Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Chaya Downtown Introduces Kaisen Seafood Menu

Following its popularity at the San Francisco location, Chaya Downtown recently launched a Kaisen (seafood) menu.

We had a tasting of the Kaisen menu (and more), starting with the Uni and oyster shooter (Pacific oyster with sakura shio ponzu, ikura, momiji, seaweed). To the right is an amuse bouche of crispy uni tofu (made with uni puree), topped with soft scrambled egg and Santa Barbara uni. Yep, the uni is also mixed inside the tofu, not just on top!

Sea Urchin
What a perfect plate of starters for an uni lover like me.

The Kaisen platter is $62 for a small or $120 for a large one. Served in a beautiful box filled with ice, the platter is certainly eye catching. Want to impress a client or a date? Get one of these!
Kaisen
The platter includes Shigoku and Kusshi oysters, sushi rolls, and a bunch of ceviche and other raw seafood dishes.
We tried the Scallop ceviche (yuzu pepper, sudachi juice, sesame seeds, micro shiso) and Tuna Zuke (ginger, myoga, chive, crispy onion and garlic, avocado)
IMG_5252
Myoga is similar to ginger but milder in flavor. It worked really well as a topping on the tuna.

One of the table's favorites was the Yellowtail with jalapeno ponzu, arare, garlic chips, micro shiso.
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Not included in the platter but also part of the Kaisen menu is the Uni glazed Alaskan king crab leg with uni-mirin-soy-teriyaki sauce, lemon and oil ($28)
King Crab with Uni
The uni flavor wasn't that strong but the king crab was so sweet and fresh. I loved it!

We tried other things on the menu, including the seasonal Crispy soft shell crab, chickpeas, fennel, herbs, umeboshi-lemon marmalade ($14)
soft shell crab
I liked the tart and sweet umeboshi with the crab.

Always a favorite with its beautiful presentation is the Chef's Bento Box ($42) which includes miso marinated roughy, grilled New York steak, sashimi, and more. A great sampler of what Chaya has to offer.
IMG_5274
It's not just about the seafood here; the other blogger seemed to really enjoy her lamb chops, as well.
There are seasonal cocktails like this one made with watermelon infused tequila.
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Chaya Downtown
525 S Flower St
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 236-9577
http://www.thechaya.com/downtown-la/
Chaya Downtown on Urbanspoon

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