Rasa Pura was Sweet on Me =b

Actually, it was just the grass jelly and the lemon chicken. *hihi  The other things we had in our latest(ish) Baguio food quest were savory to say the least.

But this, wasn’t the good Singaporean’s fault. (That’s ‘rasa pura’ translated. Information courtesy of our attendant, Sir Ryan. Thank you so much!)

Xine and Beth welcome you to a new food establishment in the City of Pines =)

Let me elaborate.  What we had for lunch at this restaurant was an assault on our taste buds.  I acknowledge it was of our own creation.  You see, there was an overwhelming list of dishes on the menu.  As usual, we picked out the dishes whose names called to us and we ended pairing this flavorful rice with that flavorful viand. Yowzer!

The Rasa Pura soft opening menu *click for a larger view

I’ll give you two paragraphs about the drinks while you brace yourself for the food discussion. =D

Race got rootbeer float (so unSingaporean *harhar) and I can already say you’re right on the nose with what you’re imagining now. =) My brother got a glass of homemade iced tea (a common common drink, we thought) that surprised us with the way it was served.  The liquid was warm in the lower part of the glass and cold in the top half. I wasn’t sure if that was all due to the ice floating in the drink but it’s sip and before the ahh, a strange sensation of being tempered. Hhhm, must be how glass feels when it’s being treated. =))

Homemade iced tea, ginger milk tea, rootbeer float and grass jelly.

I picked grass jelly (looking forward to a version that wasn’t in a can).  As my brother teased how it wasn’t far off from the Philippine’s sago’t gulaman, I felt a little lightheaded from the sugary icy sips I took from my refreshment.  Warm with a strong scent of ginger (but just a whiff that goes up to your nose as you put your lips on the rim of the glass), it was Beth’s drink that made the waves at our table. \m/ One can’t help but feel soothed with every gulp.

Through the divider (or door). Sooo nice, me likey.

What’s a visit to a Singaporean restaurant if you don’t have the chicken rice? I was keen to try that … mainly because I distinctly recall the No Reservations episode where Chef Anthony Bourdain recounted being boo-ed by 500 people when they learned he hadn’t tried it when he was already on the third visit to SG. (Yes, yes, we’re not in Singapore but what the hey. ^^,)

Hainanese chicken rice set (“,) (As arranged by our attendant, Ms. Olive. Made such a good shot, thank you so much.)

Uncertain if I tried this while waiting for the bus to Sentosa a couple of years back (Shout out to the Amaze-d Racers! Yeh!) but this was a welcome taste.  Tender juicy chicken, the rice cooked in the chicken broth, the sauces (black sauce like mixed soy sauce and molasses, ginger, and chili), I understand why the Singaporeans love this dish so much.  I could eat this regularly.  Hainanese chicken for every Rasa Pura visit? Why not, when they’ve got a set for one at P138 and for three at P388. Gooo, yummy rice!

How’s the good Singaporean treating us …

On with the barrage of dishes that pounded our mouths with flavor. First, the vegetable viand with strips of dry scallop.  Although saucy, it reminded me of the soup at another seafood restaurant that opened in the city a few months ago.  Hello, again bits of scallop, I hardly noticed you there. A tad on the salty side, we decided it would go nicely with another helping of rice.

PekCai (a.k.a. pechay *harhar) with floss dry scallop

This is where the golden rice with seafood and premium sauce comes in. I should’ve seen it coming with the phrase “and premium sauce”. D0h! Flavorsome rice with flavorsome sauce, pechay and seafood (fish, squid, shrimps), this could pass for a rice topping/rice meal. Whoa, the good Singaporean’s intense, man, intense!

Golden rice with seafood and premium sauce ^^,

That wasn’t the end of it.  On the other side of the taste spectrum was crispy lemon chicken chop.  It wasn’t as zingy as I thought it would be but more marmalade-y. It did say it was sauced up with lemon but I kept thinking of sweet oranges as I went crunch and crisp on the little pieces. Aw, you’re so sweet, Rasa Pura. *blushies Now, I’m looking for salty dessert, if there’s such a thing. *teehee

Crispy lemon chicken chop

With everything taken into account (the ice melted from my grass jelly drink and yet, it was still saccharine) , X marks Rasa Pura for good food in Baguio. We came for a meal, we got it and it was good (not to mention full flavored).  Find out how Rasa Pura can be good to you, too. (“,)

X and foodie posse leaving our mark allllll over Rasa Pura =b

Food:  for the Hainanese chicken  for everything else. Although if you ask my brother, he’s giving four for the golden rice. For Race, it’s four for his choice, lemon chicken. Beth preferred the chicken rice, too. Friends talaga tayo, same brain waves! *apir Ate

Service:  They did have a tendency of directing everyone to one section of the restaurant. By the time lunch was in full swing, we were all crowded against the wall at the tables (for six that felt more like it was for four). Diner Dash strategy? *snickers

Ambiance:  Super stylish, cheers for interior decor.

Price:  Customize the servings in every plate to the size of your dining party with choices between small, medium and large or regular and family sized servings.

Additional Info

Parking – Yes (a couple of spaces in front of the building)

Rasa Pura

Newtown Square

42 Claro Recto Street

St. Joseph Village, Navy Base

(Landmark: Botanical Garden gate. Right across it is Ibay’s Silver Shop, enter that street)

Baguio City, Philippines