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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Near North Side, River EastChicago (Red)
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Tru was a memorable dining experience, but I think I was expecting more. I wish I could give it 4.5 stars.
My husband and I ate here for our two-year anniversary. The service was impeccable and decor was beautiful. Every course was put together with painstaking effort-- I felt like every plate was a delicate work of art. My husband ordered the venison and I ordered the ribeye. The presentation and plating were more memorable than the taste of the food. The best part of the meal were the desserts. Gale Gand is absolutely brilliant. We tried the semifreddo and the chocolate bar and both were outstanding. Coupled with the candy cart and a perfectly wrapped pastry to go, it was a great way to end the meal.
I took a star away because I wanted a course or two that absolutely blew me away as far as taste...a plate that completely surprises you. I didn't get that at Tru unfortunately, and when you're paying premium dollar, I expect to get it.
My friend and I refer to amazing food experiences as "foodsex" - because everything is SO GOOD that your eyeballs roll back in your head and you need to take a breather to calm down afterwards.
Going to Tru is like, "foodlovemaking against a wall and then you black out and your knees give out and you need to be revived". Because it is THAT good.
The service is impeccable - it's like a ballet of silverware and plates. Things are set down and taken away simultaneously, and every single person who works there knows more about food than I could ever DREAM to know about food.
I literally cannot say enough good things about this place. It was my first five-star experience and it absolutely blew me away.
So uh...here's a SAMPLING of what I ate:
-- knob onion poached halibut, hearts of palm, pickled carrots, english pea nage
-- duet of lamb, daikon, watermelon radish, olive, star anis lamb jus
-- house-made porcini tagliatelle, condensed tomato, asparagus cream, parmesian
-- frog leg, roasted garlic, carrot, watercress
-- pan-seared foie gras, lemon confit, green vegetables
Kids, I died and went to heaven at Tru. Most amazing dining experience of my LIFE.
This review is specifically for the dessert tasting. I took my friend here last night, a special treat for her birthday. The atmosphere here is pretty serious and the whole experience is very coordinated. The waiters actually poured our water in unison.
We ordered a pomegranite old fashioned and cappuccino to drink. The old fashioned rocked the house - wow. If you come to Tru, you must order this drink.
Onto the dessert orgy....after a delicious amuse bouche of a frozen tortoni/ice cream concoction and mini madeline cookies (still warm), we proceeded through 3 delicious dessert courses. Two cake plates, fruit desserts, and chocolate. The dishes were too complicated that I don't recall specifically all of the components. The dessert cart was wheeled over and we sampled everything: lemon gelee, homemade marshmallow, several types of chocolates, and a meringue cookie. We thought we were all done but oh no, the waiter brought out two exploding chocolate/carmel truffles. (PS they really do explode in your mouth)
A wonderful evening, delicious food and excellent service. The dessert tasting is $40 per person - a fantastic value.
Honestly, I don't even think this place needs a review. Five star food. Five star service. You just have to go there to see how amazing it is. Just grab someone special, your wallet and get ready for incredible dining experience.
Tru is a great Chicago restaurant! It is one of those places you go for the first time, and you do not feel out of place. It is pricey, but not over the top.
Go in knowing that you will spend a cool $500 for 2 easy...but that is what you should expect from a restaurant with their caliber...
I recommend you go with the Sommelier Collection...their wine pairings were fantastic!!!
Overall, just save your pennies, and splurge, enjoy every moment!
I highly recommend Tru!
Yes, it's worth the hype. Go.
Tru deserves every star that they get. This is a phenomenal culinary experience. If you are a foodie, Tru will not let you down. The wine parings were lovely, and the staff exceptionally friendly for an establishment that one might think of as uptight.
If you have the honor of having the Chamomile cremeux, peaches, dried apricot vanilla desert paired with the Bonny Doon vineyard le vol des anges. Your palette will never me the same!
Bravo!
By far the best experience I have ever had at a restaurant in Chicago. It is beyond memorable. It has gone beyond staying in my memory to entering my dreams.
This place is the epitome of perfection in execution. The service is extremely meticulous. You are taken care of from the moment you enter. The food is intelligent. It is delicate and seemingly lacking in ammunition; however, each bite provides a whirlwind of euphoria. Ever been to a restaurant where everything has the same taste and feel to it? If you've only eaten at Tru, the answer is no. The only constant between the courses is the attention to detail; each course was a new challenge for my mind - which was unexpectedly put through a lot of work in order to process what my tastebuds got to experience first hand.
If I could give more than 5 stars for the service, I would. I would give the absolute maximum. It would get the full 5 stars for service factors I would consider to be expected from this type of establishment. With reservations, your table is ready the moment you arrive. As soon as you get up, someone will ask if you are looking for the ladies' room and basically escort you there. They re-fold your napkin for you to return to whenever you excuse yourself from the table. All the plates go down at your table in time synchronization. You will NEVER have to wave down the waiter - one look and someone appears. They explain the dishes in great detail as they are presented to you. They have a great sommelier who is extremely patient and knowledgeable. I could go on and on for pages about how wonderful the service is but I won't. However, there is one more point I want to make in regards to service. There is one factor in the service that was extremely special to me and makes me want to give more than 5 stars. To preface, I look extremely young. I am - in fact - past my quarter life. However, I do not look like it at all. This is not currently a blessing - maybe in 20 years - but in my 20's - it is a disadvantage. Not only do I get carded 3 times in a bar the size of my bathroom (door, both bartenders) - I get treated like a spoiled teen who has watched too much Gossip Girl. I am dismissed often and given under-par service. This not only ruins my experience (although many times I forgive it - as shown by the high ratings I often give on Yelp) - but it is sometimes unfair to the person I am out with. TRU did NOT treat me like I was somehow "below" them - which yes, I've gotten even gotten at Cheesecake Factory (understandable - it's the downtown mecca of teenage diners). They treated me the same way as the rest of the patrons in the restaurant which means they treated me like gold.
This place treats you like royalty. If you are looking to impress your date or make your wife/gf feel like a princess for ~2-3hrs. This is the place. If you got laid off from your job and want to have one "eff you" dinner using your severance - this is the place. It'll make you feel like you are worth everything in this world. Yeah. I had no idea a restaurant could do that either.
After your courses, they roll over a dessert cart and formage cart. Everything is just *sigh* amazing. If you are full, they even pack up small dessert pieces of your choice into deep-purple-colored jewelry boxes and provide you with small home-made lollipops. If you think that's it, wait until you leave back through the black curtains - the host will give you a copy of the menu in a large envelope and a mini breakfast muffin for the next morning. What better way to leave an amazing experience than to be provided with goodies to extend that experience onto the next day?
All those reviews that complain about how small the food is and how it's not worth the buck - I am completely confused. I was very full at the conclusion of our meal and based on the full experience, it is 110% worth the buck. But then again, I didn't pay. But I was happier than I've ever been leaving a restaurant - probably the happiest I have ever been. I'd hate to kill this review with an over exuberant display of fondness for this restaurant but it really deserves it.
Set: American Psycho meets Men in Black.
Far too serious and humorless; lighten up! It's just food. This is clearly the Cali in me, but I feel like food should be presented from a "warm" place - not cold and sterile and littered w/ financiers from London. (Then again, if they didn't have this place, where would said financiers eat? Touche, inner voice! Touche!)
The food was well-presented and executed; dessert was exceptional (chocolate bar!); and my company was delightful, so three stars.
That being said, places like this make me die a little inside. A cold, bleak, plane-crashes-into-jagged-snow-capped-peaks-with-n o-survivors death.
No offense.
We went this Saturday for my 40th birthday celebration. I felt like we were on the set of Iron Chef. The plates were that out there.
My appetizer was the scallops crusted with quinoa. It kind of had the texture of sesame chicken. This was a homerun dish. My wife had the Thai butternut soup. That dish had a presentation like no other. They brought the bowl out with the mussels and the lobster and the other ingredients in the bowl, then poured the soup on it, and added the foam. Food porn at its finest.
My main course was the venison. I loved the way it was prepared, and all the different flavor options that came with the dish. My wife loved her halibut.
Given what each of us ordered, I had no idea what wine would be compatible with both dishes. Chad, the sommelier, came over and helped us pick a wine that worked. It was a Sicilian red that featured the nerello moscalese grape. Given that I always want to try a new grape, it was a perfect choice. It went great with both of our meals. I had to tease him about all the Nacionals offered on the port list. ('Has anybody really ordered one of these bottles?' I asked him.) We had a nice discussion about the uniqueness of the Nacional vines.
We ordered the dessert collection. This was probably the part of the meal that my wife was most looking forward to, as Gale Gand is her idol. We each had three desserts brought to us, along with a few other things thrown in, like Gale's infamous root beer float. I had a late harvest Malbec to go with the dessert (another Chad recommendation), and it really shined with one of the berry dishes. We would definitely come back here just to have dessert, if nothing else (because it ain't cheap to do the whole production). I don't think there is another dessert experience like this anywhere, period.
It's funny, because these dishes all look so small, and you wonder how you can possibly be stuffed by the end of the meal, but it really adds up in the end. At the end, I could barely get out of my chair. We really liked the service there. There was none of the snooty treatment that one might fear at such an upscale establishment. If you're planning a special occasion, this is a great place to do it.
Okay, instead of going forward, I'm going to take a step back and say this : AMAZING !!
First, expect to spend a pretty penny if you're going here. I took my wife there for our 2nd anniversary through a reservation I made through http://opentable.com. As soon as we walked in, the host told us "Happy Anniversary." Of course, we felt like we were special. After he seated us, one of the waitresses brought the menu. On top of the menu, guess what? Yes, it said "Happy Anniversary." Not going nuts here, but a nice touch again, I thought.
The food was amazing. We ordered from the "Prixe Fixe menu" and both had the Thai butternut soup to start. It was amazing. The bowl that is was served in had points of sauce that we could use to make the soup as spicy as we wanted. Then, I had the "Colorado Lamb loin roulade" and my wife had the "Nova Scotia Halibut." Both excellent. The best part of the meal was the desserts, which kept coming and coming, with an accompanying set of instructions from the waiters as to how to eat it.
Few things to note: There were four waiters and we were served by all of them. They somehow communicate to each other as the second to fourth ones knew already that my wife was allergic to peanuts. My wife refused wine, due to her pregnancy. We told the second waitress. However, all the others said congratulations as they came up.
Overall, amazing experience. Ladies, if a guy takes you there, he likes you a whole lot. Guys, take a girl there only if she's completely worth it. If not, save it for the anniversaries.
I've been agonizing for days at how to sum up my experience at Tru and all I can come up with is something I have already said: it's an experience. It's an experience that, if you love food, you need to have at least once.
The place is the picture of simple elegance in every aspect considerable. Actually, it was so elegant I found myself whispering to my friend and partner in fine dining, Stacey A., "Why are we whispering?" Can't help it. It just seems like a place where you whisper. Kind of like having dinner with the president, I'd imagine (I haven't gotten my invite yet, President Obama...still waiting). Long white curtains covering the walls, which are adorned with little else but some abstract art pieces, deep, dark and comfy suede covered chairs, and they give you a little ottoman thing for your purse too, which is something I wish other restaurants would cotton onto stat. So classy.
The food is something I can go on and on and on about, so I will just say I had the Chef's Collection - nine courses of gorgeous, sumptuous food designed around what's in season this spring & summer - and here were some highlights:
-Smoked sturgeon "caviar" in avocado and hazelnut. I don't know why "caviar" is in quotes; I suppose this may not have been the real deal and I don't even care. The combo of these flavors tasted like a rounder, richer, and more delicious guacamole than I'd ever imagined.
-Porcini tagliatelle with condensed tomato, asparagus cream, and fresh shaved parmesean. I heard rabbit wasn't good to eat; kind of gamy. They LIED! Rabbit may not be good other places besides Tru. At Tru, it's roasted to a tender consistency reminiscent of a perfect pot roast or pulled pork, set atop a small mound of pasta, and complimented by a fabulous trio of flavors.
-Pan-seared foie gras with lemon confit. This literally made my eyes pop out of my head. Soft, buttery, and amazing. Didn't think lemon would go with it, but it did to an absolute tee. Oh man. This dish will haunt my dreams for a long, long time.
-Duet of lamb with daikon, watermelon radish, olive, and star anise aus jus. This lamb was cooked to a melt-in-your-mouth PERFECTION. I can't say it any more succinctly than that, so I'll just let it lie.
So after that all (and then some), just when I'm considering potential fullness, they bring out a cheese cart with fabulous selections of goat, sheep, and cow's cheeses (the sheep's cheeses were my favorite - who knew?).
I also was utterly unaware of the little dessert cart. There was a dessert factored into the nine courses, but the little cart with the small petit fors and candies was what really wowed me. I had a tiny little coffee cup shaped from dark chocolate, filled with Bailey's Irish Creme, and a dark-chocolate covered honey lollipop.
Then, once you think it's all over and done with, they bring an exploding truffle - cocoa powder and a thin layer of chocolate containing vanilla liquor of some sort. It's so delicate that when you bite into it, the liquor completely floods into your mouth, hence the "exploding" part.
Of course, to dine like this is extravagant. It costs an arm and a leg. I certainly can't afford to eat like this monthly or maybe even yearly on my salary, but was it worth it? Am I glad I did it? Is the experience worth the hefty price tag?
Absolutely. Yes, yes, yes.
I've dined at Tru at least four times, but possibly more like eight (I can't quite remember) - so I feel pretty confident about my feeling that it is the best restaurant I've ever been to (and that list includes French Laundry, and multiple trips to Charlie Trotters).
Every little touch is brilliant. Every taste is superb.
The four most memorable items from my Tru experiences are:
-The Pain Perdu with Fois Gras and chocolate sauce that my wife had.
-Rose lollipop. Delicious, and so fun to eat as I strolled up Michigan Avenue on my way back to work.
-A creme brulee with slices of banana below the crust, which was embedded with macadamia nuts, and then the whole thing topped with macerated stone fruits. Awesome.
-The mushroom risotto. Typically risotto is something I can only eat so much of - it's usually better as side for me - especially mushroom risotto. There's just something kind of one dimensional about risotto that makes me crave some variety. I could have eaten a gallon of Tru's mushroom risotto.
Tru's simple stark elegance seems to encourage diners to whisper politely to their companions so as to not disturb other tables. Attention to detail has been paid on everything.
We got the Grand Collection with cheese course, which ended up being about 12 courses, a handful of which they modified or created to be "pescetarian"-friendly. Dishes ranged from understated perfection to aggressively creative, one of which was some insane preparation of smoked sturgeon made to look like caviar, presented in a Tru branded "caviar" tin with a mother of pearl spoon, true to it's shapeshifted inspiration.
Don't gild the lily that is Tru by waiting for a formal special occasion, as the experience is one in and of itself.
Probably one of THE BEST RUN restaurants in existence.
Minimalistic interior decoration, which for a restaurant, is perfectly fine. Some Andy Warhol art nonchalantly adorns the walls, I appreciated it. There's also a really interesting infiniti type of light/wall hanging in the sitting area before the dining room. The bathrooms, simply put, are gorgeous.
So the menu. You can choose from a few different options; they have smaller two or three course options as well as larger tasting menus. Decided to go for their larger tasting menu which included seafood. I do not eat seafood so I was very impressed when told that the chef would re-create a menu without the inclusion of seafood. The staff will basically do anything for you here, from what I've experienced at least.
We had a modified 13 course tasting menu; my standout favorites were the Frog Leg, the Liquid Parmesan Gnocchi, the Beef Cheek Ravioli, and the Roasted Squab. Supposedly Gale Gand's homemade rootbeer floats are supposed to be absolutely delicious, but I missed out on having one :( Definitely going back for that, and I believe that they offer a 'just dessert' dining experience as well.
I believe the truffles and chocolates are also available for purchase if you want to take some home, and there's also a chef's table if you want to entertain a small group in exquisite fashion.
Anyway, if you're looking for a restaurant that will give you the absolute best service imaginable paired with some of the most creative dishes possible, definitely make your booking asap and bring your credit card because Tru is absolutely phenomenal.
My purse got it's own chair. ...enough said.
Beyond amazing! There aren't even words.
Tru is short for truly fantastical.
From the moment you walk in and hand the keys to your Benz (or in my case, a hotel room) to the maitre d', you feel as though you want to kick off your shoes and unbuckle your belt. Trust me on this, though, it's better to wait until you are seated.
The setting is very spacious, dimly-lit and perfect for couples or small groups. There's enough room for cheese and digestif carts to be wheeled from table to table while allowing for servers and patrons to walk past without difficulty. Carts are also very handy for wheeling you out of the restaurant once you've been suitably plied with food and drink, as is inevitably the case at this Bacchanalian temple.
It's true that the service is impeccable; the choreography textbook French, but the attitude...surprisingly unstuffy. The wait staff achieved the perfect blend of civility, appreciation, attentiveness and almost (almost) a sense of humor. I got the manager to crack a smile, but the servers refused to go off script.
Tru stands out from the pack of Chicago food Meccas for its creativity and imagination. There was little room for doubt that each dish was given hours of thought, twice as many hours of trial and error, and what is finally delivered to you with alacrity and painstaking attention to detail is a culinary triumph.
The tasting menu is well worth the hole burning in your wallet/purse, and if you're as much of a glutton for financial punishment as I am when it comes to dining, then I'd suggest the wine pairing. The sommelier, Chad Ellegood, knows his cellar, and he'll pick some truly wonderful - and surprising - compliments to your meal.
As for the food...where to begin? The "faux" sturgeon caviar was a playful and beautiful alternative to the real thing; ramp & rabbit risotto with morels and marscarpone was heavenly, with perfect starch consistency and a beautiful blend of flavors; the spring lamb with daikon and star anis jus was plate-licking good; and the salt-crusted venison was absolutely gorgeous, especially when paired with the flavors of cocoa and orange. Rick Tramonto has taken some very challenging flavor pairings and methods of preparation and combined them to make unique and highly memorable dishes.
But it doesn't stop there. Gale Gand, not to be outshined by her partner, presents cartwheel inducing flavors. The almond-violet mousse with rhubarb and lemon was eye-rolling. The explosive mint chocolate truffle was one of the happiest endings to a meal that I can recall in recent memory. I was half tempted to pull a "When Harry Met Sally" diner scene after the fact, but I settled for seeking out the chef and kissing her firmly on the lips. No, wait, that didn't actually happen either, but the thought crossed my mind.
Tru is a special occasion experience. For me, it was my first time in Chicago in years, and Tru had been on my "must try" list for almost a decade. It lived up to the hype, and the food is in fine company with the artwork that adorns the walls of the restaurant. Now, if I can just swap my room key for one of those Benz's...I'll have what she's having.
I recently went back to Tru for the third time for a special occasion (anniversary). We wanted a truly special dining experience, and based on our previous two visits there when in Chicago, we thought this would be the place to go. I must say that I was disappointed. Compared with previous dinners there, the service seemed not as good as in the past and the menu was spare on fresh fish and vegetable choices. So while I would have rated them a 5 in the past, this time I can only give a 3.5. It is still a very good restaurant, but I don't think we will go back there. There are too many other outstanding places to try. I reserve a 5 star rating to mean that I recommend a place without any reservations at all and will certainly plan to return the next time I am in town.
I came here for New Years Eve '08 and overall was a tad disappointed in the whole "experience."
I'd give the Thyme Infused Martini 5 stars! and that is really the only thing I'd go back for. The food was good, but it didn't blow me away. Perhaps after reading all the reviews I knew too much going in. At times I felt like I was in an episode of gossip girls. Overall, as a person that loves good food and a great dining out experience, I felt it was too much money to spend on one night for what we got, and I wasn't even the one paying.
Simply - the best meal I ever ate! It is elegant and every last detail from decor to the gourmet aesthetic of each dish is engaging. My fiance and I had the tasting with the wine pairing. PLUS the cheese, dessert cart, and truffles to go. Our first time spending 4 digits on a dinning experience. Worth it...YES!! We went a little overboard getting everything in tru epicurean fashion, but you have to treat yourself once in a while right!
I want to go back - SO BAD!
Fantastic! One of a few places with true service- the kind that would be unaffordably overstaffed in almost all restaurants. Sophisticated atmosphere. Reservations required. Dress shirt at minimum; good sport coat or a properly fitted suit would be perfect. If nothing else, try the 3 course dessert tasting menu; Gale Gand knows what she's doing.
Finally spent our $350 gift certificate last night - and let me tell you, spending someone else's money at TRU is the way to go.
We like Sauvignon Blanc, and the sommelier recommended a $69 bottle of Sancerre Domaine Vacheron 2007 that was very nice - and seemed to never end!
Not all bread is created equal at TRU:
Sea Salt Brioche beat Warm Pumpernickel, which beat the Beer Bread
We both did the Prix Fixe menu, and here are the results:
Prime Beef Tartare bested the Hawaiian Blue Prawns
Braised Beef Short Rib was superior to the Nova Scotia Halibut
Chocolate Bar and Gianduja Crèmeux were a tie
In addition to these, there were five other amuse-bouche that were fun surprises - I wonder how they make an exploding mint truffle?
We were definitely bringing down the age curve at TRU, and couldn't help but feel like the staff preferred to "chat it up" with the older patrons and make quick work of us. Perhaps it was comments like this that exposed our naivete?
Me: "It seems like they made vegetables into some sort of pudding."
Sommelier: "It's miso, sir."
This meal was amazing! My boyfriend and I opted for the prix fixe menu and decided to share everything so that we could create our own tasting menu.
To start we had the swashimi and the scallops. Sashimi was wonderful, however the scallop dish really stood out. The broccoli and peanut flavors complimented the scallops very well.
For the main course, I wanted to try the lobster, however they were out. I expressed my disappointment to the server as I had been looking forward to the lobster all day. To make up for my disappointment, they brought both of us a lobster bisque with huge chunks of lobster. This was a nice touch and tasted great as well. We also had the ribeye and the halibut. The ribeye was delish and cooked to perfection. The puffed potatoes that came with this were yummy and tasted like little potato donuts. The halibut was the standout of the main courses though, very tasty sauce and the leeks tasted awesome with the fish!
Amongst our courses, several amuse-bouche came out and I can't remember what they were, but all were little bursts of flavors! Bread they served was also awesome. For dessert, we choose from the cheese cart, and split a chocolate bar. They also brought out a little chocolate treat with candles, as we were celebrating our anniversary.
Overall, a ridiculous amount of food, I have never been that full...and everything was right on. Service was good, but the food is what really stood out. Very expensive meal, but very worth it as it was an experience I will remember forever.
I have been to Tru three times in the past 2 years. Every time I have been there it has been pure perfection.
The service is unparalleled. The food is fantastic. The atmosphere is chic, sophisticated and modern. I can't wait until I get to go back -- hopefully someone will take me soon! :)
Ohhhhhh caviar staircase -- you are haunting my dreams.
Judging by the reviews, sounds like Tru is great on the right night. Unfortunately I clearly did not have the pleasure of enjoying one of those evenings.
Service is terrific except when mistakes were made. Frustrated looks on servers faces. Our server seemed to have very little passion for food or fine dining . . . just doing the job. Did not know some basic information about certain elements of the meal. What is worse, he asked if I would like him to find out. Seriously?
I do not remember anything about the food. It kept on coming (10 course with wine pairing), that part was good. There is no doubt the food passes as very good food, just did not make an impression.
Sommelier was terrific. Great person with great insight, quite impressed.
Decor, nice, fine. Expected more.
The issue is that for $600+ (for 2), looking for a lot more. I don't believe an off night should be an option. There is a lot more to service than a purse stand and coordinated dish delivery. Not impressed b/c they have both a black and white option for a napkin. Was looking for a lot more.
I've had a few of these higher-end eating experiences. Here in the city, I thought Charlie Trotters was the pinnacle. In Detroit, it was The Whitney. But it wasn't until dinner a few nights ago at Tru did I truly understand that "surprise and delight" is still alive and kicking.
The valet checks our name on the list, takes the car. When we walked in, I didn't have a jacket so they were kind enough to supply one for me. We joined our party in the ante room. The maitrè d' came by, took us to our table, where the pageantry began.
We started with champagne -- without ordering, of course. Then we got the first of what we counted as 11 visits from the server: a delicious cucumber bubble with salmon roe on top served on a curvy spoon that looked like a high-heel shoe.
This was followed by a series of delicious "treats" through our appetizer and, finally, to the entreè. For me, it was venison. Even afterward, when we ordered dessert, we were treated to two additional desserts. I felt satisfied with the portions and didn't feel like rolling out. Every dish was memorable.
I don't give it five stars because of the stature of the place -- but I have to say that I was just delighted course after course. The kitchen tour was stunning and very welcoming.
THE REVIEW
Is fine dining dead? Not as long as Tru is still around.
I'm not talking about the molecular gastronomy version of fine dining. I'm talking about a restaurant experience where the classic pillars of fine dining are in perfect harmony: Food, Wine, Decor, Service.
Tru restores the grace and beauty of fine dining. I had a wonderful evening that lasted 3 hours.
Tru is located on a very posh street. The very prestigious Relais & Chateaux plaque adorns the outside entrance. A Gerhard Richter piece hangs on the wall behind the reservationist. A Bang and Olufson CD Player resides in the bar area. The main dining room is very dramatic with high ceilings. The tables are all well spaced. The decor has a very subdued color palette---the only bursts of color coming from two floral arrangements in the center of the dining room and the ornately presented food flowing out the kitchen from the uber modern glass sliding doors.
I sat at a deuce that allowed me to view the enormous dining room. There are only 24 tables! The menu book has the soothing feel of soft leather. The menus are printed on thick high quality paper stock. The table linens are neatly pressed. Tru rewards highly perceptive diners that appreciate all these subtle nuances.
The staff is very professional---leaning towards a bit too serious. You get the vibe that the servers just might correct you on the pronounciation of certain menu items. However, once engaged, the staff members warm up and allow their passion for good service to shine.
Some reviews have criticized the food. The food was excellent. My friend was treating so we both elected to order the 3 course Prix Fixe which I highly recommend. $95 gets you 3 courses.
The non-prix fixe menu titled "Collections" is well organized. There's a little bit of everything for everyone.: Luxury, Grand Tasting (6 courses), Chef's Tasting (9 courses). The Luxury collection offers a trifecta of luxury: Genuine Wagyu Beef (3 oz) $70, Caviar with Garnishes $250, and Whole Roasted Foie Gras ($145). I'll have to save up for that type of indulgence. Luckily, the 3 course menu offers just as much excitement.
I ordered the Alaskan King Crab Leg, with fresh whipped cream, Osetra caviar. My buddy ordered Seared Foie Gras with white bean puree and Dashi gel. Dee-lish! The King Crab was a beautiful composition of the plump leg sliced on a bias nestled on a warm puree of onion or leek. The server gently drapes the caviar sauce on top of the crab pieces. SO YUMMY! We each had a wine pairing.
For main course, I had the Swan Creek Farm Suckling Pig with zucchini pave, licorice, kumquats, and pork jus. This was insane! Pork dishes these days tend to be too greasy. DOn't get me wrong. I love pork fat! I just don't love eating a chunk of fat in one bite. The kitchen did an awesome job of rendering enough fat; preserving just enough to keep the meat moist and succulent. The skin was crispy and wafer thin. This was one gentrified piece of pork heaven.
My friend ordered the Braised Short Rib with Unagi, scallion pistou, and miso emulsion. Glazed unagi pieces rested on top of equally glazed tender pieces of Short rib. I didn't sample, but the dish was also a winner.
One of the highlights was my red wine pairing: 2004 Bell Hill Pinot Noir Old Weka Pass Road. Now, this wine was awesome! Inspires me to start collecting wine.
Our server gave us a tour of the kitchen before dessert. The kitchen was immaculate. The Executive Chef, Tim Graham, was very gracious. It was a pleasure meeting him and his team.
For dessert, I ordered the Chocolate Bar. My friend had the milk chocolate-bergamot cream. What do i need to say about chocolate that hasn't already been said?
Tru offers a generous array of mignardises. I don't remember them all, but the liquid truffle and the lollipop were my faves. And if you were still hungry, the restaurant places miniature individually wrapped financiers by the exit. They even walked me out to my cab with an umbrella because it was raining. Now that is service!
The check was probably $400 with tax and tip. Just remember that this is a special occasion restaurant. So that price tag is well worth what you get in return.
Tru is a winner, period. I'll be back.
We went for my birthday and chose the grand collection. I thought the restaurant atmosphere was very serious and quiet. It almost felt like I was in church, and my every move was being watched by many servers/management/misc people walking around. The restaurant employee to customer ratio was almost 1:1. It was almost uncomfortable to eat while being watched by so many eyes. The service was excellent, the food was excellent (but small), and the dessert was plentiful and good. It is an experience to remember, but I wouldn't go back.
Went here for dinner and was a little disappointed. It is more ambiance and circus then good food especially for the price. I did like the staircase caviar appetizer. That was the best, the rest was a bit disappointing for the Restaurant that is supposed to now hold the tourch for Ambrias.
The Sommlier was whofully lacking in his scienter of the wine celler.
An interesting experience but I wouldn't rush back.
Absolutely divine.
I went here for my birthday with my family and was utterly amazed.
They made us feel like royalty.
This was our first fine dining experience and I had heard that upscale restaurants make newbies feel inferior, but that was not the case at all for Tru.
We walked in and a group of waiters was all over us, pulling out our chairs, giving us chairs for our purses...when we went to the restroom, they would fold our table napkins and place them on the table again.
Our menus were especially made for us and said Happy Birthday Liz.
The food was delectable, the presentation was awe-inspiring.
Everything looked beautiful and sometimes they would complete the meal in front of you.
They would come out with several plates and bowls and add this and that to the main dish, it was truly a magnificent presentation.
We had a three course meal, but we got several mini bite things in between that were equally delicious.
I can safely say that we got our money's worth.
After our meal, i received a little chocolate bar with a candle for my birthday.
Then they rolled out the chocolate cart with about 20 delicacies.
I had read reviews about this, but some reviews said it was complimentary some didn't.
So I only chose one.
Let me tell you, the dessert cart is COMPLIMENTARY so dig in!
When you walk out they give you little lemon cakes, also complimentary.
Seriously, don't be afraid of fine dining.
TRU, at least, is not snobby in the least, even though it's obvious that you don't normally engage in fine dining.
Plus, they definitely give you your money's worth both food wise and atmosphere wise.
It was an amazing experience and I will be returning for my next special occasion.
The presentation: Inspirational.
The service: Attentive and pampering yet oppressive and stifling.
The ambiance: stark.
The food presentation: A beautiful work of art.
The staff's knowledge: PhD.
The taste: Just not as good as it looks. But, far above average.
Would I return? Not really. There was NOTHING wrong with this swanky spot in Streeterville. It is a definitely a food-lover's delight for the eyes as well as for the taste buds. But, expect to shell out a pretty good wad of cash (especially if you enjoy your wine lists). And, if you are looking for a lively and fun dining environment ... well, not so much. You'll have to look elsewhere.
Feb. 14 2009
Menu options:
Aphrodisiac - $250
Chef's - $200
I took my boyfriend there for Valentine's Day and needless to say, reservations were literally impossible to find. Picked the last time available (10:30pm). We were there until 1:30am. We both had the Chef's collection and share the 3oz. Kobe beef fillet.
On the whole, the food and service were spectacular. However, the waiter seemed a bit "cocky".... and BF had a slight problem with it. I didn't really mind..... E.g. If it's your first time in an upscale French restaurant, you barely understand French, and you rarely eat liver, you probably won't know what foie gras is. And when we asked, we got almost a slightly sarcastic answer... 1 star off!
I would love to go back for the food, but racking up a $700 check for 2 is not exactly what I had in mind. On the website, the two tours are priced around $140-$100.... but because it was Valentine's day, they were marked up an extra $100!!! I feel cheated out of my hard earned money!! Another star off!!!
Flowers and confectionery are marked up during Valentine's Day... but this was a total rip-off!!!
Of all of the restaurants that I have been to...this is the BEST dining experience I have EVER had. I went on my birthday....they had a special menu printed for me.....it was fabulous. The food was AMAZING...I agree...the caviar..TO...DIE...FOR!! And I am NOT a caviar fan. The ambiance is amazing...just an amazing dining experience all the way around. The chef had prepared a special dessert for me, with my name written in chocolate. The details were perfection. It is pricey but WELL worth the money....
Attention MEN.....Take your girls there.....you won't be disappointed!!
Yay! I'm a fan only when I'm rich for a day unfortunately. :O(
When you arrive here, you notice there is not a lot going on when it comes to the decor. When you do sit down and look around you realize the bare walls are needed to present the modern art they have hung here. They have Andy Warhol, Vik Muniz, and other notable artists. Visually all the artwork is stunning. The lighting is dimmed somewhat to create a warm toasty mood. Here is the link for you to check it out and the artwork: http://www.trurestaura.../
I took my friend here for a birthday treat. I called in advance and asked if they could do anything special for his birthday and they did. When they presented the menu, in bold letters at the top they printed his name with Happy Birthday on it. Too cool. You have a choice of either a fixed meat or veggie menu or you can order off the menu from what I remember. We both decided to order the 5 course collections menu. Heck if you are there, you might as well do it right. Right?
I really did not know what to expect, because after all, this is a Lettuce Entertain You restaurant. I am anti chain with restaurants, but this place has been noted as better than Charlie Trotters, so I had to check it out.
Wow! Is all I can say about their food. I really enjoyed the fact their portion sizes were not huge. Throughout the five courses, they really did allow us to pace ourselves. Sometimes the food came out in little gift boxes where you had to open them up to eat them. (This was a dream come true for me. Dinner in gift boxes. Brill!) Of course everyone loves the caviar staircase. (Custom made for Tru I might add) My friend said it was the best tasting caviar he has ever had. All my veggie dishes were seasoned to perfection. I could tell they used the freshest ingredients here. Earth flavours were notable in every bite.
The whole experience took about 4 hours. Now that seems a long time, but, when you are spending this amount of money, you really do want to savour the moment. At the end of it all, we both said we felt 'just right' and were very content with the whole experience.
The 5 courses with wine came to about $400.00. Does that seem expensive? It does for food but I have to say this was money well spent. From beginning to end it was worth ever penny. Now all I need to do is start saving to I can go again. Bah!
Tasting menu -Too many great things to remember. 1 or two dishes I didn't understand, especially the weird bland cod-in-milk thing. 1 out of 25 ain't bad. Maybe more 'amazing' that 'delicious', but still, often delicious. Dessert and cheese were extraordinary! Terrific decor and flawless service. Be sure to note the dress code if formal.
I very much enjoyed dinner at Tru with my friend Theron back at the end of April. If you have read the reviews - you will know already that you have a bevvy of waiters serving you in unison. Or, as I wrote when we were sitting there at our 10 PM time slot:
"At Tru, and it's full, and we have to squeal, 'yay!'
So begins the waiter ballet!"
It has been too long since I dined here though to give what I would like to give - one of my extremely verbose, detailed reviews on every dish. From the jump, the amuse bouche was amazing - taste and texturally, and for the most part every dish was exquisite. I of course didn't find the frog leg dish to be all that exciting, but the artichoke consummé that followed was not only very good - with many flavors - it was also so fun and cute and interestingly served! The ramp and rabbit risotto - well it was too salty to be true, and just the garish green color of it was enough to unfortunately turn my friend's weak stomach on it's side for the rest of the night. I, however, powered through.
The foie gras served atop a seared scallop with smoked gelee was some of the best foie gras I have ever tasted. What a great way to serve it also. Delish! The simple with fish in a spicy broth was a fine follow up, not too decadent, yet still flavored-well: a decent palate cleanser.
I also loved the varied raspberry dessert amuse - not that it was necessary as I took and tried every dessert on the dessert cart. We also had them make a special dessert for us as they were out of the one we really wanted. It was chocolate with lemon sorbet - exquisite!
This has to have been one of my favorite dining experiences to date. I hope to have many more of this caliber :)
Tru is truly exceptional. There are no words that can sum up the experiences you will receive at this place. I've dined at Tru more than once and every time is a new experience. We sat in the private room near the kitchen. The service and hospitality is impeccable. We had 8 courses paired with 8 variety of Bordeaux, after the 8 courses came desert and cheese pairings. After the dining experiences, everyone received an autographed (chef and master somnier) menu.
Fully expecting to be told No, we contacted TRU two weeks before our wedding anniversary to see if the Kitchen Table was available. Luckily for us, due to a cancellation, it was available! So, we booked the Kitchen Table and were very much looking forward to our evening.
Two days later, the private dining coordinator, Ruthann Gagnon called to tell us that she made a mistake, and that the Kitchen Table was not available. A restaurant of this caliber should not make such a mistake in the first place, even worse to take two days to notice the mistake. It seems more likely that we just got bumped for 'important' people.
Ruthann did reserve a private dining room for us at TRU's sister restaurant, a seafood place, but the room was not at all what we had in mind - can't see the kitchen, have to sit at floor level, etc. So we made arrangements elsewhere for our anniversary dinner.
Extremely disappointing.
This is one of the most amazing places i've been. Words cannot describe my experience here. I had the choice to go here for my 8th grade graduation present or throw a party. I'm so glad I made the right choice. They only take reservations and i believe at the time our meal was around $300 a piece. completely worth it for a extravagant experience. It was a 6-8 course meal with the most beautiful presented dishes and china i've ever seen. They give you amazing deserts to take home beautifully wrapped along with specializing your evening if it is for a special event. I remember having the most amazing waiters/servers/valet men ever. I hope i'll be able to afford to come back since it is not a everyday event. At age 14 I could enjoy and admire this I'm sure at 20 will be even better. This pace is a A + with gold stars. Superb!
Boyfriends Birthday:
Was top notch from start to finish. When we arrive at Tru we feel like dignitary as soon as we walked in the lobby. We choose the 9-course with wine pairing. The food was second to none and prepared perfectly and the sommelier's pairings were spot on target.
The service was spectacular and with all of the timing and coordination that goes on with a 9 course meal (9 place setting, 9 tastings, 9 pairings) the presentation was flawless. They custom printed a menu in his honor that we were able to take home as a keep sake. In addition, they brought out an extra dessert surprise for him.
All in all, and experience to remember!!!!
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