The kitchen has always been a happy place for Rosa Djapa and when she moved to Australia from Lombok in May it was her dream to open her own venue so she could share her family recipes.
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Now she's opened Rasa Rosa at Verity Lane Market, challenging people's idea of south-east Asian cuisine and exploring the range that is Indonesian cuisine.
Lombok is known for its spicy and fragrant cuisine, and Rasa Rosa is no different, showcasing a menu of handmade spice pastes and sambals, with fresh vegetables, tofu and meats to tantalise the senses.
"Everyone in my family back home in Indonesia is so proud that I'm going to be sharing our family recipes handed down through the generations," says Djapa.
"Everything I do is to make my family proud and to hero our culture.
Rasa Rosa first began as a hobby to cure Djapa's nostalgia of home, but quickly turned into a family business that would bring some of the most authentic Indonesian cuisine to Canberra.
"It has always been my biggest dream to have a bricks and mortar offering for Rasa Rosa," she says.
"My favourite place growing up was in the kitchen. Life wasn't easy, but the kitchen was my happy place, and somewhere that my whole family could connect and come together for meals.
"I hope that visiting Rasa Rosa offers the same for my customers, or at the very least transports them to Indonesia or even their last Bali holiday."
Highlights from the menu include gado-gado - a dish that marks the beginning of Djapa's cooking in Australia and sees a medley of steamed vegetables served with a peanut sauce that is iconic amongst her family and friends. Another must-try dish is gule lemak - a curry from central Lombok which was originally served to Indonesian royalty and saved only for special occasions.
For dessert, customers will be treated to lempang lempung - banana fritters served with chocolate sprinkles, grated cheese and condensed milk. While this combination of flavours is not commonly found on other menus in Australia, cheese and chocolate is a childhood staple in Indonesia and is a perfect salty sweet combo, ideal for a late-night decadent dessert.
Rasa Rosa is the sixth vendor in the market, joining newcomers Chimmi and Tuckshop and long-time favourites SuperBao, Pizza Artigiana and Pasta Artigiana.
Rasa Rosa is open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm and lunch Thursday to Saturday from noon.
Karen Hardy
Email: karen.hardy@canberratimes.com.au
Email: karen.hardy@canberratimes.com.au
