Review Rasa - Wellington

100% Fantastic!! We had such a great experience with Rasa. All the servers were very kind and professional, our food came quickly and it was very good value for money. The menu is very extensive with heaps of vegetarian options. Highly recommend the mutrabak (a large filled roti parcel). Will definitely be back to try the low-cost lunch menu!

Best malaysian food since we’ve left Malaysia. The rotis are also the closest to what we’ve had back in Asia. Really missed the delicious food there and this tasted so authentic and rich in flavour, it was incredible! I’m glad we don’t live here because we would probably eat there almost every day… As we were here on Saturday the place was pretty busy and although it’s cosy, it can get very loud inside. Highly recommend if you’re interested in Malaysian food. They offer a good selection of dishes with different varieties and the spicy ones aren’t all too spicy but just right. Staff are very friendly and also represent a rich cultural mix (Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, India…) Great place. Look forward to coming back one day.

ORGASMIC😍😍😍 I'll have to come back to Wellington just to go again to this place and have my usual DOSAI MASALA. This dish is mind-blowing. I have it on my first day on the city (3 months ago) and then I have to come every week to have it. I came also for my birthday, and I'm writing on my last night on Wellington after finish my last Dosai 🥹 Make yourself a favor and come try it ❤️

Loved this. Recommended by my daughter. Really busy which was a great sign and we were not disappointed. Really delicious.

Delicious! We went at lunch time and ordered from their lunch menu. Found the prices really reasonable and the food was great. We had two curries with rice and roti - the roti was delicious. Would definitely recommend

We went there for dinner... I've been meaning to eat there for ages, but always ended up at another eatery. Just as well they've been around for many many years. I'd been hanging for a masala dosa, and I got it tonight...it was so worth the wait too. Crispy fragrant pancake with spiced filling of potatoes.. with 2 dipping sauces...both adding a refreshing different taste with the dosa. The ambience, and decor was very warm and inviting. Very happy dining experience cheers.

Food amazing! Delicious flavours! Service friendly and efficient. Great value. Highly recommended 👍

My family and I had amazing food at this cosy restaurant recently. Great staff and lovely atmosphere. Excellent value for money.

Very colorful eatery serving South Indian & Malaysian dishes in a cozy storefront space. The decoration are strongly symbolic of the exotic culture, which fits in the colorful Mutli cultural atmosphere of Wellington well.

Your biggest problem might be getting in the door. It’s popular. Once you’re inside the atmosphere has a buzz, the food is tasty, the service is friendly and the price good value. It’s BYO too. A concept we’ve forgotten having lived overseas for several years. Just do it. Go in. Order the goat curry, a dosa and whatever takes your fancy.

This is the best restaurant in Wellington by far. The Dosai is just unforgettable. Strongly recommended !!!!!

We would definitely recommend this place. We had been carving dosa for a long time and not very common to find in regular Indian places, luckily we found Rasa. The food didn't take long to be served and the staff was friendly and accommodating. We would visit again in our next trip to Wellington.

The chicken sambal was very spicy and delicious! I also enjoyed the dosai and my family liked their meals too. The service was great

We ordered the $9 lunch special (I got the butter chicken with rice) + $2 roti. Good portion and value, fast and friendly customer service. For a quick cheap tasty meal this place is well recommended. 😋

We ordered the $9 lunch special (I got the butter chicken with rice) + $2 roti. Good portion and value, fast and friendly customer service. For a quick cheap tasty meal this place is well recommended. 😋

I thought I would treat the family to some delicious takeaways tonight and, having been a regular at Rasa for quite some time, considered that this was a choice I could be confident in. Sadly it seems much has changed as when we opened our order we were greeted with 2 very shallow containers of curry, 1 small pottle of rice (needs to be ordered seperately) and 2 very small rotis. @ $66 this just seems to underline a carelessness and lack of passion which I would have thought I'd never experience here. The goat curry, a signature dish here, was swimming in fat and looked like it had been skimmed from the top of the pot, and the fish in the goan curry tasted more like shark than anything fresh and worth it's value. I wont go on, but you get the picture. I don't often write reviews but would hate for other past believers in Rasa to be as sorely disappointed! Won't be back.

Amazing food! You have so try the masala dosa. Relaxed atmosphere and the staff are really friendly Bookings available and bring your own wine. <br/>

Stopped in for a quick lunch today, was treated to a fantastic Lamb Rendang w/Roti.<br/>Such amazing value to get a quality meal and a drink for $15.<br/>Will definitely be back to further explore the menu, would recommend!

Authentic Indian in a bustly and vibrant space. We had the thali but the dosa and roti looked good too. Aware of dietry considerations and super efficient staff. We left very full and wanting to come back.

First impression entering the door as their first customer at 5.30pm, greeted by their friendly waiter. <br/>Now, if you are a typical Asian , I mean like having a typical mindset,then you would have a typical mind like my husband, you will see all Indians in that restaurant.( no hard feelings here)<br/>My husband is those typical husband, therefore I didn’t get to dine in there, even though I’m really craving for their lamb martapak(which everyone says it’s super nice. ) btw, I end up dinner in KK Malaysian.<br/>Also, they are a non kid-friendly restaurant (no baby chair) they will say it’s broken and still getting a baby chair. <br/>

8 of us went for a lovely BYOB meal here ($5 corkage) and everything was delicious and well priced. Top choices were the Gado Gado and Laksa.

Rocked up on a Sunday evening around 6, there were a few others in the restaurant so it helped with the ambience. Got a great people watching spot in the window. Our orders were quickly taken and had maybe a 10 minute wait for our piping hot meals. We were left with happy tummys after our delicious meals, very filling, and great value for money. We think our experience would've been better if the staff were a bit more chatty. It's my favourite place in Wellington to grab a curry. Fun fact - to get to the bathroom you must go through the kitchen 🔥

Good atmosphere, can become quite loud when busy. Service is good, can wait a bit longer when the place is full. The food has always been good though and hasn't disappointed.

Heard about this place, but didn't end up going for one reason or another. Finally went tonite - what a mistake! Should have come much earlier! Had the masala dosa, which was fantastic - actually had proper fermented dosa flavour. Generous serving of accompaniments with good flavour, too. Really excellent, and a cracking meal for the price. Lots of other options, but I'd find it hard to look past the masala dosa next time, too.

A great option for BYO with friends but a little tight for space. The service is fantastic and the menu is great. This place can get rowdy due to being popular and cosy at the same time.

I loved this place. All the menu was really clearly labelled and there were plenty of Gf, Df and V options. I had a vegetable curry with a special peanutty sauce and poppadums, really delicious. Small restaurant ro squeeze a wheelchair into, with littlw space between and around tables, and if we had tried to get seated at a busy time it wouldn't have been possible at all. But I would go back.

It was very busy on a Wednesday night. We started with satay chicken which were really nice-just like the ones I have had in Malaysia. We also had two mains but mine sambal fish was really spicy and it was a bit overpowering for my liking. I don't mind the heat but I found the sambal taste could be improved.

Came here for a quick meal, which did arrive promptly after ordering. The chicken sambal was off the hook, not too sweet like most places serve it, well impressed.<br/>

Came here for dinner. The place was very quite (aprt from the kitchen staff shouting at the back), it was just 2 of us and another elderly couple. We ordered Masala Dosai and Chicken Mee Goreng. The masala dosai had a lot of stuffing in it, taste was okay. The Mee Goreng was really not as expected. The chicken was not fresh and they didn't put enough sauces also.<br/><br/>Ambiance is dull and congested. Staff were friendly. Heard they serve good Murtabak. May try again next time.

Stopped in to try this spot as we have often seen it but never got around to actually trying it. We got the masala dosa and beef rendang (and a steamed rice as this is separate on the menu). Beef Rendang was sweet which I wasnt expecting but the beef was tender and it had some nice flavours coming through at different stages, because of the sweetness I personally wouldnt get it again from here. The dosa was nice good amount of filling which was flavoursome and the condiments were nice, especially the coconut chutney. I would get this again in store so its nice and crispy and would try a couple of their other dishes. Worth a try if you are in the area.

The goat curry is the only reason I keep coming here. One of the best in Wellington. Goat curry lunch combos with an ice cold kingfisher. Perfect.

Never a bad experience here the gado gado is amazing and vegan without the egg! They do takeaway also which is quick, cheap and large portions! Will keep returning!

Been to Rasa several times because of the authentic and delicious food. Based on my extensive research over the past 2 years, the chicken curry and fish sambal (very spicy!) win hands down! Top tip from a fellow Indian foodie; eat the fish with a plain dosa. Superb! Another hidden treasure is the pappadoms served with fresh tomato and coconut chutney. I would highly recommend this place especially if you're the sharing type. Come early or book as this place is always packed!

Best chicken rendang I've ever tasted! Will return definitely, however seating a bit crammed so will do takeaway next time. Highly recommend!

This was our second time back for a takeaway meal. Very nice food and a reasonable selection for a rather small restaurant. <br/><br/>Very large helpings which is ideal for when you want to grab a filling, quality takeaway. <br/><br/>The only 'fault' I could say is that the room is very small, which is nice for when you dine in. However it makes you feel a little awkward having to brush past people dining in, as the till is at the very back of the room. <br/><br/>Overall, very good food!!

On Thursday night at 7pm, Rasa was packed - it is very clearly a popular Malaysian / South Indian restaurant. <br/><br/>Walking in, apart from people and one lone available table (we had booked), we were met by warm smells of dinner plates being demolished and simmering pots from the kitchen, the noise of a dozen or so conversations, and an atmosphere of cosy chaos, that had been helped along by the red walls, amber lighting and odd Malaysian nick-nacks on the walls. <br/><br/>Service wasn’t slow. The menus were already on the table, and within a minute a young man was ready to take our order. <br/><br/>Unfortunately for him, arrival at a restaurant does require a moment for settling into the dining environment with a little relaxed conversation for a few minutes before the menus are opened and thoughts descend to the stomach. The phase need not last more than a few minutes but it was a phase during which the young man returned at least twice.<br/><br/>The menu is not extensive but it contained the most popular traditional Malaysian and some South Indian dishes. The greater focus was, as to be expected, Malaysian.<br/><br/>Our group of five ordered a shared entrée platter to pacify the young man while we explored the mains.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>After an interval measured in only a fraction of a glass of the BYO Pinot Gris we had brought, the platters arrived. They were huge – unexpectedly generous. <br/><br/>Lined up we found:<br/><br/>Satay chicken skewers with peanut sauce: OK, not different from what you might expect. The home-made sauce was very good, nice texture and flavour.<br/><br/>Curry Puffs: Good, dry flaky exteriors with a filling of kumara and spice. Needed the moistening sauce accompaniment. Would have again.<br/><br/>Pan fried squid and prawns: Enjoyed the squid texture - the sauce was very pleasant. Would have again.<br/><br/>Spring rolls, delicious, would definitely have again.<br/><br/>As the last crumb was being dipped into peanut sauce, the plates were swept away and the young man returned. We were ready for him.<br/><br/>Masala Dosa: A beautifully formed and cooked South Indian dosa but the potato filling was rather sludgy and dull – I would have preferred something a little more textural with some flavour interest - the traditional incorporation of slightly crushed potatoes not completely mashed. The coconut chutney, sambar and tomato sambal were all OK, not spectacularly interesting but good. If I was having again I’d probably go for a different filling.<br/><br/>Ikan Panggang: Malaysian gently spiced and perfectly cooked fish. Possibly the highlight of the mains – this was delicious, I’d go back just for this.<br/><br/>Goat Curry: Usually one of my favourite dishes at Indian restaurants sufficiently interesting enough to serve it. Unfortunately this wasn’t a good one. Rather (very) tough bits of some animal in an otherwise pleasant sauce. I couldn’t really get much in the way of goatiness. Would have preferred a cut more suitable to long slow cooking. Unpleasantly firm.<br/><br/>Lamb Biryani: Nice gentle spices – a good biryani, but again the chunks of lamb were extremely tough (No I don’t wear dentures!). To be honest they were indistinguishable from the pieces of goat.<br/><br/>A Chicken dish – I think it was Ayam Panggang. Delicious, perfectly cooked chicken and lovely warm spices.<br/><br/>I’d personally recommend booking a table, taking a BYO wine and having the entrée platter, Ikan Panggang and Ayam Panggang. I couldn’t recommend the goat.<br/><br/>The bill for two, of our party of five, was $75 (the wine was BYO) which I think is very good value by any measure. <br/><br/>If I could, I’d give it a rating of 3.75, with a 4 if the cut for the goat curry and Biryani was improved.<br/> Would definitely go back.

So delicious! My dish had the perfect amount of spice, flavour and balance. The chicken melted in my mouth, amazing. I was blown away by how many parts they could fit in the tiny table, & when I looked up from my dish, how many people were squeezed in the restaurant. For good reason, dinner was awesome.

Experience was not to an acceptable level because:<br/><br/>- booked a window table, but didn't get one and no recognition we asked for one on arrival.<br/><br/>- our table of a few people, was put on such a small table we couldn't fit our meals on the table, we had to place food on seats.<br/><br/>- was a person's birthday in our group, prefer to spend a wee bit more for getting an OK table and not having to put food on chairs.<br/><br/>The food was good though, may be an OK place if you are in a hurry and not concerned at all where you sit (including sitting very close to others) or level of service. The night we were there was it felt crowded. Did get a tiny discount after asking, but nothing in line for the poor experience.<br/><br/>Overall, now prefer to go somewhere else.

I’ve never been to Rasa and always intrigued by their dosai (fermented crepe or pancake made from rice and black lentils) and thali (a selection of different dishes, usually served in small bowls on a round tray) dishes. Jono ordered a dosai with his prawn sambal dish while Steve had goat curry with rice and both boys washed down their dinner with teh tarik. I had a Penang laksa – hmm, not the best laksa in town, I must say, but the dishes both the boys had were nice. Jono’s dosai took a long time to come out (there was a sign in the restaurant stating that it takes time for them to prepare the dosai) and was served like a cone shape on a plate. Tasted sour which wasn’t quite what I was expecting – I was thinking more roti tissue (the thinner version of traditional roti canai). Should have looked up the meaning of dosai before we came here! The price of food averages $15-$30 and for the tiny restaurant, it sure get busy and very crammed when the place fills up. Hey, but busy restaurant

Not kid friendly at all. We were made to wait when there were tables available with sleeping child in my arms and later denied service claiming they are "reserved".

Easy to book in but they probably could benefit from sticking to a seating plan for busy weekend nights as there were a few groups that ended up being moved around while we were there. Felt a bit rushed to order which was partially our own fault as we were running late due to car parking in town being busier than anticipated. Luckily the food more than made up for it - was DELICIOUS. All tried something new and loved it, fair warning though everything on their menu is fairly spicy even when it says its mild so if spice isn't your thing tread carefully.

The soup of the laksa is ok, but noodles taste like ropes and it's hard to digest.

Best cheap Asian BYO in town! Unlike other BYO places this place doesn't seem to be overcome with screeching students or large groups. It's fairly small inside and you might not get a table. It's a popular wee place. The menu isn't vastly expansive but the food is exemplary. A place not to be missed!

Tried lamb murtabak for dinner. Was okay. However, I think the portion is quite small. The rest was side veges on the plate. Lots of seating (we went there as a large group and doesn't feel crammed)

Came here for an anniversary. Atmosphere is cosy and busy. Goat curry is a must. The savoury pancakes weren't our favourite.. bit too filling. Great restaurant though!

rasa has been here a long time ,The food at RASA is very tasty. great great place to eat. fantastic!! im never disappointed when i eat here.  and i cant wait to go back. rasa lives upto its name

A really good restaurant. Nicely balanced curries and good portion sizes with reasonable price. Great for a quick and cheerful meal. It probably wouldn't suit someone wanting a romantic dinner for two as it is quite crowded and noisy due to its deserved popularity but it is definitely worth a visit.

One of our favourite BYO restaurants in Wellington. The dosai is always superb, although the beef rendang can sometimes be hit and miss. Make sure you have a reservation for the busier nights though - we've been disappointed more than once!

In a word, Sublime. The authentic, relaxed, intensely flavoursome experience at Rasa was fantastic.<br/><br/>I enjoyed a superb fish curry, which incorporated things like spicy tomato, chilli, lemongrass, garlic and onion. I can't remember the name of the dish sorry! The waiter kindly warned me it would be hot. I ventured to go for it anyway, and my tastebuds were glad I did. I ordered some cucumber raita to balance my palate a bit from the heat... which did the job.<br/><br/>The roti was soft and delicious. Tiger beer was delicious. Only shortcoming was that they didn't sell wine (but I really enjoyed my Tiger Beer).

Just went to Rasa on Saturday night with friends who went there before and liked it. They don't take reservations on weekends unless its a big group. It was packed when we went there. Which was good indication so we had to wait for few mins for the table which was ok. The service staff was pretty nice. We ordered our food : 2 being vegetarian &amp; 1 being GF in our group of 4 it was very easy to find what we would like. Staff helped us in choosing as well. Our food was on the table I think in 20 mins which was great. Only that it arrived in instalments but was impressive for the number of people they had. <br/><br/>Review:<br/><br/>Food: 4.5 star, Good portions, very reasonable ($13 for big meal) , dosa was crisp &amp; yum. The sambar was not enough but we asked for more &amp; they given us one little bowl (was ok) Best dosai in NZ till now what I had. Very close to original that I had in India only the chutneys were bit sweet but I think coz they are serving kiwis. I liked them though.<br/>Service: 4 star, Very Good staff , very helpful &amp; attentive. Although they had little knowledge about food on menu. Which was bit of a drawback but altogether 2 male staff who served us were great. <br/>Location &amp; decor: 3.5 star : Cuba St (central), easy to find. Decor is nice simple &amp; fresh. Liked the bicycle on wall with tiffin &amp; Rasa as number plate. This place is not for romantic dinners &amp; they were trying to accommodate as much people as they can. So was bit crammed &amp; cannot have conversation much but food was awesome. To get to toilet you have to pass through the kitchen. I did not mind that much as that way i get to see where our food was cooked. <br/><br/>All together it was lovely place, good food, will go back again and might re-review it. <br/> Current star status: Average of (4.5+4+3.5)=4 stars . <br/>Highly recommended.

Just discovered Rasa for the first time and very impressed with the food. The service is great, staff helpful and pleasant. My chicken dosai was wonderful. Small restaurant and very busy but you're not having to listen to the conversation next door. Highly recommended for beautiful food at very reasonable prices. BYO if you want a drink with your meal.

Another fantastic lunch here, the Dosai rivals ones we ate in India. paper thin perfection, the dahl and chutneys excellent, the goat curry a standout. Great service as usual. Best time to eat here is a late lunch as very crowded in the evenings

Excellent food, nice and cozy feeling<br/>Food = A++++++++ i loved it (:<br/><br/>Starter<br/><br/>Satay Chicken on skews (6pieces) s w Peanut sauce (YUM)<br/>Curry Puffs (Perefectly golden and moist)<br/><br/>Mains<br/><br/>Masala Dosai (Real Crispy as i requested, the inside went perfectly with the chutneys and dipping my dosai in the vege stuff ^_^ )<br/><br/>Overall I want to go back again again again again again, service was perfect too, nice and friendly and catered too everything.<br/>Recommended to everyone!!

Rasa is a good cheap eats place in Cuba Street. The service was friendly and efficient, and the hostess made clear what was available that night before we ordered.<br/><br/>To start, I had cold half-cooked curry puffs. I sent this back to the kitchen.<br/><br/>Next I had a yummy lamb curry. I appreciate that the kitchen made my curry mild. It was hot and steamy, and was served with a lovely steamed rice tower.<br/><br/>A down side however, is they try to cram too many people next to each other, so if you want to go out for a romantic dinner, this is not the place! I am also not a fan of having to go through a working kitchen to use a toilet facility.<br/><br/>An issue i had was that they charge you to use their merchant services like MasterCard and Visa to pay the bill. This is actually against a store's merchant agreement and illegal.

Been here last week with my flatties. Had the goa fish curry, fish fried rice and also seafood curry laksa. The portion is aplenty for the price you pay. The laksa was a sure winner and goes really well with a plain roti, and the mango lassie was simply yum! However, the downside, the fried rice was slightly too oily, other than that,we had a pleasant dining experience.

I simply love this place. They opened up early for us at 5.15pm, that seemed to be the que for the rest of wellington to follow us in, by 6pm the place was packed. I ordered the Dajing Kecap and my wife ordered the masala dosa, I used to work for Kopi cafe on Willis st in it heyday and the food measured up. Plus my wife is from Mumbai and she said it was as good as what she gets back home. We will be back.

Although highly recommended by our Wgtn host, the food was dissapointing in my opinion. Other than being too spicey for my liking, the food lacked flavour and freshness. I was particularly surprised to see old, badly damaged aluminum cooking pots being used in the kitchen while walking through it to use the toilet facility, because health research has clearly identified the serious health hazards of using aluminum cookware for many years. I'll not be eating here again!

Being true South-Indians, we found this restaurant to be a very big disappointment. There were not many items from South India, and we could not understand most part of the menu. Masala Dosa was a great tragedy. It was burnt to the extent of tasting bitter. It was made of flour not ground batter. Not complaining about this as they mentioned flour in their menu. The potato curry was good, but chutneys were no close to South Indian standards. They tasted sweet (yuk with Masala Dosa), and the coconut chutney was cold and stale. Sambar was no sambar. Price was dear ($13 plus). They shouldn't be called a South-Indian restaurant. This perhaps is only a Malaysian restaurant. The service was courteous. But certainly don't wish to go there again.

Rasa is my favourite place to go when visiting Wellington. The food is delicious but the thing that realy stands out to me about Rasa is the service. The friendly team remember who we are when we only visit once every six months. They constantly try their best to accommodate everyone. This can make dining a little crowded but the atmosphere is so fun and vibrant. Great place to begin a night out!

One of the best dining experiences I have had in my 7 years in Wellington. I have been to Rasa about 15 times and the reason I keep going back is because it is so good. It's not a fancy setting, in fact it's incredibly basic and it's byo. The napkins are paper and I suspect the water glasses are from the Warehouse. The toilets are a dingy shed that means you have to walk through the kitchen BUT the food is consistently delicious and it's very reasonably priced. If you want a romantic dinner in a quiet candlelit restaurant with mood lighting and a relaxing ambience then Rasa is not the place for you. But if you want fabulous food (the goat curry, the dosai's and daging kicap manis are my all time ever favourites) efficient service and don't want to spend a fortune - Rasa's is the best place in Wellington to go in my opinion - and I'm pretty critical.

We were told we had to try the goat curry - and that we did. I believe this was was first time trying Malaysian cuisine, and I definitely enjoyed it. My partner order a traditional Malaysian dish that was a little bit like a pizza, and was the size of two big plates. We ended up sharing both meals, and really enjoyed the flavours and the atmosphere in this great little restaurant. The waiter seemed very genuine when checking back to make sure we liked the food. You should go, and try the goat curry.