Rate-A-Restaurant, #107 in a series

Restaurant: M Cafe de Chaya

Location: 7119 Melrose Avenue (Melrose)

Type of restaurant: "Contemporary Macrobiotic Cuisine"

We stipulated: Healthy menu? OK, I'm intrigued. Ahi sandwich? OK, I'm in.

They stipulated: Be willing to look past that daunting "contemporary macrobiotic cuisine" label and just think of it as a great lunch spot.



What we ordered: Grilled Tuna Burger: glazed with teriyaki sauce and garnished with sliced avocado, umeboshi-pickled red onions, daikon sprouts, spicy yuzu mayo and fresh shiso leaf served on a house-baked whole wheat bun ($13.75); Spicy Tuna Roll: chopped tuna, seven-spiced soy mayo, cucumber & avocado (two each for $2); Carafe of M Café Ice Tea: iced minty green tea ($2.75)

High point: Healthy? Who cares. The food at M Cafe de Chaya is simply delicious; the fact that it's also relatively healthy is icing on the cake. The Tuna burger is one of the best I've ever had (the only one that rivals it is the one at Breadbar); I've gone back time and time again for it. The spicy yuzu mayo perfectly compliments the hint of teriyaki in the burger; mmm.

Low point: Desserts are not M Cafe de Chaya's strong point. I've tried a few in my several visits, and none quite taste as good as they look. Meanwhile, the other low points include the parking crunch (there are only a handful of spots in the back) and the table crunch (you'll be waiting for a table -- and sometimes, waiting a while. You'll have to hover around patrons who appear ready to leave; don't blink, or you'll be eating while standing).

Overall impression: A casual member of the Chaya restaurant family, M Cafe de Chaya blends California food sensibilities with the kind of quick-serve gourmet eatery (think Dean and Deluca) that you'd find in New York. I'm a huge fan of this place.

Chance we will go back: Absolutely -- I can taste that ahi burger as we speak!

(For a full roster of Franklin Avenue's restaurant reviews, check out our companion Rate-A-Restaurant site.)