Elite Event: Denim Derby

Thanks Katie B. for getting me in this event! I haven’t been one in the longest time since most events are on the weekdays.
I was excited to come the event except that I didn’t have much creative denim to wear except for some pants. I’ve never been one to wear jorts (jean shorts) or japris (jean capris, gangster denim down past halfway the shins) nor a denim jacket or vest.
Thank God I didn’t go through any of those phases.
Anyways, the event filled up the patio portion of Chaya Downtown. Upon our arrival, Katie B. hooked it up with some red Elite socks. Great for winter time.
The food and Elite Unilocalers were in abundant. Chaya’s summertime menu includes Asian inspired dishes, shortribs, sesame spouts, yakitori (delicious by the way), grilled shimps & octapus. It was all good! Food was served buffet style with waiters coming around serving appetizers and taking drink request. The frozen froth Kirin went well with the grilled entrees.
If you’re close to Downtown, this is a great place to chill after work. The restaurant is in an open area below the Figueroa side that gets a cool breeze.
Thanks again Katie B. for an awsome event!

BBQ, refreshing beer, chilled drinks, great company, sunglasses, denim… Sounds like summer to me!
I was one happy Unilocaler for this event. They really fed us! There was a large assortment of meat, california rolls, and calamari. They had frozen beer (how cool is that?). We sat at family sized tables, and really got to know each other. They let us have seconds, and walked around with skewers, making sure we were fed!
It was really fun to see all the ways people interpreted the theme, denim derby, too. I saw some stuff clothing I haven’t seen since I was in grade school. There were too cool hats, vests, jackets, and shoes.

What a great way to start my sunny Sunday and end it with my favorite Unilocalers in DTLA! All thanks to Katie B. :) This was one of my favorite Unilocal elite experience.
Theme: Denim Derby: All I could find was my denim shorts and I borrowed my friends denim jacket. I guess I looked odd/​different in it cuz a random guy drove by and rolled his window down to say «welcome to LA».
There were plenty of BBQ meat/​seafood and sushi roll for everyone. I really enjoyed the beef and bacon wrapped dates. Kirin beer with the big icee on top (to keep it cool for 30minutes) was the highlight of the day. All you can drink!
I also had their yummy sangria which didn’t disappoint.
Location was Chaya in downtown. Japanese-​Fusion restaurant with a sushi bar inside and a nice patio to enjoy good beer with good company. I can’t wait to go back to Chaya and try their other signature drinks.

So far, the best event in 2013 with flood of food and kirin frosted beer, nom nom nom!
Denim was the theme and 80% of us dressed up to represent. The staff was great and the patio was a beautiful place to have a Summer BBQ.
It is really a hidded gem that needs the word out ASAP! I really hope their Summer BBQ does well because I want to come back. Loved their bacon covered dates and cubed meats… there’s so much food that I can’t even list out all of it… sushi bites, korean bbq ribs, chicken, burrata cheese, and lots more! Just look at the food pics.
Thanks Katie for the awesome event and the kick-​ass socks! I will be sporting them very soon!
SYOY

I’m always down for any Unilocal event in DTLA, my second home. Excited to try this other side of Chaya. Came here before for their chirashi bowl but this time, the experience was uncomparable!
First off, who is the genius that came up with frozen beer? Granted, I am not a big beer fan, but the frozen foam part of the Kirin beer was my favorite part! Down it before it completely melts.
Secondly, the food table was never ending. Chaya was grilling up a storm (yes, my hair was a nice reminder of that) and new items were constantly being brought out. Love it!
Thirdly, meeting other Unilocalers and checking in with Katie B. is always a highlight.
Can’t wait to come back for Chaya’s summer beer gardens and for their Thursday happy hours. So glad I am only a block away during my working hours.
THANKS TO ALL FOR ANOTHER GREAT EVENT!

Denim Derby was an amazing amount of fun especially when you roll out solo and end up meeting a lot of fellow elites whom you’ve never met in person before and could possibly be your friend on Unilocal already.
I was happy to see Katie B. again and found myself sitting at a higher table top with the likes of Linda & Matt. I also wanna give a shout out to my home skillets @sweet_cynabunz & @kc_cat & @chayarestaurants & @yelpla for those that are on instagram!
It was also a pleasure to have met the marketing ladies of Chaya: Cindy and Sarah, they’re a lovely pair and sure promoted the hell out of the summer events that Chaya has got going on as well the happy hours!
Onto the FOOD!
Albacore Tataki: ⁵⁄₅: Delicious Seared Albacore on a crispy wonton wrapper topped with a sliver of avocado & baby spring green of sort and a wasabi Crème fraîche — I believe…
Sausage & Sauerkraut: ⁴⁄₅: Flame grilled sausage where I couldn’t tell what type of protein it actually was but it was flavorful especially with the balance of the sauerkraut…
Sushi Rolls: ⁵⁄₅: I had an uhhhhhhhmazing time with these cut rolls! There was a spicy tuna, an unagi & avocado roll and a seared beef roll. All of which were delish but I definitely came back for more of the seared beef roll — uhhhhhmazing!
Grilled Yellow Peaches with Burrata Cheese & Arugula: ⁵⁄₅: If you’ve never had burrata cheese, then you better go and try this dish because it’s amazing, especially with grilled fruits on a salad!
Filet Mignon with crumbled blue cheese and crispy onions: ³⁄₅: This was good but for filet mignon, I’ve had better elsewhere. It was kind of chewy hence why I’m rating this a ³⁄₅ but at the same time it was still good.
Kirin Ichiban Frozen Beer: ⁵⁄₅: Quench your thirst with this beer that stays cold for a longer period of time. I can see myself going to the happy hour here at Chaya just for this beer!
Overall a fantastic event with a great group of Unilocalers! The service was on point and helpful and it’s definitely a spot to check out in the summer time! Oh yeah, thank you Katie B. for the socks! A piece of schwag that I’ve never gotten yet so thank you very much!
HOLLA!

Denim Derby was the best Unilocal event I’ve ever attended. The food, beer AND swag was flowing, the service was fantastic, and the atmosphere chill. Great job Katie B!
Katie B. directed us to park downstairs which charged an affordable $ ⁵⁄₃ hours with validation (but a steep $ 15 without!). When we arrived, a Unilocal check-​in yielded a pair of Unilocal elite knee socks, my favorite piece of Unilocal swag to date. They are bright red, super soft and thick, and where else am I going to find knee socks? From there, servers were at the ready, offering drinks aplenty. Kirin beer with beer foam toppers were promptly brought out.
Chaya does Japanese food, mostly sushi, so our BBQ buffet was very much Asian inspired. The passed hor dourves were all tasty nibbles, my favorite being the albacore tataki on a crispy wonton chip with a slice of avocado and wasabi aioli. It was cool, crunchy with a bit of heat. The bacon wrapped dates was also great, combining sweet and savory and I didn’t miss the cheese at all.
The buffet items were so, so delicious and refilled so quickly. I loved the sweet grilled peaches and burrata salad with roasty hazelnuts, the tender grilled calamari with the sticky sweet soy, well charred cornish game hens with the tropical influenced coconut and mango salsa, tons of sushi rolls (my favorite being the spicy tuna and dragon rolls), kalbi with soy bean sprouts. They grilled coffee spiced angus steaks to perfection. There were no duds, just a few mediocre dishes like the grilled romaine and the brats with a tepid sauerkraut. The only thing I didn’t get to try were the beef and shrimp skewers but it was so easy to get full off the rest that there was no love lost.
The waitstaff was impeccable. Polite, fast — I am impressed with Chaya. They have a nice patio setup with cheery paper lanterns and I can see their summer Beer Garden series being very popular amongst the corporate HH crowd. Thanks Chaya!

I love weekend events! The weather was beautiful and breezy.
Never have I waited in such a short line at the bar for my drink. they just poured a glass and left it on the counter and POOF, frozen Kirins disappeared into thin air! The frozen foam added a nice touch to the beer and kept it cold at all times!
The food was great as well, the «buffet» area was never empty. The staff did a wonderful job in rotating empty plates out right away without stalling the lines. They even had servers going around with skewers for the people waiting in line, amazing service! I was stuffed with delicious food by the end.
Towards the end of the event, they were giving away pitchers to each table and refilling them like no other. Free alcohol always makes people happy!
Thank you Katie B. and Chaya Downtown for organizing such a great event!

Finally got the opportunity to attend my first Elite event this year, and this was absolutely perfect for what I needed after finals! Froze Kirin tops and grilling?! Definitely a great way to kick off a pre-​summer celebration!
Event was held at Chaya, an Asian Fusion/​Sushi restaurant, located in Downtown Los Angeles. Despite the confusing parking lot, the place was not too hard to be found. The event was held outside of the patio, where lots of friendly Unilocalers were already drinking and eating their Sunday afternoon away!
Patio —
Got our name tags, got our greetings, it was time to grub on and try out their specials! Buffet style of sushi, octopus, chicken, salad, sausage and Korean bbq ribs were self served. Expect a long line if you end up coming late, because we did.
Food: Beef cube skewers was DA BOMB. melts in your mouth! I totally want s’more of that! Overall, the sushi, short ribs, squid and chicken was delicious as well.
Short ribs —
Dranks: Frozen Kirin tops was given away by the servers and waitresses. Service was amazing. No one had an empty cup, always full. Some even started having pitchers! I believe Richard K’s table did and everyone were just chugging away! Sangria was served, however, $ 8 for it and it was worth a cup! Fruits were well soaked into the drink. Loved it!
The Bar —
Sangria —
Frozen Kirin Top —
Thank you, Katie B! Once again, another great event! May there be many more events like this! Yay!
*note: Don’t forget to check out Chaya’s summer festival!

My first ever Elite Event and it was deliciously refreshing!
Frozen top beer, what? I’ve never heard of such thing! Once I tried it, I’m definitely addicted. As an Icee and beer fan, nice job Chaya! Can’t wait to have a few more of these out on your patio!
As I stuffed my face, the most memorable items for me were the kobe beef skewers (tender and sweet) and the peach with burrata salad (a fun mixture of different textures!).
The best part of it all was meeting Kat L. and her friend Raquel :)
Can’t wait for the many more Elite adventures to come!

This is probably one of the most well put together Unilocal event I have ever been to. The staff was top notch. They kept churning out food and made sure everyone was well taken care of. The food was yummy. I especially enjoyed the sauces: mustard and pineapple salsa. What a genius idea to have beer with the frozen foam. It would be great if they had little cards with the description of the food. Thanks to Chaya downtown and Katie B for putting such a lovely event together!

Denim Derby? More like Denim Parade! I mean, aside from all the denimed out Unilocalers and their +1’s, there were plenty of floats (as in Kirin beer floats), along with processions of staff bringing out all types of garnished food from sushi to BBQ squid, and there were tons of eye candy for both genders… The only things missing from this parade was a marching band and a Snoopy balloon.
Seriously though, the event put together by the Denim Derby Grand Marshal, Katie B., was really badass as in another Katie B-​for-​Badass production. Domo arigato Ms. Roboto!
The location of the event was Chaya, which is a Japanese-​fusion restaurant located in Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA). Despite being surrounded by high-​rise buildings, Chaya has an awesome patio that allows you to forget you that are in the heart of DTLA’s concrete jungle.
So, in order to take advantage of their patio they created a beer garden and summer BBQ, which they plan on having every Sunday until Labor Day Weekend. Thus, to promote this awesome idea, Chaya invited us Unilocal L33Tists to partake in a wide array of Asian-​inspired food that included everything from barbecued Korean galbi to peaches and burrata. Let’s just say that the food was abundant and «cho oishii».
Although Chaya stands for teahouse, the only tea served on this afternoon was barley tea… as in Kirin Ichiban malt beer with a frozen whipped beer topping made from Kirin Ichiban. Ha! Beer two ways!
Leave it to the Japanese to come up with such ingenious inventions! The frozen beer head was refreshing and since it was made of beer, when it melted it did not dilute. While Kirin claims the beer can stay cold for 30 minutes with the beer foam, the table the wife and I were seated at (conveniently adjacent to the bar) never got the chance to substantiate the claim since we were «kanpai”-ing it up.
So once again, much props to Katie B. and Chaya for setting up such a great event and of course all the «tea» loving Unilocalers at our table. Definitely looking forward to a return visit.
Ch-​Ch-​Chaya~ cho berigu!
Pics the wife took since I was busy with my beer floats:
BBQ Station:
Food Plate:
Beer Pitcher with Foam:
Kanpai Time at Our Table:

Finally got a pair of Unilocal elite socks! Yay! =)
Thank you Katie B. for planning such a great event at Chaya. The food was amazing! It was a BBQ theme, but we also got to sample pieces of sushi too. My favorite was the bacon wrapped dates!!! I wish I got more. Other delicious things were the cubed steak of skewers, the beef steaks (I think marinated with coconut) and the sliced bacon w/​salad. The staff at Chaya were excellent. They were passing out small bites, while we sat at our table, and were very prompted in bringing us drinks and asking if we needed any thing else. The rest of the food was served buffet style. Things would run out quickly, but the staff were great in always refilling everything quickly.
The set up was wonderful too. Loved the patio area and the weather was perfect! Got lots of Unilocal swag set up on the table. Plus, since this was a bbq event, the patio provided much needed ventilation for the smoke.
Great good, great weather, great Unilocalers, and a great CM. What more could I ask for? =)

Best elite event this year!!!
The Setting: Chaya’s outdoor patio was perfect for Unilocal elites to hangout and mingle. The BBQ grill was fired up and the aroma of grilled short ribs and squid greeted you right when you enter into the restaurant!
The Theme: You can’t go wrong with DENIM! Cowgirls, overalls, jean jackets, jean dresses, anything goes. My +1 and I had a fun time dressing up in cowgirl outfits!
The Food: Oh my… probably the best food at a Unilocal elite event! My favorite was the beef skewers. My goodness, they were so soft and melt-​in-​your-​mouth that at one point, I wasn’t even sure if it was beef or marshmallow. The squid and short ribs were also a hit. I don’t know what can be better than BBQ on a Sunday afternoon!
The Beer: I’m not much of a beer person, but the frozen Kirin beer peaked my interest. Shoot, I even had two glasses!
The Unilocal Swag: Thanks Katie for the awesome pair of Unilocal socks! I’ll be rocking those on the slopes this winter season snowboarding!
The Peepz: Always good to see familiar faces. Special shout out to Jennifer H.!! We finally met! JR, always good to see you! A BIG thank you to Katie B. for throwing a bangin’ event!

This elite event at Chaya had a nice outdoor setting and a variety of delicious food. My +1 and I arrived fairly early, so we managed to get some food before the long line started. The buffet table included a variety of food, including sushi and grilled/​BBQed items such chicken, beef, sausage, squid, and grilled peaches with burrata cheese. There was a ton of delicious food, and we were stuffed!
The servers were also walking around with try-​passed appetizers, including chicken skewers, shrimp skewers, bacon-​wrapped dates, and albacore sashimi – all delicious! My boyfriend and I both got more than serving of the albacore and bacon-​wrapped dates. On top of the food, we were served complimentary Frozen Beers. The frozen foam on top kept the beer nice and cold. The staff really went out of their way to accommodate us!
Thank you Katie B. for organizing such a fun event! Can’t wait for the next one.

One can’t live in the Good US of A and not correlate summer with BBQ’s, outdoor eating, sun, beer, and denim. Denim?! Yep, that’s right. Who else wears as much denim as us? Okay, maybe not but either way Unilocal kicked off summer the right way with a BBQ feast at Chaya Downtown.
Chaya bundles together city skyscrapers with a serene quality by offering a cute patio area complete with plants, lanterns, and rustic furniture. Unilocaler Elites took over this BBQ-​smoked filled area donning our denim best: jeans, jean skirts, vest, shirts, purses, shoes, etc. Was anyone wearing denim undies? That, I cannot confirm.
What I can confirm was the smooth and satisfying nature of this event. Check-​in was a breeze with Katie’s smiling face passing out Unilocal athletic socks while the line formed for a buffet-​style BBQ. While Chaya grillers scented the restaurant with the lovely aromas of barbecued beef, octopus (or was it squid?), shrimp, and beef; the Kirin with frozen foam flowed and the buffet food was restocked. I should reitterate how well the employees kept this stocked. Unlike the «norm» of Unilocal piggies eating all the food; Chaya planned logistically as the food was continuously refilled never running out nor slowing down the line as an employee manned the table and kept staff notified. Highly impressive!
What did we get to stuff our faces with? The Denim Derby was more for meat lovers (sorry vegetarians!) offering grilled chicken, octopus, short ribs, fillet Mignon, chicken sausage, sushi rolls, and some small veggies like grilled romaine lettuce and sauerkraut. Also grazing the buffet tables were grilled peaches with a cream sauce. At the same time, employees passed by carrying trays of various grilled skewers from shrimp to chicken to braised beef.
Everything was quite delicious, grilled too perfection, and accented with Asian spices and sauces. The beef varieties were my favorite with the octopus also making my stomach smile. The eel sushi roll was impeccable and the shrimp skewers were large in charge! Everything was divine and filling. Staff kept tables stocked with water and beer while the food also continued to be stocked. My only complaint would be the lack of a dessert option (the peaches weren’t cutting it). However, that is me being demanding.
I can not emphasize enough how attentive, kind, and courteous the staff was. Aside from offering such a large amount of food to Unilocalers; employees were SO polite and in great moods. Not to mention, they were at the beck and whim of Unilocalers even though this was an event and not a real restaurant transaction. Chaya definitely showed great customer care which encourages a visit back. This great mood rubbed off on Unilocalers and everyone was relaxed, happy, and the event ran as smooth as butter on a hot summer day.
Although this was solely a tasting and not a Unilocal event with entertainment or photo booths; it was fun, accommodating, and an absolute pleasure. Katie and Chaya clearly make a wonderful team.
So get ready for summer, bust out the swim trunks, and add Chaya to your list of summer must-do’s.

Katie has done it again! Katie — thank you so much for organizing the Denim Derby event. As always, a great time and well planned event.
I had an excellent time at Chaya tasting their food buffet style, enjoying frozen Kirin beer, and their citrus sangria in the new summertime beer garden. Met and got to know some new Unilocal friends at the same time. This was my first time at Chaya DTLA and it did not disappoint.
A special thank you to the crew at Chaya DTLA for having us over to experience their new summer beer garden!

(Dined 06÷02÷13 SU @ 12:00pm): There was just enough denim for a small rodeo to have broken out!
A lunch opportunity of Asian fusion food at Chaya Downtown through this «Elite Event: Denim Derby» — I was more than happy that my RSVP was accepted!
My +1 was a friend who recently became a Unilocaler, so this was his first Unilocal event, and an Elite event at that! We met there, and after he aided me to the parking entrance after he watched me drive past the place, it was time we made our presence and experienced all that was denim and Asian. I managed to dig-​up an old denim long-​sleeve GAP shirt and tan denim Levi’s 550 shorts at my parent’s house from my early college years to represent. Boy, I felt foolish but it was all good. Although it wasn’t mandatory, only about 50% came clad in denim. Needless to say, I warded off any attempts for pictures to save my career and any dignity I had left! With a customary hug from the most bitchen Unilocal Community Manager around, Katie B, my buddy and I grabbed a tall table for two right across from the bar (read into that what you will). Here was how the afternoon went:
Unilocal swag — Some cool stuff included decks of cards, shotglasses, sunglasses, and knee-​high socks (I will rock these at the next Unilocal event)!

Kirin Ichiban Frozen Beer — I won’t lie to you, I was more excited about trying this than the food. I mean, come on, it looked like a Slurpee (well, kind of anyway) and a root beer float — both of which I loved! Basically, you had a glass of Kirin and with the use of a margarita mixer machine, the top was dolloped with some fantastically frozen «biru» (beer). I was tempted to ask for a cherry to finish it off! After the first drink with my first plate of food, I warmed-​up to it and had a second with my next plate of food. Now, I was grooving to it. As I waited for my +1 who was washing his hands, one of the waitstaff asked if I wanted another, and before I replied he placed another one in front of me! «Uh, okay, if you insist!» Yes, we tipped the bar handsomely ($ 10.00 total).
Various appetizers (plate #1) — I wasn’t fully paying attention to what many of the food items were so forgive me for these items not being correctly identified. I started with a couple sushi roll pieces, BBQ squid, BBQ chicken, beef skewers, a peach treat, and some lettuce — all of which was amazing! The highlight for me was the squid, and if I had the whole platter to myself I would’ve been one happy Flip.
Various appetizers (plate #2) — To be fair so everyone had at least one plate of food, my friend and I hung back a bit before we dove in for seconds. I pretty much had the same with: squid, sushi roll pieces, Korean spareribs, some melt-​in-​your-​mouth beef, and some lettuce.
Service — It was impeccable. The two gentlemen bartenders were gracious, talkative, and kept the drinks flowing. The waitstaff continuously filled the staging food table with yummy goodness and they also made their way around the dining area with plates of tasty bits. Two fine-​looking women introduced themselves as Sarah and Cindy (I hoped I got those names right), who helped put this incredible event together with Katie B. also made the rounds and talked-​up the restaurant and what it had to offer such as upcoming events at this and sister locations. Frankly, I listened to what they had to say but I was more taken by beauty. Hey, I’m a single guy and yes, sometimes that’s all it took with me.
Parking — Plenty of underground parking, and for this particular event the rate was $ 5.00 for three hours of self-​parking. My +1 was a member of a nearby 24-​Hour Fitness which gave 2-​hour free validation, so we hit that up instead. I ended-​up with a $ 1.25 charge (machine took AMEX!).
Overall, the Elite Event: Denim Derby was a rip-​roaring success in due part to our fearless Katie B., and I was relieved to get out of my costume once I got home. Maybe I’ll walk down to Sunset Blvd. and sell my denim to the highest bidder! As with all Unilocal Elite Events, I found total value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (total expenses was around $ 11.00), and it’s always a pleasure to meet other Elitists, like Kat T. I planned to return in the near future for the full experience. The atmosphere, décor, and ambience (outdoor patio only) was simple with many tables, chairs, booths, and a separated section towards the back. I didn’t notice any decorations nor TVs. The event’s attire was denim casual, so I was in a denim shirt, jhorts, and flip-​flops. And although it wasn’t necessary, the restaurant accepted my credit card of choice… AMEX!

What a great way to start a Sunday!
I love the idea of going to downtown for happy hour, but I always dread the parking and traffic. but Summer Beer Garden BBQ at Chaya is brilliant!
Because it’s a Sunday, there are no parking issues and no traffic. I’M THERE. The ambiance is fun, décor is adorable, and staff is amazing. not to mention the food!
The food was served non-​stop and if you are standing in line, the servers would offer you the fresh skewers knowing that you are waiting for food. Loved it.
The bf and I really enjoyed the beef skewers, chicken skewers, squid, and the icy beer. But really — all the food was quite tasty.
Thank you Katie and the staff at Chaya! Also, thank you Cindy and Sarah –Chaya Marketing. Will def be back for them summer afternoons.
ALSOOOO $ 55 all you can eat and drink at 30^th Chaya Summer Festival on July 28^th!!! (8741 Alden Dr, LA 90 048) See you guys there.

Awesome event in the heart of downtown. Chaya Downtown is always one of my favorite location for lunch, because it is guarantee that they have quality food and service.
I was glad that I arrived early and got a table in the beer garden. The friendly staff immediately started us off with a nice refreshing Kirin Ichiban beer and brought us lots of food. My favorite is definitely the Albacore and the Beef cubes.
Another successful event by our lovely Katie B. Can’t wait for the upcoming events during the summer months!