Cru special events

[Jeffy Boy]

I was lucky enough to attend one of Cru's recent special events, and figured I would start a new thread for discussion on any future Cru events.

Sunday Feb 27th was their Sparking Wine Dinner, and lemon curd and I were in attendance along with Mrs and Mr Mooshmouse, and two of their friends. First off, I'm not generally a big fan of sparkling wines. I'm wondering though if my problem is simply that I haven't been drinking enough of it at one sitting.

The afternoon started with some introductions to the event and the basics of sparkling wines by sommelier Mark Taylor. His team then went about the task of pouring six wines (in two flights of three) that we would be tasting before dinner. These were very generous "tastes", something just shy of a glass each.

In order, we tasted:

1. Cava, "Cuvee Raventos", Codorniu

2. Moscata d"Asti, 2003, Batasiolo

3. Steller's Jay Brut, 2001, Sumac Ridge Winery

4, Champagne, Brut select "Cordon Bleu", de Venoge

5. Champagne, Premier Cru, J. Lassalle

6. Champagne, Brut Rose, Nicolas Feuillatte

Our table had surprisingly similar tastes, and #2 was a big hit, as it's quite sweet and gentle. Mark was very enthusiastic about #5. Funny thing was we generally liked it the least! My personal favourites were #3 and #6.

With (for me) a decade's worth of champagne consumed, on to dinner (and of course more sparkling wine)! Four courses:

Ahi Tuna Loin with diakon, peppers and cucumber, mirin soy dressing. This was paired with more of the Codorniu Cuvee Raventos (#1). This dish was wonderful. The tuna was so fresh, and worked well with everything on the plate.

Oysters Rockefeller paired with more Steller's Jay Brut (#3). These were great - light and frothy. We got three, I could easily have eaten a dozen.

Pan-seared Sablefish with lobster and scallop ravioli, and lobster broth. Paired with Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne. Exquisite! The sablefish was delicate and buttery, the ravioli a great mix of flavours, and that lobster broth!

For dessert, a Vanilla Pannacotta and Poached Pear with prosecco sabayon. Not surprising it paired well with the Mionetto Prosecco di Valdobbiandene. This was very nice.

In all, it was a great event - outstanding food, good wine and good company. Only complaint is that many of us left a bit hungry! The dishes were all quite light, which is what made them great accompaniments with the sparkling wines. Somehow they should have inserted some carbs. We were all craving carbs!! Anyhow, we solved that by heading to Fiction for another drink and a few dishes to share: Yam frites, duck confit and a cheese plate. All very good, and just what we needed. And I think I got Mr Mooshmouse hooked on Laphroaig in the process.

[Mooshmouse]

After thoroughly enjoying ourselves at January's Syrah/Shiraz event, we quickly jumped on the bandwagon for this month's Sparkling Wine tasting and dinner. Admittedly, all the men declared "meh" on champagne and sparkling wine in general; clearly, they were in it for the food. I dunnoh... is sparkling wine a chick thing?!

From the blind tasting, my neck-and-neck favourites of the wine flight were the Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Brut Rose (blackcurrant and raspberry) and the De Venoge Champagne, "Cordon Bleu" Brut Select (dry, clean finish, hints of fresh bread and grapefruit, beautifully fragrant). The Batasiolo Moscato d'Asti 2003 (sweet, soft mouthfeel, hints of rose and peach) ran a close second.

Food. When is food at Cru not good, nay great? Since Jeff has already outlined the menu and corresponding pairings, I’ll comment on specific dishes.

Arne, you would’ve been over the moon for the Oysters Rockerfeller; I certainly was. Jeff, I thought I was going to have to hijack the extra oyster that lemon curd added to your plate. I wasn't fond of the Sumac Ridge Estate Steller’s Jay Brut 2001 on its own, yet it tasted much better when paired with the oysters.

Sablefish was, by far, the runaway dish of the evening. The lobster and scallop ravioli offered an excellent complement to the fork-tender fish, but the broth was truly a thing of wonder. Light, fabulously layered flavour. It would’ve been criminal to waste a single drop.

Vanilla Pannacotta was creamy yet astonishingly light. As Jeff called it, the miniature “burnt sugar bomb” garnish was a nice counterpoint, both in texture and flavour.

Kudos to Mark Taylor, Chef Dana Reinhardt and crew for hosting another outstanding evening. I’m already looking forward to the next one!

BTW, thanks for starting this thread Jeff. It’s been ridiculously busy at the Mouse House of late, and I was slow on the draw in posting my comments on this event.

[canucklehead]

I've been wanting to try Cru out - but I am not much of a drinker. Would you recommend Cru to a non-drinker - or would I only be getting a "half" experience?

[Jeffy Boy]

I've been wanting to try Cru out - but I am not much of a drinker.  Would you recommend Cru to a non-drinker - or would I only be getting a "half" experience?

←

No - go for it! The food is the star there, and there are lots of great tastes to experiences. Get a nice bottled water and enjoy.

[Mooshmouse]

What a privilege it was to attend the La Crema Winery Dinner hosted by Mark Taylor and Chef Dana Reinhardt at Cru on Sunday, April 24. It was a special evening celebrating a phenomenal California winery. And we were equally fortunate to have montrachet, Foodie In Vancouver and Nels as our dining companions together with three other wine-enthusiast friends.

Elizabeth Grant-Douglas, Assistant Winemaker at La Crema, was the night's guest speaker. Following a blind tasting of the wine flight outlined below, she guided us through the wines with her personal tasting notes and provided us some insight on the nuances of La Crema's winemaking techniques.

1. 2003 La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
   
2. 2003 La Crema Russian River Chardonnay
   
3. 2003 La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
   
4. 2003 La Crema Russian River Pinot Noir
   
5. La Crema Sonoma Coast Zinfandel
   
6. 2002 La Crema Sonoma County Syrah
   

Of the wines we sampled, my choices for drinking sans food were the Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2003 (green apple and pear; long, creamy finish) and the Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2003 (loads of berry taste... blackberry and raspberry; plush tasting, almost like sinking into a sofa). Ian, who has a wine palate that's diametrically opposed to mine, preferred the Russian River Pinot and the Sonoma County Syrah.

Dinner was exquisite. Chef Reinhardt and her BOH staff truly stood on their collective ear for this meal.

First course: Potted Lobster and Crab with fresh mango salad

Pairing: 2003 La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

An outstanding pairing. The buttery, delicate lobster and crab meat complimented the wine's soft mouthfeel without overwhelming it, and the mango enhanced the round richness of the chardonnay's first fruit notes.

Second course: Duck Confit with lentils and crackling; Foie Gras Torchon with cherry compote

Pairing: 2003 La Crema Russian River Pinot Noir

Good God. Much as I love me my foie gras, the duck confit stole my heart. If Chef Reinhardt decided to package the crackling and sell it as a snack, I'd have a serious cholesterol problem. Elizabeth Grant-Douglas's tasting notes on this pinot noir vintage were cherry cola with hints of rootbeer/sassafras and licorice, flavours which were certainly brought to the forefront by the cherry compote. However, the creaminess of the foie gras and the confit's strong smokiness helped to temper the astringency evident in this 14.5% wine when tasted without food.

Third course: Seared Lamb Loin, preserved lemon demi-glace; Syrah-braised Lamb Shoulder; Grilled Lamb Chop

Pairing: 2002 La Crema Sonoma County Syrah

I have no words to adequately describe the brilliantly executed tastes of this lamb course. IMHO, it was the star of the evening. The lamb loin had a melt-in-your-mouth texture, and the flavour from diced bits of preserved lemon scattered throughout the demi-glace was genius. Sheer genius. And, though not readily apparent in the photo, the shoulder meat was served 'pulled'.

Fourth course: Brown-butter Almond Cake; Cardamom Crème Brûlée; Saint Agur with quince; Optima Syllabub

Pairing: Quails' Gate botrytis-affected Optima 2003

Where to begin? Fourth course, four desserts... Chef Reinhardt's theme for the evening is, by now, readily apparent. If hard-pressed to choose one of the four, it would have to be the cardamom crème brûlée. Burnt sugar top that easily withstood the tap test and cardamom taste that was flavourful, not overpowering. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the cheese. Wow. On any given day, blue cheese wouldn't be my first choice, but the Saint Agur was moist, creamy and relatively mild. I'm a convert.

Clearly, there was no need for an additional food stop after this meal as we were all more than sufficiently sated. The La Crema evening was, indeed, a gastronomic extravaganza. If you love your wine as much as you love your food, I strongly encourage you to reserve a spot at one of Cru's wine-themed dinners whenever you have the opportunity. You certainly won't regret it.

[Ling]

After seeing those pictures and reading your descriptions of the food, I think I'm going to have to save up for a future event.

(But not the one on May 22nd, b/c I already have plans. )

Edited April 29, 2005 by Ling (log)

[Vancouver Lee]

Wow, Moosh, that looks incredible!

[nondual1]

What a privilege it was to attend the La Crema Winery Dinner hosted by Mark Taylor and Chef Dana Reinhardt at Cru on Sunday, April 24.  It was a special evening celebrating a phenomenal California winery. 

←

It looks fabulous!!! Can't wait for the next one (May 22 is it?).

How much does it cost for the whole evening: the tasting, the introduction, dinner and wine? Must be quite expensive to be so wonderful! Please inform. Thanks!

[Mooshmouse]

It looks fabulous!!! Can't wait for the next one (May 22 is it?).

How much does it cost for the whole evening: the tasting, the introduction, dinner and wine? Must be quite expensive to be so wonderful! Please inform. Thanks!

←

The upcoming Cabernet Sauvignon dinner is, indeed, scheduled for Sunday, May 22. If you're interested in attending, I suggest that you call and book your spot posthaste as these events sell out very quickly.

Cru's wine tastings/dinners usually run in the ballpark of $75 per person; this includes tasting of a full wine flight, a four-course meal and wine pairings with each course. Unbelievable, isn't it?! The La Crema Winery Dinner was an extraordinarily special event yet still remarkably reasonable in the food-value department at $85.

[Jeffy Boy]

Wow, Moosh, that looks incredible! 

←

I agree! Those are awesome pictures. I wish I had the discipline to: a) bring a camera, and b) take pictures before starting to eat.

lemon boy are headed to Cru tomorrow night with a couple of Cru-bies (that's Cru newbies) from work. Looking forward to some duck leg confit, amongst other goodies!

[nwyles]

Joie, I am finding your descriptions a little on the thin side. I mean, how did it taste ? Was it yummy ? You are not really painting a clear picture for me ! Was it deeeeeeeeeeeelish ? I always find the term DY - NO - MITE a great descriptor. Please feel free to use it.

[appreciator]

Joie, I am finding your descriptions a little on the thin side. I mean, how did it taste ? Was it yummy ? You are not really painting a clear picture for me ! Was it deeeeeeeeeeeelish ? I always find the term DY - NO - MITE a great descriptor. Please feel free to use it.      

←

Now, now, no need to go getting all sarcastic

[nwyles]

Joie, I am finding your descriptions a little on the thin side. I mean, how did it taste ? Was it yummy ? You are not really painting a clear picture for me ! Was it deeeeeeeeeeeelish ? I always find the term DY - NO - MITE a great descriptor. Please feel free to use it.      

←

Now, now, no need to go getting all sarcastic

←

I'm sorry. My bad. I can't help myself. Help me before I mock again !

Now, please take note. This is neither chatty or fluffy !

[appreciator]

^ oh fluff and chat away (why stop now? )

but be warned.... the egullet "A-" probe may come out at any time.... you'd best beware

And back to Cru.... I checked out their website today and it says that the next wine tasting event is "~Cabernet and friends May 22". Which, we've already established.

However, does anyone have any further details? Whom might the friends be, I wonder...

[BCinBC]

A special event of sorts, N and I went to Cru last night to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary. They weren’t busy so we were seated right away, and after a quick perusal of the menu we started thinking about wines. The eternal question: by the glass or a versatile bottle?

Our server (whose name I didn’t get, which is a shame – it was not Mark) was very helpful with suggestions. Based on my preliminary beaujolais or pinot noir queries, she guided us through some other options including the Quail’s Gate limited release PN (which we tasted a few weeks ago at the winery), the La Crema PN, and the QG family reserve PN (which we didn't get to taste as it was already sold out at the winery). We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try the last one, so we chose it – and with great success. It paired well with all 4 starters and mains. Also, it is at least 10 times better than the limited release, so if you can get your hands on a bottle, I say go for it.

Food-wise, we went with the prix fixe, with a few slight changes.

Starters

Heirloom tomato salad with lemon cucumber

This was actually a special last night, but they graciously subbed it into N’s meal. Purple and yellow heirlooms with the lemon cucumber, over basil “pesto” and feta. The purple tomato was the best, very smoky in flavour.

Tomato gazpacho

Soup of the day, laced with a bit of cayenne for kick, a balsamic reduction, and some basil chiffonade. It was very flavourful, I liked the cayenne, but it was also a bit like eating a bowl of salsa. I don’t know if there is a way around this with tomato gazpacho, except maybe blending smoother? I’m not knocking this particular bowl, just wondering in a general gazpacho sense. Great crusty bread accompanied.

Mains

Baked Gnocchi with fresh peas, tarragon, mornay sauce and ermite cheese

Each gnocchi was like a fat fluffy pillow covered with rich cheesy goodness. I am not sure if this is the way gnocchi should be (light and fluffy, as opposed to the denser versions I’m more used to), but the one N spared me was certainly one of the best I’ve had. As mentioned, the sauce was rich and thick. Served with a pea shoot salad on top.

Herb-crusted New Zealand Lamb Loin with a tomato-feta-basil tart and haricot vert

I had the lamb, cooked MR, with a great complement of herbs (mint being prominent). Very light on the lamb taste, and tender – as you might expect with a tenderloin – but served atop a thick red wine pan jus to fill out the flavours. The tart was excellent as well, very rich with cheese but also cut nicely with cherry tomatoes.

Desserts

I asked Mark beforehand to ask the kitchen to do a “special” dessert, something with chocolate and berries, and we were pleasantly surprised with individual chocolate soufflés served with sour cherries and a cherry sauce. I was a chocolate soufflé virgin, and after the first bite I thought, “Definitely light and airy, perhaps too subtle in flavour?” However, after the last bite I was left wanting more. The sour cherry accompaniment was perfect. Just thinking about it now I’ve got a craving on. A small surcharge for the request was totally worth it.

Cru seems to have no problem switching from casual to fine dining or anywhere in between, depending on each individual customer. The staff is excellent – friendly and helpful, and I am equally impressed with the kitchen. Thanks for an excellent evening.

[merlin]

BC in BC:

First of all congrats on the anniversary.

Agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of Cru and their ability to read their clientele.

We have only been the one time last year when on a quick visit to Vancouver. We took friends from North Van who were equally enthusiastic about their experience.

I wonder if your server was Marnie. We got to know her over at Victoria's Brasserie l'Ecole before she moved to Vancouver and began working at Cru. Top notch server and more to the point, person. Knows her food and wine "to boot".

[BCinBC]

Thanks Merlin.

It may have been Marnie; unfortunately I have never darkened the door of Brasserie L'Ecole in Vic (not for lack of desire), so I don't know what she looks like. However, our server had brown hair, touching shoulder length, she was friendly as hell and knew her stuff on wine. I guess hell isn't that friendly, but you get the picture.

Someone mentioned in another thread how much more they enjoyed their meal with top-notch service. Was it Chocoholic? Anyway, I completely agree. I still smile over outstanding servers at Cru, Fiction, Lumiere (bar) and of course Vij's. Plus winning wine recommendations rule!

[Mooshmouse]

Though still reeling somewhat from a stint at Cornucopia, Mark Taylor went spelunking into the depths of his wine cellar and pulled out some fantastic wines for Cru's "Autumn Reds" dinner that was held on Sunday, November 13. Joining us at our table with their tastebuds all a-tingle were Mr. and Mrs. Vancouver Lee, *Deborah* and Mr. and Mrs. BCinBC.

We started off with a blind tasting of the first three wines, followed by some enlightening tidbits from Mark on food and wine pairings before we tasted the final four:

1. Bodegas Castano 2003 Monastrell Hecula - Yecia, Spain
   
2. Cru 2003 Restaurant Red - South Okanagan, BC
   
3. Concannon 2003 Petite Sirah - Central Coast, CA
   
4. St. Francis 1997 Merlot, Nunns Canyon Vineyard - Sonoma, CA
   
5. Le Macchiole 1998 Paleo Rosso Toscana - Bolgheri, Italy
   
6. Black Hills 2003 Nota Bene - South Okanagan, BC
   
7. Mission Hill 2002 Oculus - Okanagan, BC
   

Mark Taylor has been working with Township 7 to produce their house red, and the success of his efforts was certainly proven when nearly 100% of those attending the dinner chose it as their favourite of the first three wines, myself included. Perhaps my palate is more attuned to BC grapes, but I selected the Nota Bene as my favourite of the second four wines. And colour me ignorant, but I must be one of a handful of people in Vancouver who actually doesn’t enjoy the Oculus. Neither Ian nor I liked it when we tasted it at Mission Hill this past summer, and we’re still not big fans of it now.

From that, we readied our stomachs for an outstanding dinner. With Chef Dana Reinhardt out of town, Chef Guy Leggett took the helm and certainly did not disappoint.

Let me digress for a moment to say that Cru makes some of the best bread in town: perfect crust giving way to a soft, spongy interior. When plates of warm bread and butter were brought to our table, a minor feeding frenzy ensued, leaving nothing but crumbs in its wake. Warm buttered bread. That's gotta be one of life's divine simple pleasures.

Smoked Albacore Tuna Carpaccio

Served with beets, baby beet greens, crispy shallots, truffle vinaigrette

Wine Pairing: Marchesi de Frescobaldi 2003 Chianti D.O.C.G. - Tuscany

Chef Guy didn't waste any time by starting off with what our table deemed the evening's winning dish. Smoked tuna is one of my favourite things on the planet, but this dish far exceeded my expectations. The earthy sweetness of the beets was a perfect counterpoint for the tuna's delicate smoked flavour. And we were all pleasantly surprised with the Chianti pairing for this dish, an unexpectedly successful match.

Chicken, Foie Gras and Mushroom Ravioli with caramelized onion broth

Wine Pairing: Township 7 2002 Merlot - Okanagan, BC

The broth, essentially a reduced french onion soup, was wonderfully sweet and offered a nice flavour balance to the subtle tastes in the ravioli. As for the Township 7 Merlot, let's just say that I'm rather partial to this wine. It's the first varietal from this winery that I'd ever tasted, and I immediately took a liking to its velvety softness.

Braised Beef Brisket

Served with butternut squash spätzle, savoy cabbage and lardons

Darighe 2000 Cabernet-Merlot "Proprietor's Blend" - Washington State

What a dish. After a 16-hour braise (yes, that's right, 16 hours), the beef was exquisitely tender. Mr. and Mrs. Vancouver Lee and I had been fortunate enough to sample the butternut spätzle a few weeks prior; it was still absolutely delicious if somewhat overpowered by the braising jus. The Darighe Proprietor's Blend was another wonderful wine. My rather sketchy tasting notes showed a bit of tobacco on my initial sniff with big blackberry/blackcurrant flavours.

Bleu Benedictin - L'Abbaye St. Benoit, Quebec

Served with Seville Orange marmalade and toasted pecans

Wine Pairing: Taylor Fladgate 10-year-old Tawny Port

This was a king-sized piece of blue cheese; I managed to work my way through about 2/3 of it. Never would have thought of orange marmalade as an effective compliment for blue cheese, but it's a great match.

Steamed Date Pudding

Served with red-wine caramel, apple compote and vanilla ice cream

Wine Pairing: Smith Woodhouse 1994 Late-bottled Vintage Port

Excellent. Beautifully moist, not too heavy, not cloyingly sweet. A lovely way to round out another phenomenal tasting dinner at Cru.

Edited to rectify a minor bit of redundancy.

Edited November 21, 2005 by Mooshmouse (log)

[Ling]

^Everything looks delicious, particularly the tuna and beet dish! The Benedictin blue cheese is one of my favourites.

[merlin]

Thanks for the review and photos.

I don't know what I miss more....a great meal at Cru or a visit to the Abbey at St. Benoit du Lac with the scenic beauty of the Eastern Townships even at this time of year ...their sparking cider and chocolate covered blueberries from "bleuet" country up in the Lac Saint Jean region are pretty fine as well...

[BCinBC]

This meal was indescribable. As wonderful as Moosh's pix are, the one of the tuna carpaccio really does not do it justice. No photo would. It was one of those instances where, not only was the dish itself above and beyond the sum of its parts, but when paired with the Chianti, both the dish and the wine took off to a different level. This is quite a lot of hype for one dish I know, but truly it was one of the best things I've eaten all year.

The steamed date pudding was also a standout (amongst a meal of outstanding dishes). And the braised beef - the Mrs ("NCinBC") very very rarely eats red meat, and when she does it is in tiny quantities (ie as a component of another dish). But she thoroughly enjoyed that dish as well.

As for the wines, I don't know if it's a good or bad thing but I think my palate is totally skewed to BCs as well. My favourites too were the Cru / Township blend, and the Nota Bene - though the Oculus did grew on me after a few sips. Once I got past the soapy nose, I thought it had a nice feel, softer than what one might expect from a merlot/cab blend. I have a 98 or 99? St Francis in the "cellar" that I should probably open soon. Maybe for Xmas, with a nice hearty mushroom risotto... Anyway, one thing I did learn was that I have no skill for guessing grape varietals. Obviously more practice required.

[Dumpling Girl]

Thanks all for your reports and pics. I'm looking forward to my first visit to Cru next week!

[eatbc]

Hello Dumpling Girl, and as they say in Rome, welcome to the Forum.

Look forward to welcoming you to Cru, as well.

You can try that Smoked Albacore Tuna with truffle vinaigrette and crispy shallots, (pictured above) as we've recently included it on our regular small plates menu.

Joie, thanks for the great coverage!

~M

[Dumpling Girl]

Hello Dumpling Girl, and as they say in Rome, welcome to the Forum.

Look forward to welcoming you to Cru, as well.

You can try that Smoked Albacore Tuna with truffle vinaigrette and crispy shallots, (pictured above) as we've recently included it on our regular small plates menu.

Joie, thanks for the great coverage!

~M

←

Thank you! I was hoping for that dish!

Nancy

[kontemporary]

Thanks all for your reports and pics.  I'm looking forward to my first visit to Cru next week! 

←

Welcome to eGullet Nancy! I've read your blog (actually have it bookmarked), which has awesome reviews. Good work ! I hope you enjoy your meal at Cru, it's one of the places I feel has great consistency.