A Diverse Choice of Cuisines from Multi-Ethnic Malaysia at Rasa Malaysia
By Calvin Ong
Malaysian cuisine is unique from other places in the world as the ingredients used in most of the dishes in Malaysia are a mixture of multiple ethnic influences. Oyster sauce is used in Chinese cuisine, cumin and turmeric in Indian cuisine, and coconut milk in Malay cuisine. At Rasa Malaysia, Ginza, everyone can enjoy a wide variety of authentic Malaysian cuisine, from fried food using spicy chilly to soup made of tofu and plum.
Rasa Malaysia Cuisine Ginza is located at the 8th Floor of Five Star Building, a few steps away from the main Chuo-dori street in Ginza, Tokyo (see map below). The interior of the restaurant is distinctly Malaysian with batik cloths and Malaysian Tourism posters hanging up on the wooden-slab walls. The cook and the waitress are Malaysians and the service is just like any other typical Japanese restaurants – always courteous and friendly. One interesting fact worth mentioning is that the waitress, clad beautifully in kebaya to further enhance the Malaysian feel in the place, speaks fluent English, Malay, Mandarin and of course Japanese, to cater the different backgrounds of the customers to the restaurant.
Mr Tam Yun Tong, who was a Malaysian private student in Japan, and formerly the President of the Malaysian Students’ Association in Japan (MSAJ) during his student’s years is the owner of Rasa Malaysia Cuisine Ginza restaurant. The aim of this restaurant is to give the Malaysians to reminisce the food to taste just like their mom’s home-cooked dishes, while for the Japanese to be able to enjoy the flavour and smell of authentic Malaysian cuisine even while in Japan, every time they dine at Rasa Malaysia.
There is a wide selection of dishes offered on the menu from different locations in Malaysia. This means it is a great place for sampling the various popular cuisines from different regions, under one roof. One of the recommended cuisines at Rasa Malaysia is the spicy Nyonya dishes, which uses mainly Chinese ingredients but blends them with Malay spices such as coconut milk, lemon grass, chillies and sambal. Among the famous food one can find in this restaurant are as follow.
Malacca style Fried Fish with Nyonya Sauce (￥1400)
Fried white fish served with Nyonya sauce, prepared from a combination of lemon grass and lime.
KL Chinatown style Boiled Wanton (￥800)
Boiled wanton, made of shrimp, shiitake and garlic chives and served with a special sauce and coriander.
Kajang Satay (Malay style yakitori) (￥800 for 4 sticks)
One of the most popular Malaysian food, served with peanut sauce.
Johor style Sautéed Anchovy with Chilly (￥800)
Dried anchovy fried with peanuts, onions. A great choice during summer, taken together with beer and lemon.
Bubur Cha-Cha (￥500)
A Nyonya desert of sweet potato, yam and tapioca pearls, in a coconut milk soup base that contains pumpkin.
Mango Pudding (￥600)
A desert, which is rich in mango flavour and topped with longan, suitable for 2 to 3 people.
Sarawak style Sautéed Beef with Black Pepper (￥1400)
A combination of beef and the spicy black pepper the main production of Sarawak.
Ipoh style Claypot Rice (￥1400)
Chicken, shiitake and rice cooked in claypot.
In general, the dishes were perfectly fine for someone who has never been exposed to Malaysian cuisine, which refers to most of the Japanese patrons. The good in Rasa Malaysia, like most of the Asian restaurants in Malaysia has been modified to be less robust, spicy and greasy than the real thing, to suit the taste bud of the Japanese. For Japanese and people who have never tried Malaysian cuisine, this place is definitely a good introduction to Malaysian food.
From the Malaysia’s map that decorates the wall of the restaurant, one can learn and understand more about the culture of each place while enjoying the dishes. A great choice to have a “mini vacation” to Malaysia along the colourful street of Ginza, in the heart of Tokyo.
In collaboration with the “Project Restaurant” between the Malaysian Students’ Association in Japan (MSAJ) and Rasa Malaysia Cuisine Ginza, we are very pleased to inform all Malaysian students in Japan that Rasa Malaysia is having a promotion as stated below:
"Rasa Malaysia Cuisine Ginza will present a 15% discount for total expenses above ￥5,000 and 10% discount for total expenses below ￥5,000”
- This promotion is valid for all food and beverages, except promotional & course menus.
- This promotion is valid for cash payment only.
- Please provide your MSAJ membership card upon checking in."
Rasa Malaysia Cuisine Ginza
8th Floor, Ginza Five Star Building, Ginza 5-8-13, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0061
Tel & Fax: 03-3289-1668
Nearest subway station: Tokyo Metro Ginza station (Exit A3), walking 1 minute.
Website: http://r.gnavi.co.jp/fl/en/g275501/
* Operates all year-round, including lunch. Reservations are recommended for dinner.
銀座 ラサ マレーシア
〒104-0061 東京都中央区銀座5-8-13
銀座ファイブスタービル8F
Tel & Fax: 03-3289-1668
最寄り：地下鉄銀座駅A3出口 徒歩1分
詳細等はお店までお問い合わせください．
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