Located in Beverly Hills, Chaya is a chic restaurant offering a special experience. We were very much looking forward to checking it out, after hearing some very good things.
Headed up by Executive Chef, Shigefumi Tachibe, who had brought Euro-Asian cuisine to the forefront of the Los Angeles dining scene - its no wonder Chaya is ever popular. Using fresh, exotic ingredients, Tachibe’s flavour combinations draw in a discerning crowd.
We were shown to our table by our charming waiter, and were made to feel most welcome. Offering both indoor, and al fresco dining. During our visit, we opted to dine on the intimate terrace. Crisp white linen makes for a classically classy experience, with a perfectly relaxed atmosphere.
“Good food, good wine, good cocktails, and lovely staff”
We began our evening with a couple of well made cocktails...
First up, we opted for the Cucumber Ginger Fizz, which was a very refreshing drink indeed – combining vodka and St Germain with fresh ginger and cucumber juice, topped up with a spritz of soda water. It was a very fresh and invigorating blend.
Secondly, we sampled the Pineapple Basil Cooler, which was a punchier blend of vodka with fresh basil, pineapple, and lime. It was an excellent combination of flavours, and provided the perfect aperitif.
We sipped on glasses of Felsina, Chianti Classico Reserva, 2008, Siena Italia, as we perused Chaya’s menu. We enjoyed asking our waiter for menu recommendations, which he was only too happy to oblige with, before making our decisions.
To start, we opted to share the tuna sashimi dome, with sweet shrimp tartare, fuji apple, tomato, avocado and quail’s egg; the Tachibe’s tuna tartare with avocado, tobiko and crostini; and also the bejing duck, with mixed baby greens, market tomato, mango, duck spring roll and sweet miso.
Each dish was wonderfully presented, and the flavours were memorable. We particularly enjoyed the tuna sashimi dome, which was expertly prepared.
For our main courses, we opted for the grilled filet mignon with crispy Pont Neuf potatoes, creamed spinach, roasted baby carrot, and a black truffle sauce; as well as the Chaya steak - 10oz of prime rib eye with roasted garlic, mixed pee wee potatoes, and a three peppercorn sauce.
As a side dish, we also opted for the pan roasted Brussels sprouts with pancetta, which offered the perfect accompaniment.
We were very impressed with Chaya as a restaurant - not only was the atmosphere wonderfully relaxed, but the dishes were immaculately presented and equally delicious. We would certainly recommend it as a restaurant – the staff were notably attentive, competent and friendly.
With an “All Night, Every Night Happy Hour” philosophy, you can always be sure that Chaya will be a fun night. It’s definitely worth stopping by to check out their cocktails, and perhaps their tapas dishes, if you fancy something a little more relaxed. We found that the atmosphere inside provided the perfect balance to the more relaxed pace of the outdoor dining experience. Good food, good wine, good cocktails, and lovely staff – it doesn’t get much better than that.
The Bill: £67 per head
