My Dream Job

The following was my final project for my Media Writing for Communications class. Boy, I would really like to be a restaurant reviewer when I grow up....

(June 29, 2010)

Kaya

“What’s a good restaurant that’s really close to Heinz Hall?”

“Go to Kaya,” Ben said.

I had managed to score tickets to see Anthony Bourdain. Our seats were in row “U” but I didn’t care. Anthony has been a hero of mine for many years now, ever since I was working as a line cook and picked up his book, Kitchen Confidential. And now I was going to see him, live and in person. I was stoked. All I needed to finish planning a fantastic night out was a good place to eat, so I asked my brother. He’s lived in Pittsburgh for about a decade now and has eaten at almost every restaurant. He appreciates good food, so when he told me to go to Kaya, I listened.

The evening got off to a shaky start. My fiancé, Jon, and I battled construction and rush hour traffic on our way to Pittsburgh, pulling into our destination just in time to keep our 5:30 dinner reservation. Kaya is a Latin/Caribbean themed restaurant located on Smallman St. in the Strip District. We were seated in the relatively small dining room, near a large, bronze sun and a statue of a fertility god. Nice. The layout of the restaurant is simple, with a long, tiki bar running along one wall – they’re known for their happy hour and wide selection of beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic – a few tables and booths, and limited outdoor seating. Jon ordered a limeade, which was freshly squeezed and potent, but too bitter from the pith. I stuck with water.

The menu at Kaya is impressive. You can choose from small plates or larger entrées. We decided to try as many items as possible and each ordered three “Tropas.” (Tropas is short for Tropical Tapas.) Jon began with the Tomato and Cucumber Gazpacho ($6), which was served at just the right temperature – Nice and cool, but not so cold that you couldn’t taste the delicate flavors. I started out with the Conch Chowder ($7) which came highly recommended, and did not disappoint. If you’ve never had conch, it is reminiscent of langoustines, or lobster tail meat, but a bit firmer. Paired up with corn and sweet potatoes in a creamy, buttery broth, it was sublime. Poblano peppers added just the right amount of spice without being overwhelming. I could happily eat a whole pot of the stuff. It was easily my favorite dish of the meal.

The second course brought me the Avocado Tempura ($8), which sounded good on paper, but was a bit monotonous to eat. The avocado, while perfectly ripe, was very thickly cut, and the thin veneer of tempura batter hardly made an impact. It was served with a drizzle of a soy-based sauce, which I found a bit salty, and a spicy aioli. Jon’s second course was a plate of Corn and Lentil Beignets ($7) served with a very spicy green curry sauce. While he enjoyed the sauce, Jon did say that the beignets were doughy, and rather oily. My culinary instincts told me that they could have portioned them a bit smaller, and fried them at a higher temperature.

The third “main” course for Jon was a Mushroom and Asparagus Sauté. Now, mind you, when we decided on this location three months ago, Jon was a vegetarian. Even though he eats meat now, he decided to choose all vegetarian options. The sauté contained no meat, yet somehow tasted of Italian sausage. That is quite a feat. He swooned over the dish and declared it the best one of the meal. This was evidenced by the fact that he ate it in tiny bites, savoring every last morsel.

My third course both confused and delighted me. I had the Pukka Glazed Ribs ($9). First of all, I received something like nine bones of ribs for my nine dollars, which I wasn’t expecting. If you’re looking for maximum value and flavor in one dish, this is what I would suggest. I’m not sure what “pukka” means, but if I had to guess, I would say it translates to “delicious, complex carnival of flavors.” I have a pretty decent culinary background and I could not tell you what was in there. Besides the obvious garlic and honey, there was some sort of Indian spice, and...what are those, mustard seeds?...along with about a dozen other flavors I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Whatever. They were fabulous. (Almost as good as the conch chowder...almost.)

Did we have room for dessert? You bet we did. I had the Summer Peach Crème Brûlée, and Jon selected the Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding. I only chose the brûlée on the advice of our server – whose name I can’t remember, but was lovely; a geek-chic girl who was a big fan of Bourdain and totally jealous of us (you know who you are) – because although I love crème brûlée, I don’t particularly like fruit in it. Our server assured me that it hardly tasted of peach at all. I admired her honesty. The custard was very light and airy, and the sugar shell was thick and perfectly caramelized. The only thing I can say is that I wish the ramekin was a bit deeper. Jon’s pudding fell a little flat. The bread was unevenly soaked, the custard was a bit like scrambled eggs, and the chocolate had a touch of burnt flavor to it. It did, however, have a strong, ripe banana flavor and was topped with a very well executed Crème Anglaise.

So, stuffed and happy, we left a hefty tip and set off to see the show. It actually wasn’t as great as I hoped, but that’s another story. The best part of the night ended up being our dinner at Kaya. I’d give it 4 out of 5 stars, and would definitely recommend it. In fact, I’d like to eat there again as soon as possible. If only I’d scored tickets to see Paul McCartney...

Kaya

2000 Smallman St.
Strip District
412-261-6565www.bigburrito.com/kaya