2 Stars for Chaya Brasserie; BBQ at Olympic Cheonggukjang

1) Beverly Hills: Sher hits up the newly facelifted two starred Chaya Brasserie whose menu, too, demonstrates a "major reinvention." The kitchen is "performing better than ever," therefore SIV declares "it's a good opportunity to rediscover this iconic and understated brasserie." Try some of the "signature dishes which taste better than ever" like "the tuna tartare appetizer that comes with long, square-cut toasts stacked like logs. The tartare is hand cut, each tiny cube slicked with piquant, slightly sweet sauce, a classic...Consider the char-grilled miso chicken wings too. They're tender and moist...But my favorite starter is the Hokkaido scallop pot pie baked in a tall porcelain dish with a pastry lid hat... Not many places in this town have ever made it past the 25-year mark, but this one has, and there's a simple reason. Good cooking and good service in a chic setting with a distinctly urban personality." [LAT]

2) Koreatown: This week Gold discusses Olympic Cheonggukjang, a Korean bbq spot known for its pungent odors and lack of comfortable seating: “There is a reason the friends who told you about this place never quite got around to taking you there. There may be a reason that the women who run the restaurant usually make you order while you wait for a table outside. Once the cheonggukjang is in your lungs, you may be thinking more about survival than you are about lunch?.There is a spicy galbi jjim, gently braised short ribs in a bright, slightly sweet sauce thickened with ground dried chiles, that is probably tender enough to eat with a spoon...I also like the samgyetang, a classic cold-weather preparation of boiled game hen stuffed with sticky rice and ginseng roots. Most of the tables will sport at least one portion of fried corvina, a strong, whole fish overcooked to an appealing crispness?the most popular dish here may be the pork bulgogi, sweet slivers of marinated meat grilled with onions sizzling on a platter of superheated iron...This isn't food you should maybe avoid when you're going back to the office; this is food that demands you block out a weekend, because it is going to be controlling you for several hours to come.” [LAW]

The Elsewhere: The Find hits OShan Island, Eastside Food Bites dines at Metro Balderas, The Minty tries Michael's new menu, Diana Takes A Bite at Olio, and Food, Je T'Aime hits the newly opened Toranoko.