Pittsburgh: Kaya (October 2012)

My spouse and I dined at Kaya in late October 2012 for dinner. We have eaten at Kaya's sister restaurant, Eleven, several times, and felt that it was time to try another of the Big Burrito Restaurant Group’s properties. Kaya is open daily for lunch and dinner (with lunch replaced by brunch on Sundays.) The menu at Kaya is Spanish-Caribbean, and there are many vegetarian options available.

Overall, our meal was good, and we liked the creative ingredients and ideas behind the food. Our server was fantastic, but the hostess who sat us was not at all friendly. It was raining on the night that we dined, and although there was a coat rack that we passed en route to our table, she did not point it out or offer it as a place to hang our wet coats and umbrellas. She led us to the absolute worst table in the house - adjacent to the kitchen door (although we occasionally sit IN the kitchen at a chef's table at other restaurants, this was NOT the same thing), even though the restaurant was not crowded. When we asked if we could take another available table for two, we were told that she would have to check because the restaurant had some other reservations for that night. That was surprising, because we had made our reservation 8 WEEKS before using Open Table! We cannot imagine that anyone else beat us to their reservation book! Being made to feel unwelcome and undervalued as customers was not a good way to start our evening, but fortunately, we had an excellent server who offered insightful opinions on the menu and exhibited a lot of "food love"; he seemed to be someone who enjoys his job and the restaurant industry itself.

Our food results were a little mixed - we shared a calamari appetizer that was delicious and a bit unusual in the seasonings and the sauce. We ordered a chicken dish that was terrific (accompanied by chicken enchiladas and a deconstructed guacamole); however, the seafood in our other entree, the tropical paella, was severely undercooked. We brought the problems with the undercooked shellfish to the attention of the waiter, who first brought additional properly-cooked seafood, but finally ended up removing the dish from our bill. Dessert was excellent (Grilled Brioche: hazelnut butter, concord grape ice cream, caramelized banana).

Overall, our meal at Kaya was not a dining experience without issue, but we ended up having a good evening and might give them a try again in the future.