Cru

Cru Review

It's hard to imagine a raw food restaurant in a city famous for its slow-simmered dishes, but since opening in summer 2009 Cru has been quite a success—the bucolic terrace in a cobbled Marais courtyard has something to do with this, as does the extensive menu's refusal to take the raw concept to extremes: a few cooked dishes are available, such as meat or fish prepared à la plancha and root vegetable "fries." If you decide to stick to the raw dishes, you won't be disappointed: the "green plate," variations on cucumber, displays the chef's well-judged creativity, while silky veal carpaccio with preserved lemon has a lively flavor. Most of the desserts depart from the raw theme, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The restaurant doubles as a wine bar, so there are plenty of interesting bottles to choose from. The €24 lunch menu is a bargain (and always offers the choice of a cooked or raw dish).