Smile Politely

NAYA is a splendid place for a date night

Alyssa Buckley

The other day, all my husband wanted was NAYA’s Korean fried chicken sandwich. Sometimes, we do curbside pickup from NAYA, but because we had an occasion to celebrate, we dressed up and went in to enjoy a date night at the Asian gastropub.

An overhead photo shows a light wooden table with two wine glasses filled with sangria, a rectangular plate of fried dumplings with a little dipping sauce full of sesame seeds, and a bowl of fries covered in Parmesan cheese. Photo by Alyssa Buckley.Photo by Alyssa Buckley.

We ordered appetizers and a pitcher of sangria to start. The sangria was only $17 for four drinks, and it was a great sangria at that. The sangria was sweet and fruity without tasting boozy.

An overhead photo shows a rectangular brown plate with six fried dumplings. On the right, there is a small, miniature wok filled with a brown sauce and lots of sesame seeds. Photo by Alyssa Buckley.Photo by Alyssa Buckley.

We tried the fried dumplings, and they were piping hot and so tasty. The dumplings were filled with pork and leeks and served with a sweet chili sauce. That sauce was adorable in the tiny wok, and the sauce was so good we also dipped our fries in it.

An overhead photo shows a gray bowl filled with skinny fries covered in Parmesan grated cheese with two little cups of sauce: one red and one white. Photo by Alyssa Buckley.Photo by Alyssa Buckley.

Crunch fries and sushi was my favorite combination when Miga was still open (RIP Miga), but fried dumplings and truffle fries slap just as hard. The Parmesan truffle fries ($8) were served with sweet chili ketchup and Japanese mayo. I couldn’t get enough of the truffle flavor on the salty fries; it was so fantastic, especially with a big sprinkle of Parmesan.

On a light wooden table, there is a gray plate with a big side of skinny fries beside a saucy Korean fried chicken sandwich on a sesame bun. Photo by Alyssa Buckley.Photo by Alyssa Buckley.

My husband got exactly what he came for: the Korean fried chicken sandwich with fries ($13). On a soft sesame bun, a huge piece of fried chicken was tossed in a sweet and spicy Korean sauce and topped with lettuce, onion, and Japanese mayo. I stole a bite, and it was incredible: hot in temperature and in spice. The sauce on the chicken was sweet with a light spiciness that bite after bite didn’t become overwhelming. The sandwich was deliciously saucy, and the fries were on point.

An overhead photo shows a gray bowl with the center full of a bolognese pasta with a big outer rim on the plate. Photo by Alyssa Buckley.Photo by Alyssa Buckley.

I ordered the fettucine bolognese ($18). I’ve had this pasta dish for takeout, and it carries out really well, but eating it in the restaurant on their pretty plate was just splendid. The sauce had ground pork, beef, and pancetta that were slow cooked in a tomato sauce tossed with pasta and topped with grated Parmesan. It was a marvelous dish with a big meaty flavor; there were more meaty crumbles than tomatoes, and I was so into it. 

On a wooden table, there is a dessert with apples, bread, and a big scoop of a cream topping. Photo by Alyssa Buckley.Photo by Alyssa Buckley.

Lastly, we ended our date night with NAYA’s seasonal dessert: cider apple bread pudding. This fall treat had cronut (croissant plus donut) chunks with apple slices that were baked and then grilled to a char. The bread pudding was awesome, and the whipped nutmeg mascarpone topping was next level good. It was totally sharable between the two of us, and you should definitely save room for whatever the seasonal dessert is.

NAYA continues to be a great date night destination, and if you and your date haven’t been out in awhile, check out the menu here. Book your reservation online or put in an order for curbside pick up.

NAYA
212 E Green St
Champaign
T-Sa 5 to 9:30 p.m.

Top image by Alyssa Buckley.

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