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Looking to try a variety of Southeast Asian flavors? Rasarumah is a one-stop shop for it
Wagyu Beef Cheek Rendang served with rotis.
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Johnny Lee
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Courtesy Rasarumah
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Rasarumah is Filipinotown’s one-stop shop for Malaysian-inspired food, tiki drinks
Guest: Johnny Lee, chef-owner of Rasarumah, a Malaysian and Southeast Asian-inspired restaurant in Historic Filipinotown.
Chef Johnny Lee stepped away from the food business for a short time after feeling burned out. With additional support from Last World Hospitality, Lee regained the energy to help build Rasarumah, a fusion restaurant influenced by Malaysian cuisine.
About the chef
Lee grew up watching Japan's version of Iron Chef, but didn't see it as an option.
That changed after he graduated from college during the 2008 as he found work at restaurants, falling in love with the fast pace and hands-on work.
He sat down with Austin Cross, who hosts AirTalk every Friday, to explain what makes his Southeast Asian fusion cuisine stand out.
What inspired his menu?
Lee grew up in a Cantonese-Chinese family, having grown his knowledge of Southeast Asian cuisine through his work at Pearl River Deli, his Cantonese restaurant that's now closed.
One of the reasons he was interested in veering into Malaysian food?
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"It's an extremely diverse group," Lee said.
The ideal Rasarumah experience
Lee recommends starting with a tiki drink and their pu pu platter, which gives you a little bit of everything.
Next, try one of their cold salads to lighten things up. And for the finale, the Rendang.
Restaurant details
- Chef-owner Johnny Lee was born in China, but grew up in Lincoln Heights.
- His collaborators at Last World Hospitality have helped build other L.A. restaurants like Queen’s Raw Bar & Grill and Hermon’s.
- Rasarumah recently introduced a whole menu of tiki drinks.
Menu items we tried
- Beef rendang (slow-braised wagyu, pickles, raita, lime and roti)
- Rojak (salad with pineapple, cucumber, green apple, watermelon radish, herbs, tamarind and crispy shallots)
- Pork Skewers (char siu pork jowl, sesame, chive and hot mustard)
How to visit
- Address: 3107 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90057
- Hours: Sunday to Monday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Tuesday to Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Cost: An order of beef rendang costs $48, rojak costs $14 and pork skewers cost $6 each.
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