Kaya is an island escape here in Pittsburgh

Smallman Street in the Strip District is filled with big, big places. Big open-air farmers… Smallman Street in the Strip District is filled with big, big places. Big open-air farmers markets and big, flashy dance clubs and bars litter the big (it really is wide) street. Kaya, a little sliver of a restaurant, seems a bit out of place sitting on the corner of Smallman and 20th streets. Luckily, what Kaya lacks in size it more than makes up for in flavor, making this thin island-themed joint worth the trip to the Strip. My date and I arrived just before 6 p.m. on Saturday, so the crowd was still more happy hour than dinner time. The restaurant space was narrow, and the drinkers standing around the bar made for a cluttered, anxious feeling when attempting to sit for a relaxing dinner. Kaya immediately appears to be a hot spot for 30-something business-types, and, apparently, they come out en masse for weekend cocktails. Nonetheless, cramped quarters were about the only thing holding a meal at Kaya back from being a full-on great experience. The restaurant’s decor takes diners far away from the winter grays in Pittsburgh as the dining room is full of bright blues and oranges, thanks to the great, exotic lighting. The walls are decorated with tribal masks and statues ‘mdash; a bit more of an African feel than Kaya’s supposed island theme, but it’s hard to hate when the place looks so good. Our waiter gave an overwrought explanation of the menu (Oh, so this section called ‘Red Wines’ is where I’ll find red wine. Thanks for clearing that up), but, really, words couldn’t do the food much justice ‘mdash; Kaya’s food is just as gorgeous as the restaurant itself, with tons of texture and color. Kaya’s drink menu is extensive, if not a bit overpriced (some cocktails costing double digits), and the spot earns extra points for a good selection of micro-brews. We started our meal with Yucatan bean dip ($7) and chips made in-house. The dip was thick, with a ground beef consistency, and it was a great complement to the lightly seasoned and mostly crisp chips. Aside from the few soggy or overcooked chips in the bunch, the appetizer could’ve been a solid meal on its own. Our entrees arrived after a short wait, but my date and I had a hard time eating ‘mdash; both dishes simply looked too good to disturb. My adobo marinated flank steak ($24) came with braised collard greens, pan-seared portabellas and smashed potatoes, but the entire meal looked like one unified dish, not a steak with a few sides. The thinly sliced meat rested atop the potatoes and cascaded across the plate, the mushrooms just barely peaked out between the slices, and a small ball of tangy pepper and onion relish crowned the whole thing. While the steak was a bit tough, the spicy crust along the edge of each long, thin slice kept each bite enjoyable. Still, it was the rest of the dish that was supreme ‘mdash; the potatoes were thick and wildly creamy, altogether more of a delicious paste than traditional mashed potatoes. The greens were extremely rich and soaked in a tangy gravy ‘mdash; I only wished there was a bit less steak and a bit more of everything else. My date ordered tempura-battered chili relleno, a vegetarian dish that included hominy and crimini mushroom stuffing cased in a light, flaky breading. The crust was too greasy ‘mdash; think fried carnival food ‘mdash; but the vegetable concoction inside melded the flavors perfectly for a creamy, filling dish. We decided on the ice cream sampler for dessert ($6.50) and chose watermelon sorbet, caramel dulce and chipotle ice creams. That last selection proved the best ‘mdash; who knew ice cream could be spicy? The small ball included tiny shredded pepper pieces and tasted both rich and refreshing with a smoky, chipotle aftertaste. I’ll never go vanilla again.