It had been a long time since my love and I had a date night and we decided we would experience Chef Chai’s for the first time. I had heard good things, but the first time I saw the menu, nothing really jumped out at me, until I saw some pictures on Instagram that had me dreaming of Chai’s.
They brought us chicken satay with a creamy, nutty, peanut sauce. Great little starter.
We made a reservation for 8:30pm on a Thursday evening, thinking it was going to busy. I was wrong. As soon as our bottle of champagne was popped, the three other tables that were dining had left. I like a restaurant with atmosphere - with a little noise, action - but I am also one for exclusive experiences. The whole dining room to ourselves! Spectacular.
Our server was fantastic – attentive, knowledgeable, nice, and best of all, did not fuss over us, even though we were the only table.
Based on our favorite things and recommendations from our server, we started with Sautéed Escargot & Prawns with Hamakua Mushrooms, Roasted Garlic and Chili Sauce. The moment this dish hit the table I dove in. Only after two mouth fulls, did I pause to take a picture (the portion is actually bigger!). The sauce was perfection. The heat from the chili sauce really brought a whole other level of flavor combined with the sweetness from the prawns and the earthiness of the escargot. As soon as we finished this dish, I wanted to order another.
Then, in order to get a flavor for what Chai’s has to offer, we got the Appetizer Platter with Alaskan King Crab Cakes, Fresh Ahi Katsu, Kataifi Prawns, Goat Cheese Wontons, and Roaster Butternut Squash & Lobster Bisque Shooters. The presentation was very impressive. I started with the shooters, which were creamy and filled with flavor – sweet, salty, tasty! Moving around the plate, next I tasted the wontons that had a burst of flavor from the goat cheese and the wonton was nice and crispy. The Kataifi Prawn was perfectly cooked and the texture combination was fantastic. The Ahi Katsu had a Wasabi Yellow Curry Sauce that complimented the delicate fish with the right level of heat. Finally, I had the Crab Cake with Roasted Garlic Aioli and Fresh Mango Tomato Salsa, which was moist and all crab! This was a great way to get a taste of some of the appetizers.
We also tried the Fresh Kumamoto Oysters on Ice with Lemongrass Mignonette. The presentation was lovely. What I love about oysters is the ritual of eating them - using your hands, the tilting of the shell.
We also tried the Fresh Kumamoto Oysters on Ice with Lemongrass Mignonette. The presentation was lovely. What I love about oysters is the ritual of eating them - using your hands, the tilting of the shell.
The only problem, was that after the appetizers, we were almost full. Not full enough yet though, because what I was waiting for was the Deconstructed Scallop Pot Pie with Lobster Reduction. It was a larger portion than I was expecting, but every bit as delicious as I had anticipated. The crust on top was flaky and the scallops were soft and sweet with the lobster reduction. It was comfort food elevated to another level!
Finally, we couldn't end a great meal without trying a dessert. I am a sucker for Crème Brulee, so we decided to give the sampler a try with Chocolate & Tahitian vanilla beans, Chai’s Tea, and Thai Coffee flavors. Just sweet enough to satisfy that craving.
Overall, I loved every dish and felt incredibly special dining alone with my love in this beautiful restaurant.
There is a late night happy hour, and the Escargot is on the menu! You will see me dining late night here again.
Best,
MJ
