1521 Griffith Park Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
323.667.1551
www.crusilverlake.com
This vegan, (mostly) raw foods restaurant in Los Angeles' trendy Silver Lake offers a varied and eclectic menu that takes inspiration from cuisines from around the world. Offerings range from Asian noodle bowls to curried squash soup to ravioli and pizza.
Dinner began with spring rolls (above) wrapped in thinly sliced cucumbers and filled with sprouts, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms and avocado served with a sweet chili sauce. This could have used more avocado and mushroom and fewer greens. The sauce overcame the blandness and added some flavor, but, in general, this dish did nothing to dispel the stereotype weeds-and-seeds vegan fare.
The jicama ravioli (above) filled with cashew nut cheese and topped with pumpkin seed pesto had a good combination of bold flavors. It's understandably the restaurant's signature dish.
The spicy raw vegan chorizo tostada (above) was flavorful, but not overly innovative. The shell was difficult to cut and overly chewy. The chorizo had a nice texture and a zesty bite.
The desserts were among the standouts at Cru. The coconut chocolate pie (below) was light and fluffy, yet had the perfect chocolate flavor. The orange zest on top was a great accent.
The chocolate truffle cake (below) was like cutting into a candy bar. It was seriously rich, thick and firm. The flavor was pure chocolate. I would guess it had 75 to 80 percent dark chocolate, just a hint of bitterness coming on the finish.
Service is friendly and efficient, but you may need to ask for information about the dishes as it's unlikely to be offered otherwise.Cru does not offer wine, but you can bring your own and there is no corkage fee.
The restaurant does not take reservations, except for parties of six or more, and it does fill up quickly. It opens for dinner at 5:30 p.m. daily, and by 6 p.m. there are people waiting. The restaurant is quite small - it seats about 20 - and there is no entry way separate from the restaurant. Those who chose to wait inside to be seated can be a distraction and can negatively impact the otherwise easy-going atmosphere.
Entrees run about $13-$15, with starters and desserts about $8.
