by erin thursby scopes1925@msn.com
The inviting warm browns, exposed wooden beams and brickwork off set by white table cloths and cream colored hanging lamps lend Crush an air of simple elegance that the French have perfected so well. Behind the bar, the art nouveau “Chat Noir” or black cat of popular French vintage posters stares down charmingly from an expanded print. Deeper into the restaurant is a large archway revealing the hustle and shine of a well run kitchen. Lighting is just dimmed enough to be cozy and romantic, making me wish I could have brought my husband along.
It’s no surprise that Crush has such a balanced wine list. Before Crush was renovated by its owners into a restaurant, it was a wine shop. Each wine has been lovingly tested against the dishes on the menu. Let your server be your guide if you are unsure. If you are a wine aficionado and want to bring friends simply for a few bottles of wine and cheese, be sure and ask for the cheese menu. The selection of cheeses change from week to week but generally there is one of each from a goat, cow or sheep.
The seasonal menu is only one long page but it all sounds so delectable that selecting just one of each course is difficult. Each selection is titled in French and then described in English. The food that chef Jeffery Forrest sets before his patrons tastes as sexy as it sounds in French. My server, Chris, spoke of food and “flavor profiles” with the passion of a poet. He lingered on a description of the steak tartare appetizer, speaking of shallots folded into the meat and flavored with a touch of spicy heat, but when he mentioned the special Peruvian yellow peppers used to flavor the Ceviche Peruvien, that is what I ordered. This appetizer or petits plat features a mix of squid shrimps and bay scallops, served cold in a nest of scallop shells that did not just look beautiful, it tasted beautiful too. The spicy, citrusy liquid poured over the mix tenderized the seafood beyond pleasure.
I tasted two of the enchanting salad selections: the tarte de fromage chévre and the salade du crush. The tarte de fromage chévre was the richer of the two, a shaped round of soft goat cheese anchored on cooked potato slices, topped with beets and bread crumbs atop a bed of spring greens and baby spinach. The tasty combination sounds strange but it works quite well. I thoroughly reveled in this rich and dreamy dish and I am generally no fan of beets. The salade du crush is a deliciously unpretentious plate of organic salad greens and halved cherry tomatoes, joined by freshly sliced parmaigiano-reggiano and red onions, all lightly doused with lemon-truffle vinaigrette.
Choosing a main course was even more difficult than choosing an appetizer. I settled on the filet de boeuf au vin because it had been a long time since I’d had a good steak and I hoped the main course would live up to the salads and appetizers. I was not disappointed. The red wine sauce and herbs used to season the filet did not overpower but instead showcased the lush taste of the tender meat itself.
Then came the choice of dessert. I nearly ordered the crème brulee, a favorite of mine which is classically French, but I wanted to try something different. I learned from my server that the fondant chocolate is the most popular dessert choice. The apple tart sounded tantalizing but, in the end, I opted for the gateau de poire au beurre noisette. Perhaps it was the large print directly in front of me depicting a rotund chef sautéing pears that influenced me, or the fact that pears are a traditional dish for the winter/fall season. It is quite easily the best pear dessert I’ve ever tasted. A halved roasted pear, served with a brown butter pear cake in a vanilla butter port reduction and topped with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream is perfection. Pastry chef Dominque Troiano is to be lauded for this piece of dessert divinity.
My experience ended with a sigh of regret mingled with the anticipation of meals yet to come. Food is a passion and art at Crush—and it shows.
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
