K'ya: Honey, please take off the mouse ears
IT may be right around the corner from Disneyland, but Casa Resorts' Hotel Ménage could easily be on Sunset Boulevard. With its chic, hip interior, this boutique-style hotel is attempting to change up the scenery in the shadow of Sleeping Beauty's Castle.
But finding the right mix of dining options has proved to be a challenge to Ménage's flagship restaurant, K'ya, a sister to Casa's successful Laguna Beach property. How to offer sophisticated N.Y./L.A.-style dining that is still family-friendly and affordable?
Exec chef Craig Connole has instigated a varied multi-choice menu. "We are offering something new and unique for this area," Connole says.
With the regular menu, the bistro menu, the panini bar and the newly installed pizza shop, there are so many choices at K'ya, it would seem there's something for every palate -- and wallet.
"I think it's important to offer diners a wide variety," says Connole, which is why he is now offering all regular-menu items as half-size-portion small plates. "You can order different things and not be stuck with one $30 entree."
California and Pacific Rim cuisine inform the menu, which includes Maui-style BBQ beef ribs, hibachi salmon with wok'd vegetables, and seared flat-iron steak with Gorgonzola cheese gratin and caramelized onions. Connole hates to be pinned to a "signature" dish, but he concedes that his flash-fried calamari with sweet-and-spicy Thai glaze, bean sprouts, peanuts, cilantro and green onions would come closest. "People keep coming back for it. They say they've never tasted calamari like it," he says with a smile.
The bistro menu offers comfort fare including spaghetti and meatballs, fish and chips, and griddled turkey club sandwich. The panini bar has a cheese-and-charcuterie selection as well as tempting panini including the Frenchy (Brie, prosciutto, roasted peppers, roasted garlic, basil) and the Marrakesh (curried chicken, salad and Swiss cheese).
The brand-new pizza shop, which also offers takeout, has gourmet selections such as Thai chicken, shrimp pesto and spicy Hawaiian. "There are no other gourmet pizzas in the area," Connole says.
For a decadent ending, K'ya offers "roast-your-own" s'mores with a portable hibachi brought to the table. And there are not many places that can end the meal with a bang -- the hotel's nearby bar has a bird's-eye view of the nightly Disneyland fireworks. Hotel Ménage, 1221 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim. (714) 400-9086; www.kyarestaurant.com
