A taste of Rasa: Burlingame restaurant wins prized Michelin star

Michelin, an organization which recognizes excellence in food service across the globe, awarded Rasa one of its coveted stars in October, immediately establishing the Indian restaurant as one of the premier eating places in the Bay Area. Bib Gourmand honors are for restaurants with exceptional food at moderate prices. Up to three stars can be awarded, but one star is quite an honor.

Walia, remembering the moment he received the call notifying him he had won the star, smiled fondly.

“It was that unreal feeling you are part of that elite club,” he said.

But the sensation was short-lived, said Walia, as he quickly faced a new set of expectations which came part and parcel with the newfound acclaim.

The small eatery, which established itself as an unpretentious neighborhood place where families could go to for a quality meal, has begun to face market pressure to ramp up its cost and decor, said Walia.

But he is reluctant to adhere to forces which he does not feel are true to his vision.

“We are a family restaurant. Food is where everyone connects, but we want to connect in the most comfortable way,” he said. “We want to remain a family, neighborhood restaurant.”

Vision is inherent to the success of Rasa, and Walia’s other business ventures such as Saffron Indian Bistro in San Carlos, he said.

Walia said staunch commitment to belief in his ideals is one of his keys to achievement.

“The power of thought is very powerful,” he said. “I don’t know how it will happen, or when, but it will.”

Prior to begin granted a Michelin star, Rasa has been recognized by Haute Living magazine as a premier Indian restaurant, and has been profiled by San Francisco magazine and the San Francisco Chronicle, among other notable food sections in local publications.

Walia has continuously put faith in his belief that he knows what is best for his restaurant, and that is exhibited in a variety of ways, including the dishes offered on the menu.

As a native of New Delhi, Walia said his restaurant is committed to pushing the boundaries of diners’ palates by serving dishes which are a break from the preconceived notions many have about Indian food.

He said most who attend his restaurant only know of chicken tikka masala or chicken tandoori, plates that originated in the northern region of the country.

Rasa specializes in cuisine from the southern half of India, which Walia said comes with a more fresh and light accent than the richness of the meals familiar to most Americans.

But gaining access to some of the staple ingredients from southern India can be difficult while located in California, said Walia, so rather than be limited by what is offered locally, he has instead embraced the bounty of the state’s agriculture.

The menu is interwoven with many typical southern Indian dishes, such as dosa, which is the equivalent of a crepe, but some iterations are served with wild Californian mushrooms.

Space is reserved on the menu for some traditional plates, such as butter chicken, but Walia said it is his hope to expand the horizon of those who visit his restaurant, all while using local ingredients.

“We are taking that California sensibility, and working that into the cuisine,” Walia said. “Because you have got to be local.”

After roughly a year in business, Walia said he believes Burlingame eaters have put their belief in his restaurant, and the results show for themselves.

“I feel people have vested their trust is us,” he said.

That trust is exhibited through the willingness of some diners to pay between $20 and $30 for a main entree on the dinner menu, which Walia said could be conceived as expensive, depending on how the restaurant is being judged.

He noted though the food at the restaurant is the same as it has been, only public perception of it has been altered.

“We are expensive for a neighborhood restaurant, but cheap for Michelin, yet nothing has changed,” he said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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