Thursday Restaurant Review - Cru
Woohoo!!!! Blaine finally has some upscale dining!!! We were excited when T-Box opened but we are beyond thrilled with the opening of Cru!! So much goodness so close to home - fabulous!
Greg and I went to Cru for dinner Tuesday night and, while we had read a few online reviews, we really didn't know what to expect. The cuisine is French Mediterranean and the while the menu is relatively small there is plenty of variety. There are small plates, and entrees, soups, sides, cheeses and a raw bar featuring oysters that are flown in daily. There was even a three course tasting menu for $19 and a wine flight for $16. Because the restaurant uses fresh, seasonal items and makes everything from scratch, the menu changes frequently. The service was attentive and friendly and amazingly well coordinated for a place that has only been open a week. A basket of wonderful freshly baked bread and seasoned almonds were brought out with our water. They were an enjoyable start for what would end up being an incredible meal!
Greg went with the Tasting Menu
First Course: Pork & Apricot Terrine layered with field greens, candied tomato, pontiac onion, and hazelnuts
Second Course: Pan Roasted Duck serviced on a roasted endive and drizzled with a tart cherry catsup.
Third Course: Sebastian Joe's Ice Cream, assorted flavors (Greg picked a scoop of Grand Marnier and one of Dolce de Leche). The ice cream came with a couple of sweet biscuits tucked into the edges of the bowl.
Greg thought the duck was probably the best duck he had ever had and that it was perfectly enhanced with the endive and the tart cherry catsup. I tried a bit of this course and have to agree that every element was perfect. And for those of us in Minnesota, Sebastian Joe's is synonymous with incredibly good ice cream in a vast array of flavors. It's always a hit with us!
I went with a starter of Lobster Bisque. The large chunks of perfectly cooked lobster were apparently stirred in right before serving as with my first bite it had still not taken on all the heat of the soup. However, by my second bite it was perfect. This was such a rich and lovely soup and I hope it's a regular feature on the menu!
I followed my soup with an entree of Snapper over risotto with rock shrimp and shell peas with pea tendrills sprinkled on top of the fish. The fish was seared with its skin so the crispness paired perfectly with the creaminess of the risotto. The dish was light and fresh and yet incredibly filling. I would highly recommend it!
The wine suggestion of Gruner Veltliner, Berger Austria 2008 was a perfect compliment to my soup and entree.
For dessert I had the strawberry rhubarb buckle which was topped with a citrus chevre and served with a scoop of the Grand Marnier ice cream. The tartness of the rhubarb with the tartness of the goat cheese was an incredible discovery for my taste buds! I never would have thought to put these ingredients together but Greg and I agree that this may be the best dessert we have ever had.
There were so many items on the menu that we still have to try so we will be back and hopefully our return will happen in the near future!
Greg and I went to Cru for dinner Tuesday night and, while we had read a few online reviews, we really didn't know what to expect. The cuisine is French Mediterranean and the while the menu is relatively small there is plenty of variety. There are small plates, and entrees, soups, sides, cheeses and a raw bar featuring oysters that are flown in daily. There was even a three course tasting menu for $19 and a wine flight for $16. Because the restaurant uses fresh, seasonal items and makes everything from scratch, the menu changes frequently. The service was attentive and friendly and amazingly well coordinated for a place that has only been open a week. A basket of wonderful freshly baked bread and seasoned almonds were brought out with our water. They were an enjoyable start for what would end up being an incredible meal!
Greg went with the Tasting Menu
First Course: Pork & Apricot Terrine layered with field greens, candied tomato, pontiac onion, and hazelnuts
Second Course: Pan Roasted Duck serviced on a roasted endive and drizzled with a tart cherry catsup.
Third Course: Sebastian Joe's Ice Cream, assorted flavors (Greg picked a scoop of Grand Marnier and one of Dolce de Leche). The ice cream came with a couple of sweet biscuits tucked into the edges of the bowl.
Greg thought the duck was probably the best duck he had ever had and that it was perfectly enhanced with the endive and the tart cherry catsup. I tried a bit of this course and have to agree that every element was perfect. And for those of us in Minnesota, Sebastian Joe's is synonymous with incredibly good ice cream in a vast array of flavors. It's always a hit with us!
I went with a starter of Lobster Bisque. The large chunks of perfectly cooked lobster were apparently stirred in right before serving as with my first bite it had still not taken on all the heat of the soup. However, by my second bite it was perfect. This was such a rich and lovely soup and I hope it's a regular feature on the menu!
I followed my soup with an entree of Snapper over risotto with rock shrimp and shell peas with pea tendrills sprinkled on top of the fish. The fish was seared with its skin so the crispness paired perfectly with the creaminess of the risotto. The dish was light and fresh and yet incredibly filling. I would highly recommend it!
The wine suggestion of Gruner Veltliner, Berger Austria 2008 was a perfect compliment to my soup and entree.
For dessert I had the strawberry rhubarb buckle which was topped with a citrus chevre and served with a scoop of the Grand Marnier ice cream. The tartness of the rhubarb with the tartness of the goat cheese was an incredible discovery for my taste buds! I never would have thought to put these ingredients together but Greg and I agree that this may be the best dessert we have ever had.
There were so many items on the menu that we still have to try so we will be back and hopefully our return will happen in the near future!
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