Reopenings

What to Eat at the New Chaya Venice

Photo: Tatiana Arbogast

We threw our hands up in frustration with Chaya Venice’s iffy sushi long ago, though we’re sure the place hardly noticed with so many moneyed locals clinking cocktail glasses and flirting. The restaurant reopened on Saturday following a short remodel (complete with a five-day pop-up restaurant). So what’s new here?

While the space doesn’t look all that different to us, the menu is fresh enough to reawaken our interest. This new incarnation, which resembles a brasserie menu complete with fruits de mer, reduces the raw fish and rice focus for a cleaner selection of seafood-heavy dishes made interesting with global comfort touches. Sea scallops come wrapped with New York steak, black mussels swim in coconut curry, Dungeness crab is laid out in “cigars,” a panino comes stuffed with shortrib, and oysters are fried in cornmeal with cilantro aioli. Also, for the friend who wishes they were at Enterprise, any whole fish can be simply grilled.

What results is a menu that is more expressive, more coastal, more Californian, and better rooted in a distinct voice. Our only last hope is that the execution has at least been brought to the level of Chaya’s Beverly Hills location. Until then, check out the full new dinner and lunch menus below.

Chaya Venice’ s New Menu

FRUITS DE MER
Oysters on the Half Shell 2

Shrimp Cocktail 15

Maine Lobster half/24 whole/48

Venice Plateau 98
12 Oysters | 6 Shrimp | 6 Mussels | 1 Maine Lobster | Tuna Tartare

Petit Plateau 55
6 Oysters | 3 Shrimp | 3 Mussels | ½ Maine Lobster | Tuna Tartare

Starter

Today’s Organic Vegan Soup 8

Seafood Soup 9

White Anchovy 7

Piquil lo Pepper | Celery | Parmigiano-Reggiano
Burrata Cheese & Roasted Cherry Tomatoes 1 1

Spicy Tuna Tartare 13
Crispy Rice Galette

King Salmon Ceviche 9
Sweet Potato | Corn

Crispy Jumbo Spring Asparagus 10
Romesco Salsa

Japanese Eggplant 8
Tomato | Basil | Mozzarella

Fried Calamari 9
Spicy Mustard

Popcorn Shrimp 12
Mango Salsa

Brandade Croquet te Por tuguese 8

Shrimp, Octopus & Tuscan Beans 12
Spicy Papr ika Tomato Sauce

Cornmeal Fried Oysters 9
Cilantro Aioli

Kobe Beef Carpaccio 13
Parmigiano-Reggiano | Arugula

Dungeness Crab Cigars 9
Chili Aioli

Escargot Cocotte (3 pcs) 8
Garlic Butter

Lobster Enchilada 11
Cilantro Cream

Cheese
Three Selections of the Day 15
Warm Dried-Fruit & Nut Bread

SALAD

Wild Arugula 11
Shaved Fennel | Parmigiano-Reggiano

Seaweed Salad 11
Ginger Dressing

Albacore Tuna Tataki 11
Soy Sesame Vinaigrette | Mixed Greens | Wasabi Salsa

Crispy Goat Cheese 12
Slow-Roasted Beets | Organic Greens

Louisiana Gulf Shrimp Louie 15
Baby Romaine | Egg

Grilled Angus Beef 15
Arugula | Portabello Mushroom | Truffle Vinaigrette

Pasta
Fusilli 16
Pepperoncini | Broccoli Rabe

Rigatoni 18
Lamb Ragu | Fennel | Tomato | Sage

Spaghetti 18
Monterey Calamari Nero (Squid Ink)

Lobster-Shrimp Ravioli 20
Basil-Pesto Cream Sauce

Risotto 19
Chicken Breast | Mixed Mushrooms

Land

Grilled Organic Tempeh 22
Curried Coconut Lenti ls | Kale | Sweet Potato

Grilled Free-Range Chicken 24
Dijon Mustard Sauce | Pommes Frites

Grass-Fed New Zealand Lamb 29
Ar t ichoke Salsa Verde | Lamb Jus

Chaya Burger 19
Grilled Onion | Jack Cheese | Pommes Frites

Grilled Filet Mignon 35
Black Summer Truffles | Goat Cheese | Yukon Potato Purée

Grilled Black Angus Rib Eye 8 oz /23 16 oz/34
Three Peppercorn Sauce | Roasted Potato

Sea

Whitefish 23
Vegetable Tempura | Spicy Citrus Soy

Blackened Tilapia 24
Dirty Rice | Tuscan Kale

New York Steak-Wrapped Sea Scallops 28
Dijon Pommery Mustard

Soy-Glazed Black Cod 29
Hijiki Garlic Brown Rice | Asparagus Tempura

Grilled Tasmanian Salmon 29
Roasted Vegetable Couscous | Harissa Tomato

Miso-Marinated White Sea Bass 32
Steamed Rice | Bok Choy | Wasabi Beurre Blanc

COQUILLAGE

Steamed Mediterranean Black Mussels 22
Lemongrass Coconut Curry

Bouillabaisse 29
Shrimp | Whitefish | Mussels | Clams | Potatoes
add Half Lobster 6

Paella Valencia (Saffron-Tomato) 29
add Half Lobster 6

Paella Venezia (Squid Ink) 27
add Half Lobster 6

Side

Mashed Potatoes 5
Pommes Frites 5
Steamed Bok Choy 5
Dirty Rice 6
Brussels Sprouts 7
Grilled Asparagus 8
Macaroni Fontina 9
Mushroom Medley 9

Lunch
Starter

Today’s Organic Vegan Soup cup 5 / bowl 9

Seafood Soup cup 6 / bowl 10

Tuna Tartare 11
Crispy Rice Galette

Spring Jumbo Crispy Asparagus 1 1
Romesco Salsa

Fried Calamari 8
Spicy Mustard

Heart of Romaine Caesar Salad 8

Wild Arugula Salad 10
Parmigiano-Reggiano

Crispy Goat Cheese 10
Slow-Roasted Beets | Organic Greens

Sushi
With Organic Mixed Greens

Tuna Tuna Tuna 18
Spicy Tuna | Avocado | Tuna Sashimi | Tuna Tataki

Dragon Roll 17
Spicy Tuna | BBQ Eel | Avocado | Sweet Soy Vinaigrette

Rainbow Roll 18
California Roll | Salmon | Tuna | Albacore | Avocado

Sushi Omakase 25

PASTA
Fusilli Pepperoncini 14
Broccoli Rabe

Rigatoni 15
Lamb Ragu | Fennel | Tomato | Sage

Spaghetti 15
Monterey Calamari Nero (Squid Ink)

Lobster-Shrimp Ravioli 16
Basil Pesto Cream Sauce

Risotto 16
Chicken Breast | Organic Mushrooms

Seared Albacore 15
Vegetable Tempura

Entrée SALAD
Java Chicken 1 4
Spicy Peanut Dressing

Free-Range Chicken Breast Paillard 15
Slow-Roasted Beets | Arugula

Albacore Tuna Tataki 16
Soy Sesame Vinaigrette | Mixed Greens | Wasabi Salsa

Venice Chopped 19
Popcorn Shrimp

Grilled Angus Beef 17
Arugula | Portabello Mushroom | Truffle Vinaigrette

Main

Soy-Glazed Orange Roughy 17
Hijiki Brown Rice | Steamed Bok Choy

Grilled King Salmon 18
Basil Pesto Marinade | Broccoli Pepperoncini

Chicken Dijon 16
Pommes Frites

Grilled Black Angus Rib Eye Steak 20
Three peppercorn sauce

Chef’s Medley 19
Salad | Sushi | Fish | Meat

SANDWICH
with Pommes Frites

Chicken Panino 13
Tomato | Basil Pesto | Mozzarella

Grilled BBQ Tempeh Sandwich 13
Kale Salad

Ahi Tuna Burger 15
Chaya 10 oz. Angus Beef Cheeseburger 14

Short Rib Panino 15
Sweet Onions | Fontina Cheese

What to Eat at the New Chaya Venice