LA's Chaya Venice Has A New Look And A New Menu

After a quarter of a century, Chaya Venice has a new design. The renovated Japanese restaurant offers a variety of seating options to accommodate approximately 100 guests in a light, modern space.

Diners can choose to sit at the Kaisen (raw) bar to watch the sushi action or linger over Euro-Asian dishes at wooden tables, cozy booths, or a buzzing lounge area.

But the interior isn't the only change. The menu has also seen an overhaul. The new Kaisen bar offers fresh fish flown in daily from Japan and Italy, and prepared as sushi, sashimi, and rolls. (There are also oysters available.) The new space overlooks the kitchen, allowing diners to get a view of the action. Appetizer highlights include seabass croquettes with uni, Alaskan crab, spicy tuna tartare on crispy rice, and avocado toast with Wagyu beef yakiniku. Main plates include Black Angus flat iron steak, uni risotto, Kaisen paella, and butterflied quail. Those with a sweet tooth can't go wrong with the milk chocolate croissant bread pudding for dessert.

Guests can enjoy a variety of hot and cold sakes, as well as specialty cocktails including La Ultima Palabra with mezcal, green chartreuse, and luxardo; a shiso mojito with Magon Shochu, lime, and pomegranate; and the Kokorosie with Kizakura coconut nigori, Absolut, and rose elixir.

Chaya Venice is located at 110 Navy St., in Venice.