dish having distinct colour, flavour and feeling. Even two lentil dhal's had contrasting flavour and edge. The parathas were colossal, with a perfect doughiness to them, although admittedly could have been a little crispier.
