Dine Out Vancouver is back! Starting tomorrow and running until February 1, 2009, you’ll be able to sample over 180 of Vancouver finest restaurants with three course menus ranging from $18 to $38 per person. Dine Out Vancouver is a great opportunity to sample some restaurants that you normally wouldn’t try because their prices are too high. Reservations are highly recommended as most of the popular Dine Out spots sell out really quickly.
Last night, Sarah and I got a preview of the Dine Out Vancouver menu from CRU Restaurant. CRU is a small bistro at 1459 West Broadway. They serve west coast cuisine and is a great place to take a date. The lighting is low and there are candles at every table to add to the romance. Those who were following me on Twitter knew that our candle blew out shortly after we sat down. Fortunately, that was not a sign of things to come as the waiter quickly replaced the candle with new one and then proceeded to show us the dishes CRU created for Dine Out Vancouver.
Sweet Potato Soup
Sweet Potato Soup made with sage infused brown butter and toasted almonds. CRU must have used some really sweet potato because this was one for the sweetest soups I’ve ever tasted. It looked really rich but was quite light and made for a good starter.
Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio
This dish is quite similar to the marinated butter beef from Phnom Penh but it doesn’t look as scary. The carpaccio was made from truffle aioli, shaved parmesan and caperberries. The beef was sliced so thin that you could almost see through it. The best way to enjoy it is to make sure you have a bit of every ingredients on your fork. They were designed to work together to create a really nice taste sensation.
Mushroom and Truffle Risotto
This is a very rich dish. The risotto was made with pea tendrils and parmesan cheese. The seared Quebec Foie Gras isn’t part of the dish but I guess the chef knew how much I like Foie Gras. Sarah’s reaction was, “How many gallstones is that Foei Gras worth?” However many it is, I say it’s worth it! 😀
Rare Seared Local Albacore Tuna
Rare Seared Local Albacore Tuna with olive oil crushed yukon golds, braised fennel and oven dried tomatoes. This dish was awesome! Easily one best Albacore tuna I’ve tasted.
Comte Montagne Cheese From France
The cheese is not part of the Dine Out Vancouver menu but CRU does offer a nice selection of cheeses from BC, Quebec and France. It may be worth adding to your three course Dine Out menu if you have any room left in your tummy.
Grand CRU Chocolate Torte
Dinner ended with a chocolate torte topped with a peanut butter mouse and raspberry coulis. It was very sweet and I’m sure had a ton of calories. But as long as you don’t eat this everyday, you should be fine.
Overall, I highly recommend CRU Restaurant as one of the stops for your Dine Out Vancouver adventure. However, if you haven’t made a reservation by now, chances are you’re not getting table. This restaurant is extremely popular during Dine Out time.
