There is pretty much nothing I love more than buggy-besides my boyfriend. And sushi. But that's it, promise. Me and my other buggy enthusiast friend Jess (our chairman from this past year) decided that it was time for us to spend some good quality time together and get some sushi. She had never been to Chaya before (which is ridiculous) so I thought I'd take her and show her the magic that is Chaya.
We wanted to go and sit down- but since nobody would take care of the pup (poor Zeus) we decided to get it as a take-out order. I was actually excited to see how good Chaya take-out was- simply because sushi take out is never as good as eating it at the restaurant. Boy was I wrong.
I've been to Chaya more than I can count and it has never failed to satisfy my sushi cravings. The fish is fresh and has wonderful textures and the prices are incredibly reasonable. Jess and I decided to keep it simple this time and ordered a few simple rolls off the menu.
Jess got a California roll (which is great for those who are new to raw fish and want to take baby steps) and an Alaska roll (salmon and crab). I got a shrimp tempura roll (ok, not really sushi- but SO delicious at Chaya) and a simple salmon and avocado roll and a spicy tuna roll. Although I can't speak for Jess (she did say it was delicious however), my rolls were perfect- as always. The fish was fresh and everything was prepared artfully.
California, Alaska Roll
Salmon and Avocado, Shrimp Tempura, Spicy Tuna Roll
Although the take-out was good- I enjoy sitting in at the restaurant a lot better. Located in Squirrel Hill on Murray Avenue, Chaya is very close to the Carnegie Mellon campus and is a great BYOB place! The servers are dressed authentically in Japanese kimonos and the casual setting of the restaurant is very comforting and welcoming. Chaya is one of the best sushi restaurants I've been to in Pittsburgh, and me and Eric LOVE going there to treat ourselves to some great sushi.Eric's favorite by far is the Spider Roll (Soft shell crab). And I really just love everything there- the toro is amazing btw. I can't really even begin to talk about how tasty the fish at Chaya is- you just need to experience it yourself. Seriously, one of the best sushi places- go.
If I do have something bad to say about Chaya- the language barrier results in poor phone service (Someone yelled at me for calling them when they weren't opened and hung up on me). Oh, and the oyster appetizer is actually very unappetizing- and the awfulness of that appetizer really surprised me- don't get it.
But regardless, if you stick to the sushi- I can say with confidence that you will enjoy it. Make sure to bring some alcohol to make it a party!
