A first course of salmon mi-cuit (half-cooked) is set in a puddle of wasabi cream garnished with sprigs of watercress. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Chef Harutaka Kishi in his kitchen at Chaya Brasserie. The Paris-born Kishi was most recently executive sous chef at Gordon Ramsay at the London West Hollywood. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
From the La Petite menu of small plates: “Moro” miso wings. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
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One of the starters is the Hokkaido scallop pot pie, baked in a porcelain dish with a pastry lid hat. Inside are Japanese scallops with chunks of shiitake and a few cubes of potato cloaked in a silken cream sauce. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
The restaurant has a warm glow, with copper hanging lamps above the tables, the better to see the food and to check out what everyone else is wearing. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
A butterscotch flan from the Petite side of the menu is silky, with a deep, dark caramel taste. It’s shown here with Chaya cookies. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
