Reena Miglani and Ajay Walia of RASA Burlingame. / RASA

Cheer and merriment enveloped the diners as they walked in. Laughter showered them from the upper floor. RASA has returned to Burlingame. RASA which was the first Michelin star Indian restaurant has returned after a two-year hiatus. 

The duo, Reena Miglani and Ajay Walia, in a hum-doh-hamare-doh move have Saffron serving North Indian cuisine in San Carlos and RASA serving up a South Indian forward fine dining experience in Burlingame. Musseled rasam and shellfished uttapam run arm in arm with buttered chicken and daal tadka. 

Do you do any special dishes during these months of the solar new year festivals? asked the diner of the duo. 

“We provide a fun dining experience,” said Walia. It is a festival here all year round. 

“Everyone has their favorites and that's what they want. We consistently provide them their experience of an Indian meal. Butter chicken may be integral to that experience,” said Miglani. 

At RASA all rasas or tastes are equally balanced. The soft fried chicken wears a crispy spinach leaf hat and the lotus root kofta wears a crunchy lotus root chip hat. The beet salad has pomegranate seeds that encapsulate their ruby red color and the green leaves wear a powder that on closer inspection is a soft dusting of lemon zest. A creamy touch zinges the tongue. Rasa serves up a dosa with Michelin level style. It is an Elephant one.  Dosa the size of an elephant’s trunk takes center stage. It is accompanied by a soft creamy potato hash, white coconut chutney and red lentil-chilli chutney. A complete meal is served with rice and vegetables when an entree dish is ordered.

“Serving an accompaniment of a vegetable dish is very important to me,” said Miglani.

Our ingredient-forward dishes use the most fragrant spices. “Sukhi-sadhi elachi and baydah-garak ginger is bypassed," said Walia, “Top quality spices from American purveyors give our dishes an edge.”

Rasa’s location, plump in the middle of San Francisco and South Bay makes it an easy meeting point. It sits equidistant to Hwy 101 and Hwy 280. Meeting of cuisines, minds and sweet and sour chaat flavors in Crispy Idli Chaat, Tamarind tossed fried brussel sprouts and Indian Railway Peppers gets the juices flowing. 

The duo wants their guests to come home to a welcome world when they enter their doors. 
“Everyone wants to belong. You can eat anywhere but here you are welcomed by the chef and the restaurant staff who greet you with the familiarity of a warm Indian host,” they said. It is not just about the food, it is about the experience,” said Walia who has been a restauranter for three decades. 

“You can build a restaurant. But can you build a favorite restaurant? We want to be your favorite restaurant.”

RASA is the essence of food.  Enjoy. Here is a recipe to take home.

Tiramisu bomb a new dessert to be soon introduced by RASA; Braised Lamb Shank Nizami; Lotus Root Kofta Curry served with asparagus poriyal and rice. / Ritu Marwah

RASAm Mussels

A coastal twist on a South Indian classic.

Rasam is a warm, tangy, and spiced broth that’s a staple in many South Indian homes—traditionally made with tomatoes, tamarind, garlic, and a blend of toasted spices. At RASA, we’ve taken that comforting base and added a coastal element: fresh, briny mussels that soak up the bold flavors beautifully. This dish is soulful, unexpected, and perfect for sharing.

Serves 3–4

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Ingredients:

For the rasam:
    •    2 tomatoes, chopped
    •    6 garlic cloves, chopped
    •    1 tbsp seedless tamarind
    •    10–12 curry leaves
    •    2 dried red chilies
    •    2 pinches asafoetida
    •    1 tsp mustard seeds
    •    3 tsp cumin seeds
    •    2 tsp black peppercorns
    •    ½ tsp turmeric powder
    •    ½ cup warm water (for tamarind)
    •    1½ cups water (for broth)
    •    Salt to taste
    •    2 tbsp oil
    •    Chopped fresh coriander (for garnish)

For the mussels:
    •    10 oz fresh mussels, cleaned and debearded
    •    1 garlic clove, chopped
    •    1 tsp oil
    •    Chopped coriander, for garnish

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Instructions:

1. Make Tamarind Water
Soak the tamarind in ½ cup warm water for 20–30 minutes. Squeeze and strain to extract the pulp. Set aside.

2. Prepare the Spice Base
Grind the cumin, black pepper, and garlic into a semi-coarse blend using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

3. Build the Rasam Broth
In a pot, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, toss in the asafoetida, red chilies, and curry leaves.
Add tomatoes and cook until softened, then stir in the ground spice mix and turmeric.
Pour in the tamarind water, 1½ cups fresh water, and salt. Simmer gently for 5–7 minutes—don’t boil.
Finish with a handful of chopped coriander and turn off the heat.

4. Cook the Mussels
In a separate pan, heat a little oil and sauté the chopped garlic. Add mussels and cook until they just open.
Pour the hot rasam broth over the mussels, cover, and let everything infuse for 2 minutes.

5. Serve
Garnish with fresh coriander. Serve hot with crusty bread or a side of warm rice.

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Chef’s Tip: This dish is all about layers—don’t rush the simmer. Let the spices bloom, the tamarind mellow, and the broth come alive before introducing the mussels.