I told folks Cha Ya has the best miso soup, and others agree

[Guest guest]

http://www.posthoc.com/eastbay_chaya.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cha-Ya Vegetarian Japanese Cuisine

1686 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley

Tel: 510.981.1213

No reservations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One thing the Bay Area certainly does not suffer a shortage of is Japanese cuisine. From San Francisco to Burlingame to Berkeley sushi joints and noodle houses dot the landscape. Of course, quantity by no means always equates to quality, as is often the case with uninspiring Japanese restaurants serving up rather banal dishes based around blah broths, doughy noodles, and wilting vegetables. For all the vegetarian and vegans out there, the Japanese dependency on such animal products as bonito flakes really makes finding authentic, scrumptious, completely vegetarian and vegan Japanese food a challenge.

For all of you who fit such a demographic, or even those who simply possess a passion for fine Japanese food, make a trip to Berkeley's Cha-Ya. Located in North Berkeley's 'gourmet ghetto' on Shattuck Avenue, hard to miss because of the queue of salivating soon to be diners patiently waiting their turn in the intimate space, Cha-Ya's menu abounds with totally fresh, partially organic, lovingly crafted options.

Being a wasabi freak, I find it difficult to ever pass up a chance for sushi. Aside form all the standard vegetable options like avocado, asparagus, and cucumber, rolls of pickled daikon and burdock, eggplant, and for the adventurous, fermented soybean add variety to the menu, as do nigiri heaping with Shimeji mushrooms, Hijiki seaweed, and daikon sprouts. Two of my favorites though, have to be the tempura rolls, the veggies are bathed in the most unbelievingly light batter not at all robbing them of their flavorful integrity, and the Futomaki roll, bursting with a combination of cucumber, tofu, spinach, kampyo gourd, and shitake mushroom.

Cha-Ya's range far exceeds that of a sushi place, however! Both the udon and soba noodles, their consistency is exquisite, mingle with seaweeds, hearty mushrooms, tofu, and the most vivacious seasonal vegetables. Salads of shredded veggies garnished with soybeans and pine nuts delicately compliment the dressings drizzled atop these creations. And the specials - twelve vegetable curries and a portabella mushroom tofu tempura concoction accompanied by a fabulous kiwi dressing stand in the forefront of my memory, which after some sake does become slightly clouded.

Having spent enough time in Japan to recognize authentic Japanese food, or so I hoped, I sought to put my opinion to the test by dining with a Japanese acquaintance at Cha-Ya during my last visit. As we strolled along Shattuck, my companion expressed her wariness about eating Japanese food here in America, citing two previous Japanese food forays, one in Berkeley, the other in Manhattan, which left her disappointed, hungry and broke. Our bowls of miso soup set before us, we engaged in the secular Japanese custom akin to that of saying grace, and commenced dining. As the rich, soothing liquid graced my palette, out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of my friend placing her bowl back down on the table top with a look of shock, disbelievingly stammering: 'Tastes just like Japan!' Quite simply, if the opportunity arises, do not pass on Cha-ya.

Buzz Poole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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