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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.

Chaya Brasserie

8741 Alden Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90048 310 859 8833

Chaya Brasserie

8741 Alden Dr., Los Angeles, CA, 90048