Rasa House Rose Bay Review: Charcoal Grill, Dumplings and Eggplant Martabak

Rasa House in Rose Bay serves Southeast Asian inspired dishes with bold flavours. Try the crispy eggplant martabak, spanner crab dumplings in tom yum broth, charcoal grilled satay and ribeye steak with pear and ginger curry sauce. A relaxed Sydney dinner spot with a view of the water across the road.

It's a glorious, warm Saturday night when Mr NQN and I head to Rasa House in Rose Bay. I hadn't heard much about it but I was lured there as the chef from Rasa House Keno Perlas put up an eggplant martabak that immediately got me drooling. We had previously tried his food at Arm's Length Bar in Potts Point and really enjoyed it so we booked a table at Rasa House.

The owner of Rasa House is first time restaurateur Vinay Matta who comes from a family of restaurateurs (his parents own Jewel on the Bay next door and The Spice Room) and tonight he is in the floor. I'm glad that we booked because the early seating is busy with most outdoor terrace tables taken with people enjoying the last weeks of summery weather. Keno is a new addition to the kitchen team and has added a lot of new dishes to the menu. The food here is described as " Borderless South East Asian cuisine" as the team comes from the Philippines, India and Indonesia that directly influences the menu.

We start with the salmon, a dish inspired by a native Filipino dish called Kinilaw. This is cured and lightly seared salmon which is slices of sashimi grade salmon with leche de tigre made using coconut vinegar, calamansi juice, palm sugar, pomelo and house made chilli oil. On top is a salsa made from smoked shallots, bullhorn peppers, pomelo and cucumber. It's not as tangy as a ceviche but has more well rounded flavours from the other additions. I'd love this whole dish to myself it's that good.

We also try a couple of Tasmanian Pacific oysters that have a South american inspiration with passion fruit aguachile made with fresh habanero chilli and white soy finished with pickled onions and cucumber which is very fresh and sweet. The predominant flavour is passion fruit in these.

Whenever I hear that something is cooked on the charcoal grill I want to order it and there is sate chicken and wagyu but we opt for the chicken. The chicken is marinated overnight with Kecap Manis, ginger and garlic and then the glaze is made of fried peanuts, fried hazelnuts, makrut lime, galangal, ginger, red onion, chilli, garlic and peanut butter and chicken stock. The chicken is tender and smoky and it is all about the flavours of the marinade and the charcoal rather than a peanut sauce-heavy satay.

A must order is the eggplant martabak which does not disappoint. I'd go back time and time again for this. Keno describes this as a "labour of love" because it takes a long time to get that outside shell so buttery crisp. Keno explains, "I was inspired the the Indian restaurant next to us and just thought of making an eggplant dish that would have the profiles of Indian spices and aromats. Martabak is a famous indonesian streetfood made with chicken so I decided to have those two influences and turn it into a vegetarian snack". It is like a martabak crossed with the crispiest roti. To achieve the crispiness, he pan fries it in clarified butter to get that amazing texture. Inside is a soft cooked spiced eggplant filling with red onions, garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaf, tomato paste, smoked paprika and Garam Masala. On the side is a tangy and creamy feta dip as a contrast dip.

Another must-order are the cabbage and crab spanner crab dumplings that start with cabbage that has been pickled for 1 week. This cabbage is then paired with spanner crab, grouper offcuts, yuzu, white soy, chives and white pepper with a tom yum broth, chilli crisp, lime, pomelo and peanuts with the perfect balance of crab and cabbage. I love that the spicy heat doesn't hold back at all in these. Make sure to grab a spoon and get some of that delicious tom yum sauce made with roasted prawn and crab shells for added depth of flavour.

It's time for the mains. The Bass Grouper is a perfectly cooked parcel of fish wrapped in a banana leaf marinated in a blend of thai basil, yogurt, lime leaves, lime zest, shallots and green chilli. The banana leaf helps to lock in the steam it so that it has the most luscious texture. Have it as is or pair it with the spicy sambal and jasmine rice or sweet and sour pickles. Or opt for a bit of freshness from watermelon salad which is given a distinctly savoury treatment of watermelon.

In a city where a lot of menus look alike, this Bindaree Beef steak is such a welcome take on a sirloin steak cooked over coals and woodchips. The curry sauce has a base of Japanese curry powder and dashi with pear and ginger. The steak tagliata is paired with a pear and ginger curry sauce and sweet roasted beetroot salad with roasted hazelnuts and olives and it combines perfectly together. I want all of my steaks charcoal grilled and paired with a curry sauce from now on! ;) I also recommend getting some roti ($7) to accompany the steak.

There are two desserts on the menu, a Basque cheesecake and an ice cream sandwich and we're too full so we just choose one. The ice cream sandwich is made with two buttery crisp rounds of shortbread filled with a pistachio and saffron ice cream. The sandwich is then rolled in crushed pistachios on a plate with raspberry powder. This is a gorgeous dessert with crisp shortbread, creamy ice cream and a judicius amount of saffron and pistachios.

So tell me Dear Reader, do you like restaurants like this that mix different cuisines? Would you rather sit outdoors with a view or indoors for a cozy vibe?

This meal was independently paid for.