Gonzo70 wrote:

jesteinf wrote:I'm not sure we can blame the restaurant entirely on the croissant

While Gonzo's reviews make my head hurt and I wouldn't exactly call his photography breathtaking, at least he's sharing... something of some value. Not everyone brandishes an 8 pound dslr around their neck while eating out. It's clear from that photo that the croissant is poorly constructed, white-imbalanced poorly composed photo or not.

On a side note, I hate slate or whatever material plates those are. Like nails on a chalkboard when silverware so much as grazes it.

You don't have to post any pictures for a post to be of value. Given the quality of some internet food photography, I'm starting to sympathize with restaurants who prohibit picture taking.

But, back to Tru...

I don't know about the rest of you, but going out for a great meal and not leaving feeling stuffed would be nice.

Too often about half way through it almost seems like food OD.

It would be nice to be able to enjoy a dessert for a change, and not feel like a certain scene from "The Meaning of Life."

jesteinf wrote:You don't have to post any pictures for a post to be of value.

Totally agree, but some people can get some value out of the most mediocre photos. The value I got from that croissant photo is that they probably didn't chill the dough thoroughly before shaping the croissant.

I get more worried when photos make dishes look better than they actually taste.

kanin wrote:I get more worried when photos make dishes look better than they actually taste.

No offense intended to ronnie_suburban, incite and a few others (more of a compliment about their photography skills), but they have a bad habit of accomplishing just this!

DML wrote:I don't know about the rest of you, but going out for a great meal and not leaving feeling stuffed would be nice.

Too often about half way through it almost seems like food OD.

It would be nice to be able to enjoy a dessert for a change, and not feel like a certain scene from "The Meaning of Life."

Tasting menus generally aspire to result in the customer leaving neither hungry nor overstuffed, but comfortably full. The current menu (in it's present form) results in people with large appetites leaving somewhat hungry. While it is definitely unpleasant to leave a restaurant too full and to not be able to enjoy dessert, it is also not good to feel as though one has to head out for a slice of pizza after an expensive meal. Tru is a first class establishment and I am sure will find the right balance sooner rather than later. They have only last week commenced a new concept to their menu and have a great blue print, it just needs a bit of tweaking and they seem to be actively working on getting it just right.

Gonzo70 wrote:Tru has recently undergone some significant changes (perhaps a push towards achieving multiple Michelin stars). While I think that in the long run the changes will prove to be for the better, there are some growing pains to be worked out; tonight's dinner was still extremely good overall, but some tweaking is in order. Tru no longer offers an a la carte option but has two tasting menus (which they have dubbed the "experience"); a seven course menu (for $115 with optional $75 wine pairings) and a thirteen course (for $158 with optional $115 pairings). All of the items on the seven course menu are also on the thirteen course.

Strange move.

I love tasting menus. But in the past two years, I had not enjoyed the tasting menu format at Tru. I preferred the prix fixe option, which allowed me more control over my dining experience. I hope the removal of such freedom means that Martin is now better at crafting a cohesive and compelling narrative in a tasting menu.

I think it is proper that Tru got rid of the bread service. Previously, the only bread I've ever enjoyed from them was the onion pumpernickel, and that wasn't even house-made (Tru used to make two breads in-house and source the rest from Red Hen). This led me to believe that they lack the resources to carry a big bread program. So make fewer and sprinkle them during the meal, like Charlie Trotter's did, is probably the way to go before they figure out how to replica the L2O success on bread.

Ever since Gale Gand stopped doing dessert at Tru, the mignardises had become the best part of a meal there (food-wise; I know they still have a kick-ass wine program). So it is disappointing that they decided to scale that down. I hope this decision was a strategic move by the chef rather than a decree from the accounting department at LEY...

Gonzo70 wrote:It was nice how receptive they were to feedback (we had a really nice chat with the dining room manager on the way out).

Kudos to you for that. I think that can be a great help to any restaurant that is open to it. I admit that I can be a bit reluctant to do so, just because I hate to seem negative or nitpicking when a meal is basically excellent and just needs a few tweaks.

BR wrote:

kanin wrote:I get more worried when photos make dishes look better than they actually taste.

No offense intended to ronnie_suburban, incite and a few others (more of a compliment about their photography skills), but they have a bad habit of accomplishing just this!

The best are the people that only look at pictures and post downthread how delicious that looks and they need to try it where in the text the person wrote how terrible the dish was.

jesteinf wrote:You don't have to post any pictures for a post to be of value. Given the quality of some internet food photography, I'm starting to sympathize with restaurants who prohibit picture taking.

I really disagree with this sentiment. Personally I prefer iphone type of photos, which gives you a more realistic feel of what you're looking at. I love LTH for its frank discussions, not advertisement style food porn photos.

BR wrote:

kanin wrote:I get more worried when photos make dishes look better than they actually taste.

No offense intended to ronnie_suburban, incite and a few others (more of a compliment about their photography skills), but they have a bad habit of accomplishing just this!

LOL! No offense taken. When the food's bad, I usually don't spend my time posting pictures, although there have been a couple of times when I've posted pics of food that looked much better than it tasted. In those rare cases, I usually post something along the lines of "warning: food looks more delicious than it actually is." While they are sometimes useful, I'm not a fan of poor quality photos because I think in most cases, they do an unfair disservice to the restaurants in question, while not doing very much for those who view them.

As for Tru, I happen to be going in the near future and I'm looking forward to seeing how much it's changed since my last visit. It's been nearly 8 years!!

=R=

the mignardise are not a smaller selection . they just are not on a cart anymore

PopcornMegaphone wrote:

jesteinf wrote:You don't have to post any pictures for a post to be of value. Given the quality of some internet food photography, I'm starting to sympathize with restaurants who prohibit picture taking.

I really disagree with this sentiment. Personally I prefer iphone type of photos, which gives you a more realistic feel of what you're looking at. I love LTH for its frank discussions, not advertisement style food porn photos.

Ouch

gocubs88 wrote:the mignardise are not a smaller selection . they just are not on a cart anymore

In addition to the mignardises cart, there used to be a bowl of financiers that come with desserts and extra chocolate at the end (as of 2012). You're right, though, in that despite the impressive display, the mignardises cart per se didn't offer more numerous selections than what Gonzo showed. I guess it goes to show how presentation can mold perception.

windyfoodie wrote:

gocubs88 wrote:the mignardise are not a smaller selection . they just are not on a cart anymore

In addition to the mignardises cart, there used to be a bowl of financiers that come with desserts and extra chocolate at the end (as of 2012). You're right, though, in that despite the impressive display, the mignardises cart per se didn't offer more numerous selections than what Gonzo showed. I guess it goes to show how presentation can mold perception.

they give the financiers away stil and the chocolate is the same only presented in the smoking vessel as pictured "exploding truffle"

As I posted upthread, it had been nearly 8 years since I'd last been to Tru. My visit this past week was stellar. First and foremost, I thought the food was brilliant -- delicious, well-conceived, perfectly cooked and gorgeous. While a couple of dishes stood out slightly above the others for me, what really struck me was how evenly -- and at such a high level -- the entire menu progressed. Service was also phenomenal. Detailed, concise explanations were provided for all the courses, and while I personally did not have wine pairings, 2 of my tablemates did (including my wife, and I tried sips of all of hers). Frankly, the wine service was among some of the very best I've ever experienced. Not only were the pairings spot on but learning why certain pairings were chosen -- and some background about those wines -- was remarkably enlightening. Yes, this is de rigueur at so many top restaurants these days but the way it has handled at Tru was outstanding. Information was delivered concisely, articulately and in a way that communicated quite a bit about the thought process behind each pairing.

What follows is a rather lengthy photo recap of our meal. I'm not going to bother with individual course descriptions (beyond what was on the menu, and pairings are in italics) because I feel that doing so is really counter to the spirit of what this meal was all about. It was a coherent and expertly choreographed symphony from end to end that was so much more than the sum of its individual courses. I hope the photos reveal enough about this food to provide some value to anyone considering dining at Tru . . .


Gougere



Amenity de la Terre | beet, ossetra caviar, horseradish, chervil



Day Boat Scallop | hon shimeji, cilantro, ginger, lime
huber alte setzen traisental 2011



Ancho Cured Duck on Down | tangerine, sour cherry
emile beyer "cuvee de l'hostellerie" riesling alsace 2009



Living Easy



Peeky Toe Crab | lemon vanilla gelee, frosted parsley
franciacorta "cuvee prestige" ca' del bosco nv



Light Sunchoke | sorrel, arctic char roe
alpha estate sauvignon blanc florina greece 2011



Service Piece for Truffle + Foie Gras Royal | celery root
domaine bachelet bourgogne rouge 2009



Truffle + Foie Gras Royal | celery root



Croissant and Truffle Butter served with Truffle + Foie Gras Royal | celery root



Butternut Squash Soup | white truffle cream
saumur "breze" domain guiberteau 2009



Tuilles served with Butternut Squash Soup | white truffle cream



Service Piece for Squab In Hazelnuts | medjool date, young carrot
cerasuolo d'abruzzo "amphora" cirelli 2011



Squab In Hazelnuts | medjool date, young carrot



Golden Tilefish | shiitake, yuzu, togarashi
yucho shuzo "takacho the regal hawk" bodaimoto junmai sake, nara prefecture



Golden Tilefish | shiitake, yuzu, togarashi



Kobe Beef In Two Forms | potato, wasabi mustard
radio-coteau syrah timbervine russian river valley 2009



Kobe Beef Ribeye | potato, wasabi mustard



Kobe Beef Shortrib | potato, wasabi mustard



Epoisses | herb salad, red wine pear
j.k.'s scrumpy hard cider



Epoisses | herb salad, red wine pear



Cheese Course



Cider Sorbet | black walnut



Madeleines served with Cider Sorbet | black walnut



Vanilla Parfait | orange confit
moscato d'asti "sourgal" elio perrone 2011



Valrhona Chocolate Variation
santorini vin santo sigalas 2004



Meringue



Mignardises



Mignardises



Mignardises

We probably weren't even a third of the way through our meal when it occurred to me how utterly ridiculous it is that Tru has only 1 Michelin star -- a feeling that grew as the meal progressed. In a way, that shouldn't be surprising at all. Ever since they "came to town" Michelin has demonstrated a notably lacking sense of quality and detail. However, based on this meal and my admittedly limited experience dining in 3-star restaurants (outside of Chicago), there's just no way that Tru doesn't fall into this category. This is one of a small handful of restaurants in Chicago that is doing everything exceptionally. It's unquestionably world-class. On our Friday visit, the dining room wasn't even half full. Given what how difficult it can often be to get a table at Alinea, Tru might be the best kept secret in Chicago.

=R=

Went a few days ago for just the dessert menu (reservations are available at 9:00 or later on weeknights; otherwise it's an option as space allows). Some parts were entirely different from what Ron had in March, some identical and some were in between.


"Passionate Marshmallow" was the first course and it was stellar. That's a toasted marshamallow surrounding passionfruit sorbet and dotted with dehydrated mango on top. Truly stellar. Those were followed by the same madeleines pictured above but without any sorbet.


Second official course was "Wild Berries, Yellow Peach, Honey Oats." I'd like to know what farm still has strawberries this good in September. The peach is in sorbet form and the blueberry is candied. I was surprised at the relative simplicity of the dish (berries, yogurt and granola isn't exactly uncommon), but I didn't feel cheated at all.


The final course was called "Chocolate in Layers, Sudachi." The tuile-like cookies are cocoa and layered in between was a rich chocolate mouse and white chocolate ice cream. I'm not a while chocolate fan but fortunately the which chocolate flavor was thoroughly dominated by the mousse and the cocoa, so the ice cream served more for extra sweetness and fat. Sprinkled all over is a sudachi powder, which added a really nice acidic twist.


The mignardises were almost identical to when Ron went (the macaron is now grape instead of whatever the white one is he had). The others all look the same (the canelé, the mango pâtes de fruits, the anise marshmallow, the chocolate basil truffle, and the dark chocolate shell filled with lemon). The macaron and canelé were fine, but the other four were all outstanding. And of course there's the exploding chocolate (pictured). It's chocolate. It's filled with liquid chocolate. It's pretty. It's exquisite.

Edited for typos.

Seedling Farms had strawberries at The Green City Market this week, and they have a tremendous amount of restaurant customers, so I would imagine they would be the source. They were the very small berries with a somewhat rough exterior.

Hi- There are a few farmers that come to the Evanston market that raise everbearing strawberries. I did not see any at seedlings booth today when I bought my cantaloupe and plums, but I was not really looking for them anyway. I know one couple there that bring them, are usually sold out of them by the time I get there. There were still lots of peaches there today, but they are winding down, and if you want to get any next week, I would get there early. I was also told by the woman at Seedlings that she is not sure if she will have melons next week, and the person I normally get my corn from, is not sure if he will have any corn next Saturday.

Seedling and Mick Klug both have material restaurant business and have had strawberries recently at Lincoln Square farmers' markets. Mick had a much larger supply. I do not know if these strawberries are everbearing (tend to produce three flushes of berries per year) or day-neutral (more continuous production although blossom production tends to shut down at temperatures above 90 F). Both type produce medium to small berries. However, the day-neutral varieties tend to have better quality. The ones I bought from Mick Klug the last week in August were pretty good although not up to the best in June.

Cinnamon Girl wrote:Seedling Farms had strawberries at The Green City Market this week, and they have a tremendous amount of restaurant customers, so I would imagine they would be the source. They were the very small berries with a somewhat rough exterior.


Sounds like fraises des bois. I better contact Pete now!

Oh, and how much is this dessert tasting? It looks lovely.

pairs4life wrote:Oh, and how much is this dessert tasting? It looks lovely.

$40 a person for the dessert tasting. There's also the option of buying one course for $15.

MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:

pairs4life wrote:Oh, and how much is this dessert tasting? It looks lovely.

$40 a person for the dessert tasting. There's also the option of buying one course for $15.

For those offerings that was a steal. A real pleasant change from tea, which I also adore.

Thanks.

MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:

Tru 002.JPG

"Passionate Marshmallow" was the first course and it was stellar. That's a toasted marshamallow surrounding passionfruit sorbet and dotted with dehydrated mango on top.

Chicago Magazine posted a video showing how the passionate marshmallow is made. The amount of work involved is pretty impressive.

Any new reports lately? I have a reservation coming up and I'm swaying between this or trying Intro. We have el ideas booked the night before, so a jacket required setting seems like a good counterpoint. We have been to Tru for the dessert tasting and thought the space was very nice and the desserts to be good. We've been to all of the tasting menu restaurants except Everest, Acadia, and Tru. With all of the great restaurants we could revisit, i am finding it difficult to pull the trigger. Wish we lived closer!