• Crab Cake (shared) $8.50
• Seafood Soup $22.00

La Chaya was a bit surprising to me. For some reason, I was not expecting a lot and came away with my expectation blown away. Yeah!

The crab cake was very solid and had a wonderful spicy sauce that really worked well with it and did not overpower it. My soup was one of the best versions, I have had. A bit spicy, but not overly so. Seafood was all fresh and cooked to right doneness. I really enjoyed my meal. One of my disappointments was we really did not have time for dessert (our son was getting a bit restless). I hope to go back some day when we can really sit and enjoy the meal.

I would highly recommend checking La Chaya out if you are in the area or even in the surrounding area.

• Pasta Special Crab with white sauce $19.00

Renee informs me that La Chaya was formerly a KFC; I can’t think of a better transformation since the Pannekoeken in Columbia Heights turned into Jang Won (currently, it’s the stupendous Nala Pak). La Chaya’s interior is completely transformed to an upscale-ish eatery. The open kitchen lends a bistro atmosphere. I have to admit that one of my coworkers loves this place and he and his newlywed bride consider this their new favorite place, especially for brunch. Coincidentally, we know one of the chefs at La Chaya, and he came out to say hello. That may have subconsciously affected our rating, but we made every effort to make sure that we remained neutral (nothing was comped).

I was wowed by the crab pasta special. The restaurant served a generous portion of delicious crab in homemade pasta. Other pasta dishes are less expensive, but I presume that they are made just as well with fresh, high quality ingredients. We also thought the crab cake was great – very good crab and decent accompaniment.

I think this place is going to make it. It was already getting busy early on the night we went. That, and the location, price point, and quality all spell success.