Cru in located in the leafy streets of Glenferrie Road in the suburb of Kew. Cru in Kew=p is brought to you from Peter Rose and his wife Annie, along with business partners Robyn Blake and Andrew Pickering. Cru has been on my breakkie lists for a while and on this Saturday I needed to be around the area, so N and I decided to check it out.
We got there at around 10:30am and the place was buzzing and the front dining area was packed. We decided to sit out side in the plank / courtyard area (we were told that it was enclosed and had heaters – win! – as this morning was a tad bit nippy), and it was lovely. By the way the plank area is just before the courtyard and has a series of high and low tables amongst hanging pot plants. I think even if there had been room in the dining area – I would have gone for the courtyard / plank option. It has hanging pot plants and mini ferns that create a great atmosphere. As you go further to the back is an area (where if you wish you can bring your puppies) where there is a communal table and charming little shed (when the weather is warmer – this converts into a wine bar). This is not to say the dining area is any less great – in fact it is with its marble bar that runs the length of the room, complete with green and white tiles to finish the chic look.
The Cru Menu is extensive and covers everything that you would normally find on a breakfast menu from Bircher to Angus Burgers and covers a range of flavours such as Moroccan. There are interestingly named dishes such as Stop 80 and The 109 – which refers to the nearby tramstops, as well as Cocobanana which is Cru’s Banana Bread. Cru sources the best local ingredients, with their gluten-free bread delivered daily from Jane’s Bread (artisian baker in Hawthorn), the eggs are from South Gippsland, bacon from Otway Pork and Peter B Bouchier and the lamb from Paddy’s Meats. The drink menu is also another spectacle – there is the usual coffees, teas but also Berocca, smoothies, shakes and mixed juices to pick from such as Phlavours of Pho – blend of Thai basil, cucumber, fennel and aniseed sugar syrup.
It was a hard decision to pick what I wanted but I couldn’t look past the Roesti – which comprises of avocado, smoked salmon, red onion, crispy capers, poached egg. N got what he usually gets – Fried eggs with additonal sides. The puff pastry looked interesting as well, and when I come back I would definitely want to try that out, as well as the Cocobanana for something sweet. The Roesti comes out as a breakfast stack with the crunchy potato base, layered with the smoked salmon, red onion, avocado mix and topped with the poached egg and surrounded by the capers. This dish is one of the yummiest breakfast stacks I have tasted. The potato fritter was crunchy and crispy and tasted delicious. The dressing that the salmon, avocado and red onions were covered in was what made the entire dish pop and was awesome. My one complaint would be that the poached egg had been overcooked and the yolk wasn’t runny. The addition of the crispy capers were a nice touch and added a dose of tang.
The coffee here is from Five Senses and comes through the Synesso from Gus Hean who is the barista here. N had an expresso which came with a little glass of soda water to go with it. The staff are friendly and energetic. Whether you are in the area or not, Cru should definitely be on your list of places to try out.
Cru is also now open in the evenings Wednesday to Saturday as a Wine Bar – the owners attempt to bring a little bit of Carlton and Fitzroy to suburbia. There is an extensive list of local and imported wines, as well as grower champagnes and a variety of boutique and craft beers. There are also apertifs and spirits. There is a bar menu which can be found at http://www.crukew.com.au/bar_menu.html which consists of dishes like mexicorn, lamb kofte, octopus just to name a few.
Rating : 4 Pandas
Price: $$
Menu – Breakkie Menu (www.crukew.com.au/cafe_menu.html) Bar Menu (http://www.crukew.com.au/bar_menu.html)
Fullness: 100%
Atmosphere / Ambience: Homely, Elegant and has an awesome courtyard out the back that is fantastic. The area they refer to as the Sunny Plank is great too!
Standout Dish: Roesti
Service: Fantastic, Attentive and Energetic
Online Booking: No – Refer to http://www.crukew.com.au/functions.html for more info on how you can book and the booking restrictions
Restaurant Details and Location:
http://www.crukew.com.au/index.html
916 Glenferrie Road, Kew
Tel No: 9818 4366
Opening Hours:
Modnday to Tuesday 7:00 am – 4:00 pm
Wednesday 7:00 am – 11:00 pm
Saturdau 7:30 am – 11:00 pm
Sunday 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
grazing panda 