Rasa Rosa A So So Indonesian Food in Canberra

Treating me to Indonesian food in Canberra was a part of my birthday gift from Jik, and that’s how we ended up in Rasa Rosa.

Though located in the city centre, we only had to go around the arcade-like Sydney Building a few times to find Rasa Rosa. It’s situated inside Verity Lane Market, sharing the space with other eateries, food court style.

We arrived just shy of 10 minutes before closing time and quickly ordered our meal.

Rasa Rosa – Indonesian food in Canberra

I got the special menu of the day, Nasi Rames (Indonesian mixed rice). It’s a plate of steamed rice surrounded by fried chicken, eggplant, egg, seasoned fried peanuts and veggies. Meanwhile, Jik got Jackfruit Curry, rice, and a side of Perkedel (Corn Fritters) for us to share.

The good thing is that the portion was generous, including Sambal (chilli paste) and Kerupuk (white crackers).

But then, a few things seemed unusual for a plate of Indonesian food. Such as duck egg, a tiny bowl of watered-down soy sauce and a quarter of a tomato (is it just for decoration?) on my Nasi Rames.

Also, Jik’s curry came with a side of Urap (Indonesian raw salad), but as she put it, “it’s the white-people version”.

The coconut-based Jackfruit curry tasted more like an Indian than Indonesian – the spices were off-balance. Both the Sambal and the Perkedel lacked (authentic Indonesian) flavour.

The verdict: the food was not bad, but it didn’t satiate our Indo food craving, especially not for $22 a plate.

Full disclosure: when Jik checked with her Canberra-based Indo friend for an Indonesian restaurant recommendation in Canberra, they said there were no good ones. But we decided to ignore the advice and still check out Rasa Rosa.

For me, if nothing, at least to complete my Indonesian Food – Australian edition series.

Also, we rationalize that Canberra, the base of Indonesian government officials, must be the home of good Indonesian food outside of Indonesia. Hence, it was pretty disappointing when it only tasted so-so.

So, if you miss Indonesian food, should you eat at Rasa Rosa in Canberra? Err… if you have been craving authentic Indonesian food (like really, really miss it), I’d suggest taking a four-hour train ride to Sydney for some of the best Indo food in Aussie. It’ll be worth it.

Rasa Rosa Address: Sydney Building, Verity Lane, 50 Northbourne Ave, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia. Opens Tuesday - Saturday 12-2 PM and 5-9 PM.

Indonesian Food Around the World series: A Cheat Sheet for Indonesian Food in London / Rijsttafel-ing Indonesian Food in Amsterdam / Indonesia Food in Zurich My Most Expensive Meal in Switzerland / Authentic Indonesian Food in Seoul at Bakso Bejo Korea / It’s Java Authentic Indonesian Street Food in Auckland / Makan A Celebration of Indonesian Cuisine in Melbourne / Rasa Rosa A So So Indonesian Food in Canberra / Indonesian Restaurants in Cairns.

Follow me on Instagram @KultureKween for more recent updates.