Reviews Rasa

I can't say enough great things about this gem of a restaurant! The entire menu is fantastic, but the burger is the best in the city!! Extensive wine list, knowledgeable and friendly serving staff, wonderful ambiance and amazing chefs and managers. You absolutely can't go wrong with this restaurant!!

Nice low key, relaxing atmosphere which is not too loud, not too dark and no irritating techno-music. Very pleasant, friendly and informative staff. The food is characterized by multiple ingredients, spices and sauces; that style can go really wrong if you do not get it just right. They usually get it right but it can all be a pretty rich; also a cook was seen to be indiscriminately grinding salt on all the dishes that the servers were waiting to pick up. The "bread" balls at the onset were awesome: flavourful and a little kick. The appetizers were great: the chopped salad is very popular and a winner as were the crispy Brussel sprouts. The shredded potato and duck egg burst forth with flavour and was quite rich and creamy. It is good that we shared these. If you ate the last dish yourself it would be a little overwhelming in richness. The Bangkok Bowl had beautiful rare tuna on jicama slaw that was too heavy on the vinegar. The fish board was an exciting triplet with their usual rich combination of piquant sauces and spices; they were good but one overwhelmed the other so maybe it is best as a shared dish. You need to wash everything down with a nice dry white wine and lots of ice water. My friends loved their branzino and also the rib steak. The chocolate cake was really good. the bill was $75 per person, all in. Overall, the food here is a lot of fun. Great place for a group to share the delights.

Amazing dinner, everything tasted great, the chopped salad, t9ruffle gnudi and the fish board are the standouts. We were impressed by the different dimensions each plate presents, all dishes were very well executed. Service was also excellent, waiter explained each dish and made recommendations.

On Mondays, Rasa Bar offers all their customers a tasting menu that is so popular, you will need to make reservations a month in advance. It's that good! With the demand so high, I was very excited to visit Rasa and get a taste of what @TheFoodDudesTO had to offer.

Walking into the restaurant, you are immediately greeted with live music - this is a part of the Monday nights. You can choose to sit inside or outside as they also have a patio outside that wraps around the restaurant. We opted to sit inside as it was supposed to rain later on in the night. It was quite dark inside, so excuse my poorly lit photos!

They started us off with a 'rasa snack'. I'm not too sure what this was, but I am assuming it was an amuse-bouche. Quickly following that, we were presented with Rasa's famous chopped salad. It included vegetables (obviously, lol), quinoa, jalapeño feta, and crispy chickpeas. This was probably one of my favourite salads I've ever had. The sauce on the side was sooo tasty with the rest of the greens and the crispy chickpeas added such a good texture to the salad.

Okay, I walk by this place all of the time on the way from work. Finally ate here tonight. Savoury muffins with a caramelized base, chopped salad, the burger, oh my god the burger and the scallops with the oxtail. You need to go here. I have never seen a kitchen so calm and so well run. Not pretentious, super friendly and knowledgeable. Can't wait to go back!

Since my trip to London (UK) in September 2015, I have grown very fond of the city. So, when I received my invitation to attend the Tyrrells Launch at Rasa; I didn't hesitate to RSVP. Tyrrells is an English-based manufacturer of potato chips, and they have been in business for more than 10 years. They are available in Toronto at Whole Foods, Metro and Sobeys as well as several other smaller retailers. Tyrrells Chips are all natural, and hand cooked using only natural-ingredients. Additionally, the chips are hand cooked in small batches in sunflower oil, and then dressed in natural seasoning. I liked that they do not contain any sort of artificial flavoring, and are gluten-free as well. It's a great brand of chips for light-snacking.

The Tyrrells event was held at Rasa to celebrate the launch of three new vegetable chips to the Tyrrells line up in Toronto. The three new chips were Sweet Potato with Smoked Chilli, Beetroot, Parsnip and Potato Chips with Sea Salt, and Carrot & Potato Chips with Sea Salt. Additionally, all the food served that night are on Rasa's main menu, but for the event, they incorporated various Tyrrells chips into the dishes. Overall, I thought that the event was well organized with carefully curated tables set up with various Tyrrells chips for consumption, and games for guests to play. I thought that it was pretty neat that the ambiance emulated the British way of life, and it definitely made me miss London. I had a great time taste testing various Tyrrells chips that night.

Had a brunch there: it was SO good! I think it's the best brunch I've had in Toronto so far. And the location is great. I'll go back for dinner and drinks soon.

This tucked away spot in harbord village is a total gem. The menu is phenomenal and the portions are meaty. Definitely try the "rasa experience since you get a little bit of everything. Definitely try the gnudi which is inside out gnocchi and the burger which melts in your mouth. And finding it all off with a sticky bun. Get the tummy and tongue ready for magnificence.

Rasa is a fantastic dining experience. The atmosphere is very warm and cozy.
We had a number of things including the delicious chopped salad. The octopus was cooked to perfection and the beef ribs are mouthwatering and to die for! These were the best beef ribs we have ever had.
Besides, we had some digestif cocktails and the aperol spritz was a delight. As for the dessert part, the sticky bun with candied bacon hit the spot and my husband has not stopped raving about the candied bacon since.
A big thank you to the Rasa team for a perfect dinner! We will be back

There was not one but two proteins to make the salad substantial: slices of lightly seared black sesame and pepper crusted yellow fin tuna and lightly dusted fried calamari. The tropical salad had tons of flavours and textures with green mango, crispy jicama, carrots, mint and cilantro. This was all finished with crushed smoked peanuts and chilies.

A great addition to the neighborhood. My husband took me here for my Birthday and we loved it. We have since been again. We both love tapas style menus. Each time the food was delicious and the service was amazing. We ate on the patio both times, but Im sure eating inside will be just as nice in the colder months as the interior looks great. The chopped salad, cabbage rolls and sticky bun for dessert are a must try.

RASA by THE FOOD DUDES. Delicious, yummy unique harmonized tastes. We tried so much and everything was delicious. The gnudi especially as well as chopped salad as well as ribs and on and on. Told server that I drank bourbon and bartender came up with delicious drink.

Rasa is my new favourite restaurant in Toronto!. I dined at Rasa with some friends and it was one of the best experiences I have had.
Such fresh and delicious flavours, I am so glad this new restaurant is such a hit. Every dish is unique and filled with flavour. Definitely the best new restaurant to come to Toronto!

Fantastic Experience and Food. Rasa is one of the best restaurant experiences I have had in the city. Starting with the food, presentation and decor to the awesome staff the experience was fantastic from top to bottom. Every dish was delicious and unique, I am only sad I couldn't try everything on the menu.

As someone that likes many different flavours I really enjoyed their tapas style menu and 2 dishes per person was plenty. If you decide to go you have to try the margherita toast and be sure to get the meatball with it!!!! It wasn't only the food, as my girlfriend only had to describe the type of drink she wanted to the mixologist and she created the perfect drink for her.

I look forward to going back soon

I suspect Rasa's promise of fun food and respectful service might actually draw foodies and food truck followers alike into the relatively unknown area north of the College Street parallel and into a land lacking "provision pretension" despite primping plaid shirts. In summary, when I think of Rasa I can't help by think that Tony the Tiger said it best;"They're Greeeeeeeaaaaat!"

Opening Remarks: -

-Rasa, translated to “Essence” in Sanskrit, is located in the Harbord and Spadina area in the former Momo’s space. - Owned by Brent McClenahan and Adrian Niman, The Food Dudes Inc. are no newbies to the local food scene. They were pretty much part of the first generation of Toronto food trucks, and remain by far one of the most successful roaming the streets to date. I have eaten a lot of food truck food at this point, but I maintain that their Nutella Bombs are one of my favourite street food dishes.
-Well, with food truck season in full swing, somehow they’ve also managed to add three additional major projects to their resume for 2014. Back in May they launched a 10,000 sq. ft. kitchen and office space called Pantry to accommodate their massive catering business and offer take-out out of the front shop. They also hopped into the restaurant scene with Rasa having launched in June (with co-partner Adam Minster), and the soon-to-open Junk (with acclaimed chef Matt Blondin) slated to open soon.

Ambiance:
-The 50-seater apparently took nearly a half a million bucks to get ready for launch as it had to be gutted and then structurally completely repaired. -Designed by Type-D Living’s Damon Snider, the space features an eclectic combination of cozy barnyard and industrial warehouse with its custom hand-built furniture. -The glowing tea candles warm up the reclaimed wood furniture and antique hutch, suggesting an atmosphere that’s rustic, cozy and inviting.
-In contrast, the exposed filament bulbs poking out of the concrete between shelves of liquor illuminate the black glass bar and provide that sexy warehouse vibe. My favourite little detail is the rustic tin keg, which is apparently where the Seasonal Punch is poured (I’m asking for one of these babies for Christmukkah this year)
-As the night grows darker, the room dims without the natural light spilling in through the door, leaving the opening kitchen to shine in grave contrast to the room. While most of us diners wanted to spend the evening outdoors on their wrap around patio, a few lucky diners nabbed the chefs rail up front. This is usually my seat of choice, but I found the rail-seating overlook the street even more fitting for a Summer night.

Service:
-Service was friendly, attentive and playful. We had a few people helping us out over the night, including co-owner Adam, and everyone was personable and well-versed of the menu.
- In restaurants where menu items are meant to be shared, I always appreciate when dishes are brought out individually, so that I can at least have a moment to breath and photograph each one. It can get really stressful for a food blogger when there are suddenly 3 or 4 dishes plopped down onto an already- crammed table and you have to give your dining companion the stink-eye about touching them until you’ve arranged and styled them all. With just one at a time, it’s far more manageable, quick and polite (for your dining guests!). Thankfully, the folks at Rasa got the shareplate service down so I didn’t even have to ask- each plate came out in a very manageable pace so that we never had any super lengthy waits or rapid successions of dishes.
-Likewise, water glasses were kept full, and side plates and cutlery were consistently replenished as needed between any super messy/ saucy dishes.

Drink:
-Mixologist Chanel Wood (of Cold Tea) has put together a really unique list of 8 signature cocktails, with pretty much every spirit featured at least once (well, except Vodka because hot Toronto bars only use that for Caesars). Expect a variety of house-made syrups (like Nettle and Capillaire), bitters and a solid selection of Sherry’s added to the party, which you don’t see as much.
-Non-liquor lovers can opt for one of their 30-or so International wine bottles ($44-200), a third of which are available by the glass ($9-12). Alternatively, there are also a dozen or so local craft beers on tap ($7.50), or by bottle or can ($6-8) that I’m sure there’s someone for everyone’s taste.
Cocktail Special: Frankie’s Dream Bombay East Gin, Coconut Milk, Pineapple, Cilantro, Benedictine: Super delicious. It wasn’t overwhelmingly creamy or heavy, as the bright pineapple and cilantro helped balance out the nutty milk. I don’t know who Frankie is, but I’m totally digging his dream.
Hidalgo’s Cure ($12) Tromba Tequila, Alvear’s Fino, Nettle Syrup, Fresh Lemon: I loved the combination of the Tromba with the nutty aromatic Sherry and the refreshing bite from the fresh lemon juice.
Jamaican Observer ($13) Havana 3 Year Rum, El Dorado 5 Year Rum, Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum, Ginger, Honey Syrup, Mezcal Spritz: A triple hit of island flavour with not one, not two, but three rums on board and I loved the addition of spicy ginger, floral honey and a little fizz to temper the booze down.
Chartreuse Swizzle ($15) Chartreuse, Macademia Falernum, Lime, Pineapple Juice: This is totally my kind of drink- the type that goes down with way too much pleasure and gusto to mean any kind of good thing for the next day. The slightly vegetal flavour of the chartreuse paired beautifully with the sprightly pineapple, sour lime and the nutty yet sweet macademia syrup. This one can be renamed Abbey’s Dream. Thanks.

Food:
-The menu is a globally-inspired collection of about 15 savoury courses and 4 (rocking) desserts. Like most new Toronto restaurants, Rasa doesn’t pigeon-hole diners into any specific pattern of eating. Rather most, if not all, of the dishes are shareable and arrive in various sizes, allowing for a more shareable dining experience.
-A quick glance through the menu reveals a different cultural influence in nearly every dish with multiple dishes employing a number of different cultural techniques together. Imagine Eastern European Cabbage Rolls with Mexican Queso and Korean Kimchi Slaw. Or Jalapeno Poppers with Mexican Crema and Italian Bolognese Pasta with Asian Fermented Chilli and Crispy Pork. I was admittedly pretty pumped when I read the menu through so I knew this was going to be one of those “eyes are bigger than your stomach” nights out –Sigh, #FoodMediaProblems. Thankfully, the kitchen agreed to do some of the dishes ½ size so that I could eat more and share more with you! Take a peaksie here.

Mini Muffins (Complimentary) Semolina, Grilled Corn, Poblano, Cheddar, Honey Butter: Crazy yum. Moist baby muffins with just enough heat to balance out the sweet pops of fresh corn and savoury cheese topping. Way too easy to eat.

Chopped Salad (1/2 of Regular Order, $13 for Full Order) Vegetables, Quinoa, Macedonian Feta, Crispy Chickpeas, Sumac): Don’t let the simple name deceive you- this is more than just a diner chopped salad. The mildly salty feta dressing, the addictively crispy seasoned chickpeas, the crunchy fresh cucumber, the explosively sweet grapes, the nutty chew and sexy colour of the quinoa, and my beloved Middle Eastern Sumac on it all, made this girl-who-rarely-orders-salads-in-restaurants an absolute junkie. Rasa, I’ll be back to study this in more detail because I am stealing this recipe for home.

Spicy Tuna Bites (2/3 of Regular Order, $14 for Full Order) Albacore, Yuzu Ponzu, Wasabi Pea, Squid Ink Brioche, Wakame: Wow, talk about a mouthful of savoury flavour. The luxurious fatty tuna was bathed in a mildly creamy yet bright yuzu sauce, and was then tucked into a pillowy pleasantly sea-scented brioche roll. With so many buttery textures on the tongue, the crisp wakame and hard wasabi pea snacks offered a much welcome layer of crunch. Genius.

Jalapeno Poppers (1/2 of Regular Order, $12 for Full Order) Serrano Jam, Goat Cheddar, Lime Crema, Pico de Gallo: These playful little poppers packed a solid level of heat to compliment the tangy smooth goat cheddar and the salty crisp Serrano ham. With all that richness going on, I was particularly grateful for the hit of fresh tomato flavour with the pico de gallo. Perfect party bites.

Ribs ($14 for Full Order) Lamb Belly, Chimichurri, Greek Yogurt, Pine Nuts, Pickled Things: One of our favourite dishes of the night. I was amazed by the remarkable tenderness of the meat, and yet, there wasn’t a single piece of gristle to slow down my enjoyment. Their inherent delicate flavour was enhanced by the Food Dude’s house BBQ glaze, balanced out by the tangy Greek Yogurt and pickled veg. These aren’t even pork, and they’re some of the best ribs I’ve ever had.

Fish Board (MP for Full Order) Torched Scallops with Chorizo Spices on Labneh with Peach Salsa & Fried Capers; Pickled Vegetables; Albacore Tuna Jerky; Tuna Caprese Salad with Basil Puree and Parmesan Crisps; Cold Smoked Salmon with Everything Bagel Crumble, Crème Fraiche, Oranges and Pickled Green Beans: Oh, the daily fish board, how could I say no? It’s hard to pick a favourite from this display of utter fabulousness, there wasn’t anything neglected as we sampled back and forth. The inherent sweetness of the scallops was balanced by the heat of the chorizo seasoning, the bright peaches, and the tangy thick labneh. Oh and those fried capers? A brilliant touch, boys. The tuna jerky had a sturdy meaty texture with just enough fat to keep it from getting too tough- I would love to see that stuff packaged and sold at Pantry (if it isn’t already there). Meanwhile, the Caprese had everything I could want and more of our staple Summer salad with the added bonus of rich buttery fish. Finally, I loved the cheeky nod to the deli platter with the salty and savoury bagel crumble alongside the burst of juicy goodness from the segmented orange and smoky salmon. This surely changes often, but I’m quite confident it would always be good.

Truffle Gnudi (1/2 of Regular Order, $18 for Full Order) Local Mushroom, Portobello Soil, Pickled Shimenji, Pesto, Mache: Another winner of a dish (are you getting the theme here? Winning is my favourite food theme). The light yet fried-crisp gnudi were beautiful with the umami-rich selection of local mushrooms- the earthy Portobello soil, the bouncy pickled bits, and the lightly sauteed ones in the mix. I often find vegetarian dishes fall into one of three categories- they’re boring and monotonous (primavera pasta anyone?), they use ingredients that “taste like” meat but aren’t (no, I don’t really want Chick’n) or they’re loaded with cheese as if that’s the only source of pleasure those poor veggie-eaters can have. Rasa doesn’t fall into any of the three traps, delivering a satisfying and beautifully presented meat-free dish that any carnivore would devour.
Cabbage Rolls (1/2 of Regular Order, $18 for Full Order) Kalbi Beef, Mushroom, Queso Sauce, Kimchi Slaw, Vermicelli: This last dish was another total favourite at our table. The addictive sweet-soy scented Korean short ribs with the salty cheese sauce and the funky fermented slaw was totally my style. An eclectic combination of ingredients, yes, but there was nothing there that didn't totally work. At $18 for two huge meaty rolls, I’d say this is a solid deal.

Dessert Platter (Mini Versions of Each, Full Order for $9-10 each) Citrus with Grapefruit Sorbet, Beetroot Meringue, Compressed Rhubarb, Strawberry Consomme; Cereal with Cornflake Ice Cream, Puffed Grain Clusters, Ganache, Banana, Almond Milk; Sticky Bun with Candied Bacon, Walnut Praline, Cream Cheese Anglaise; Chocolate with Passion Fruit Ganache, Coconut Crumble, Marshmallow and Brownie: Dessert lovers like me should know to leave room for (at least) one of Rasa’s sweets- the hardest part will be deciding which to choose. Hopefully, I can help you with that. For those who prefer something light without too much sugar, the combination of the bitter-sweet grapefruit sorbet, tart rhubarb, and refreshingly berry broth will hit the spot . The cereal is another light choice with its range of satisfying textures from the smooth mildly sweet ice cream, crispy cereal treats, thick ganache and fresh sliced banana.

Once the almond milk flooded the little bowl, it’s kind of fun dig in blind and pull out the hidden treats. At the other end of the spectrum, those who love their caramelized sugar (that’s me!) should go straight for the sticky bun. Its sticky sweetness was made even more addictive alongside the chewy candied bacon and the surprisingly light and tangy cream cheese anglaise.

Finally, chocolate lovers, you know what to do. Actually, anyone and everyone should get the Chocolate offering- and that’s coming from a girl who’s not very keen on the dark stuff. But when swiped through the palate-spanking passion fruit sauce, and speared with a little fudgy brownie and bouncy marshmallow, the luscious rich mousse became my best friend. This one, we did fight over. Actually, once we had scraped the bowl, I also noticed that the bowls were suspended onto the platter with more chocolate, and I had to really hold myself back from eating that too.

Closing Remarks:
-A bit confusing with all of the half and partial orders going on, but by my calculations, a couple could easily dine with 2 drinks each, 2 smaller plates, 2 larger plates, and 1 dessert (a solid amount of food) for somewhere around $145-165, including tax and tip- standard Toronto prices for far above standard experience.
-To summarize, I loved my meal at Rasa. The food was innovative, invariably tasty and far succeeded my expectations. I knew I loved The Food Dudes eats whenever I had them at food truck events, but this was even so far beyond that level. Likewise, all of the cocktails were easy drinking, well balanced and playful, the service was accommodating and personable, the décor and patio was inviting and fun, and it’s a 20 minute walk from my place (a-maz-ing).
-I know I say this a lot, but I will absolutely be returning. I eat out a lot, and there are always so many new restaurants I need to try, but I would actually forgo eating somewhere I haven’t to dine at Rasa again. That’s how good it was.
-My goal is to get back before they close the patio and/or change the menu. I am going to need a repeat-eat of the salad, ribs, cabbage roll, chocolate and probably everything else I ate. Bring-it-on.

Disclaimer: The preceding meal was complimentary, however, as always, all opinions are genuine.