Grub Scout: Cru serves up big flavors with small-plate entrees

Photo by Katie Leone/News Sentinel

Cru Bistro and Wine Bar in Turkey Creek.

I have to admit up-front that I like the small-plate dining concept. Locally, you’ve been more likely to see that put into practice at restaurants with more of a Spanish, tapas-influenced menu. But Cru Bistro & Wine Bar, which has been open for a month or so in Turkey Creek, lends a broader spectrum of cuisine to its menu, in addition to a generous wine list.

The Grub Spouse and I dropped in the other night, recognizing Cru’s location as the one previously claimed by the erstwhile Table 15. That space has maintained its aesthetic fusion of trendy and upscale but laid-back sensibilities. The curved bank of booths on the west side of the cozy primary dining room mirrors that of the contemporary bar on the other side.

However, we were seated in an adjoining space, which had previously operated as a liquor store before being renovated. The auxiliary room has less warmth and personality, giving off more of a sports-bar atmosphere (also thanks, in part, to the flat-screen TVs on the wall). But I suppose this makes the restaurant interesting to a wider spectrum of clientele.

The menu is likewise diverse enough to appeal to a wide range of tastes. Cru offers seven-inch stone-fired pizzas, meat-and-cheese courses, mini sandwiches and fried potatoes served with your choice of seven different dipping sauces. The rest of the selections are small-plate servings divided by vegetarian, sea and land categories.

In an effort to sample different flavors, The Spouse and I got the hummus duo — featuring roasted red pepper and lemon-dill hummus with feta crumbles and cucumber-olive relish — from the vegetarian selections; pan-fried calamari served with a garlic and basil vinaigrette drizzle; merlot filet bites prepared with a shallot-thyme demi-glace, baby bella mushrooms and smoked gouda polenta; and a Greek mini sandwich (two sandwiches, actually) — small Angus burgers grilled with roasted red pepper, olive tapenade and feta aioli.

Prices for these plates range from $6 for the hummus and the sandwiches to $14 for the merlot bites. For the record, other plates of interest include German macaroni, lump crab cake, sushi dishes from sister restaurant Nama, garlic-oregano pork tenderloin, fried chicken and waffle, and pistachio-crusted lamb chop.

We enjoyed being able to sample from all four dishes simultaneously, although our small, round table barely held all the plates. We agreed the Greek sandwiches were a surprisingly yummy treat and that the hummus was unremarkable, both in flavor and in portion (even for a small plate). I would have preferred pita bread over the slightly charred bread crisps that accompanied the hummus. The wine-infused filet bites were deliciously succulent but skimpy in number, especially for the $14 price tag. The calamari was a solid effort, especially enhanced by the pesto-like sauce.

We passed on the limited dessert menu (sorbet, bananas Foster, espresso terrine) as well as Cru’s extensive selection of wines served both by the glass and by the bottle.

But we did benefit from a solid meal and knowledgeable, genial service, all enjoyed in a casually refined setting. I would say that this Cru is definitely not of the motley variety and certainly worth giving it a once-over.

© 2011, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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