Rasa Sayang Malaysian Cuisine

I've been hearing great reader buzz about Rasa Malaysian Cuisine, the new restaurant in Independence Mall, 1601 Concord Pike in Brandywine Hundred, 543-5286; so I stopped in today for lunch, served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This isn't an official review, just a "first look" so to speak. I just sampled a few items, but, so far, restaurant lives up to the raves.

It's very spiffy and colorful - pink walls with hand-painted flowers - but tastefully done. Dining room was crowded with the lunch-hour office workers. (Is this Astra-Zeneca's new hangout?) Best of all - especially in this economy - it's an afforable lunch spot: everything is under $8.

I split the homemade roti canai (Indian pancake) with chicken curry dipping sauce ($6.) The large pancake is thin, light and crispy - it reminds of a dosa - and it comes folded on a plate. You tear off pieces and dip them into the side of spicy, but not fiery, yellow chicken curry. Very nice.

Even better was the Thai green curry chicken ($8.95.) There's a sneaky, underlining heat going on here in the coconut broth but it gets a hint of tang with lemongrass and there's good size chunks of white meat chicken along with sliced red peppers and other vegetables. You can get a bowl of brown or white rice.

The wonton mee ($7.95) is a large bowl of noodle soup - chicken broth base - crowded with more than half a dozen wontons and thin noodles.

This is a soul-warming dish for those who don't want any spice. (You can ask for Sriracha if you need to get the tongue tingling.) The wontons, made with shrimp, are light and juicy.

We both got the house iced tea ($3.50) flavored with pomegranate juice.

Worth a trip. I'm looking forward to dining here again.