Best Bites: Cru

Cru

125 Main Street in Westport, CT

Sundays and Mondays: Closed

Tuesdays through Saturdays: 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.

(with Happy Hour from 4 to 6 p.m. and 50 percent off food and drink )

***** out of *****

$$$$ out of $$$$

Located underneath the Gap in Westport center, Cru, which opened in June, is a restaurant and lounge with a modern and luxurious atmosphere. The dining room tends to fill up because of its popularity; therefore I recommend making a reservation. The lounge is an excellent area to have drinks and small plates, and dishes are paired with recommended wines. My favorite aspect of this new spot is that you are allowed to customize your own tasting, or “flight,” by selecting any three wines by the glass (sample sizes are provided, of course). Descriptions are placed on each coaster, allowing you to compare and contrast the tones of each wine. Similar to this tasting mentality, the menu is broken down into three sections: American, Pacific and Mediterranean. Although I was confused at first, the format provides plenty of options to fit your mood.

Recommended Small Plates:

Southwest Flatbread. Photo by Nicholas O’Connell.

American

Southwest Flatbread: Corn purée, pulled chicken, red pepper mayo and aged cheddar. The dish is surprisingly light with a hint of spice … easy eating.

Pacific

California Roll: A fresh and flavorful arrangement of crab, Asian pear and cucumber, topped with avocado and masago.

Mediterranean

Hummus Fries: Chickpea flour, roasted garlic, paprika and piquillo pepper ketchup. Order this thickly cut and meaty plate with cocktails. This plate is also an interesting interpretation of a classic snack.

Recommended Entrée:

Short Rib Gnocchi: The combination of the Gruyere cream sauce and the tenderness of the braised meat melts in your mouth.

Recommended Dessert:

Gelato Sliders: Pistachio gelato with Nutella spread between two waffle cookies—a perfect way to end the night.

Entertainment:

DJ – House and lounge music: from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday; jazz from 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday.

A side note to last week’s review on Pronto: Pronto will accept StagCards starting next week.