Cuisine:

• Asian
• Fusion

Chakra Description:
Dark wood and red hues proliferate, and silk lanterns cast a colorful glow at this fashionable Pan-Asian boîte in downtown Manhattan Beach. The massive menu includes fluffy madras pancakes filled with ground beef, egg and scallions. The dumpling trilogy is less successful: three preparations of artistically plated but bland dumplings. Slow-roasted pork is glazed with a sugary blend of mint and lemon grass chutney and paired with fried plantains; the meat is fork-tender, but too sweet. Redemption comes in the form of Phuket Island chicken, a juicy spice-rubbed half-bird, served with pineapple-cashew fried rice. There's even a section of the menu devoted to rarely-seen Indonesian cuisine. To drink, Chakra has a full bar and inventive cocktails like the pomegranate-infused Chakratini, made with fresh blood orange juice. For dessert, bypass the ubiquitous chocolate cake and select the theatrical flaming rum cheesecake or the more Asian-inspired black rice pudding. If you plan on hitting Chakra on the weekends, arrive early. Fridays and Saturdays are especially hot, with a DJ and pulsing bar scene.


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