Behind an unassuming shopfront over the road from Caulfield station and Monash Uni, Rasa is a family-run venture serving up real-deal Malaysian and Nonya cuisine with a dollop of cheery, informative service. Follow multicoloured, painted footprints on the polished concrete floor to your table, with several Buddhas looking on. Hawker fare includes laksa and nasi lemak, while traditional otak-otak fishcakes wrapped in banana leaves sing with lip-smacking rich complexity. Melting beef rendang is thick and tangy while soupy curry laksa loaded with egg noodles, vermicelli, prawns, vegies and fishcake is glorious.