Krüs Kitchen

When Krüs Kitchen is at its best, it’s extraordinary. When it’s at its worst, it’s still a very good restaurant that treats its food better than a fancy Maltese at a dog show.

The menu here is seasonal and changes at least twice a year. That’s good news and bad news. It means that for months at a time, they’re doing amazing things with scallions, long beans, cabbage, and lobster—but it also means that reliable dishes one season can take wild and unexpected turns the next.

You’re not just coming to Krüs for the food though. It’s such a gorgeous space. The dining room is located above its sister restaurant, Los Felix , up an industrial switchback staircase. A long glass block window stretches high into an arched skylight that spans the room. The restaurant’s bookcases soak in the sun before it sets, highlighting the green and amber bottles of biodynamic wines that fill them. It’s a mellow space that reflects the restaurant’s easygoing attitude. Service is relaxed and our last dinner here lasted three hours. So don’t have pressing plans after the meal.

But behind that casual attitude is sincere care—not just for what’s on the plate but the journey it takes to get there. They buy rotating crops from local farmers to encourage soil health and source seafood carefully with fish populations in mind. Krüs is a restaurant for farmers market people.

Sometimes, a dish or two is just tinkered with too much. Our favorite plate here used to be the delicate little crudo with sliced wasabi radishes floating in a ponzu pond. One spring, it was invaded by beets, a seasonal change that oversaturated and overcomplicated a perfect dish.

Those flaws do happen—but they are the exception to the thoughtful, delicious menu. Overall, it’s fun to see what these folks can do with tomatoes and tuna tartare, or pasta and beef cheeks. Krüs takes risks. And if you’re the kind of person who reads The Old Farmer’s Almanac , go to Krüs—and then keep going back every season.

Food Rundown

The menu at Krüs Kitchen changes seasonally, but here are a few examples of the kind of dishes you might find here.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc

Heirloom Tomatoes

It’s the kind of dish people might gloss over—heirloom tomatoes and tuna tartare. But the tomato dashi adds salty richness and depth, while the tarragon oil gives it a grassy flavor. Imagine holding your mouth wide open during a giant tomato fight on a freshly mowed field. That’s what this tastes like.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc

Crudo

We can’t overstate how much we loved the old crudo here. Now, it’s an overengineered purple puddle that makes us grimace. The avocado, lemongrass, and fish are all overpowered by the taste and color of the beet ponzu. And the texture of chewy pickled beets is not a fun surprise.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc

Smoked Coconut Rice

The previous version of this dish was much better. To be clear, this one isn’t bad. But squid ink and saffron custard are two very strong flavors. And neither the coconut nor crab can compete.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc

Grilled Scallops

Here’s a great example of what Krüs does so well: an excellent main ingredient layered with complementary flavors from sauces and seasonal vegetables. The meaty scallops with anchovy butter are incredible on their own. But it’s the supporting roles of the saffron-madeira sauce and romano beans that turn this dish into a winner.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc

Chitarra

You can skip this dish. It reads like our favorite kind of story—one involving uni and rock shrimp woven into strands of fresh pasta and lobster broth. But the pasta itself is grainy. It needs a heartier sauce, and the taste of uni fumbles around the dish like a brace-mouthed teenager during his first kiss.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc

Bone-In Iberico Pork Chop

The meat on this pork chop is so tender, your fork slips right through each piece. And the char on the crispy skin crunches along with the sprinkle of sweet grilled snap peas. It’s so good you’ll want to gnaw on the bone.