An Incredible Meal At Cru

On a warm afternoon, I met up with a friend to have a late lunch at Cru in Silverlake. Since my friend brought her dog, we sat outside on Cru's patio, which unfortunately was not covered and I found my skin burning intensely. Nevertheless, the raw food helped cool my body down a bit and left me feeling blissful and uplifted.

We began the meal with Nachos ($14).

This dish was fantastic. The raw chips were slightly chewy and crunchy and were lightly seasoned. The nachos were loaded with savory pumpkin seed chorizo, creamy cashew cheese, smooth guacamole, and a luscious coconut "sour cream". The taste of nuts was prominent, but there were so many lovely flavors, from spicy to sweet to bitter.

Next, we had Bruschetta ($8).

This dish was very delicious. The bread was a little sweeter than the chips in the nachos. The pesto drizzle was garlicky and rich in flavor. The cashew cheese was nutty and perfectly salted, closely resembling mozzarella. The tomatoes added a wonderful sweetness to the dish and were lightly coated in oil.

Next, we had the Vegetable Lasagna ($16).

The lasagna was also very good. The vegetable layers were slightly crispy and easy to chew. The bitterness of the zucchini slices complimented the salty cashew ricotta very well. The coconut cream sauce added a subtle sweetness, while the pesto enhanced the flavor even more. Thankfully, the portobello mushrooms weren't too noticeable, as I loathe the taste of them. The salad was very crisp and coated in a light, refreshing vinaigrette.

Lastly, we had a scoop of gelato ($4) for dessert.

The gelato was superb. It was very creamy and had a lovely succulent taste, but was not overly sweet. It had a wonderful maple flavor and was very cooling and refreshing on a hot day.

I really enjoyed the meal. My only complaint is that the food is quite expensive, but luckily Cru offers many discounts. They have appeared on numerous deal sites, such as Daily Candy and Google Offers. During this visit I used a $20 for $40 voucher worth of food and drink that I purchased from Google Offers. The meal came out to $17 per person (with tax and tip). I cannot wait to return and try more of Cru's enticing menu options.