Dishing Up Happy Hour At Chaya Brasserie

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending happy hour at Chaya Brasserie, a quaint but trendy Asian-fusion bistro in Beverly Hills.  The occasion? A gathering of foodies and food bloggers called together by none other than Chrystal and Amir, the tenacious twosome also known as The Duo Dishes.  They put the call out to their food blogger friends to get together for exotic drinks, tasty food, and plenty of hot conversation.

Most of my comments during the meal were focused on two of the most interesting things on the table that night; a ginger margarita and a very crispy calamari.  The margarita was like a sweeter version of the pickled ginger one finds accompanying sushi.  The tequila came through, though, in all the right places for a very refreshing beverage.

The calamari had to be some of the best I’ve ever eaten.  The texture was unique beyond belief with a coating of puffed rice; it looked like the calamari had been rolled in Rice Krispies cereal!  What ever the case, they were delicious, especially when dipped in the  spicy sauce that was served with them.

Aside from the food, the most wonderful thing about the meal was the company.  It was good to see Chrystal and Amir again in addition to meeting several other people that are as crazy about food as we are at South Bay Foodies.  I have to give shout outs to all of them: Diana fromDiana Takes a Bite; Esi at Dishing up Delights; Jenn from Bread + Butter; Sam AKA the Punky Chef; Kirby from Kirby Von Scrumptious; and Liz from Yo Soy! Oh, and of course, The Duo Dishes.  It was great meeting all of you. We’ll have to share a meal again soon!