The Chaya

The Chaya recently opened a location in downtown Los Angeles. The eclectic Japanese/French/American menu is matched by the decor. This trendy restaurant shows off its casual atmosphere with the chandelier in the main dining room--made of colorful, plasic trinkets.

I had the chopped Cajun shrimp salad. It featured loads of shrimp, asparagus, corn, cucumber, tomatoe, avocado, Asiago cheese, and flavor! It is topped with a lemon vinaigrette dressing. Though I wouldn't consider the salad autentic "Cajun," it was so delicious and flavorful!

But, the thing that has brought me back to this restaurant was the dessert--Milk Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding with Caramel Ice Cream. This dessert is incredibly rich, and I could not stop eating it! The flakiness of the croissant is the perfect texture to counter the creaminess of the custard and ice cream. Another fun dessert on the menu is a red velvet cupcake with a "shot du jour."

In addition to downtown, the Chaya has locations in Venice, Beverly Hills, and San Francisco.