Wonderful

   IBJOIMHOFF - 06/17/2008

I have eaten in many fine restaurants throughout the U.S. and Europe. Friends had said they weren't impressed with Tru due to the "uptight" service. I found the service to be flawless but not cold or uptight. The degustation menu rivals that of French Laundry (in my opinion). All this in my hometown! Tru is a must for those who appreciate fine dining.

The Trifecta!

   PFPAN - 04/27/2008

This restaurant can boast that it uniquely delivers top marks in all the areas that a restaurant strives to excel. The first achievement is the elegant and classy decor which is highlighted by a tasteful array of fine contemporary art by the best artists (Klein, Ruscha, Warhol, Judd, etc.) from their best period of work. The interior design, lighting fixtures, surrounding drapes, and table linens are chosen and crafted to precisely provide a comfortable atmosphere that invites you to enjoy the food without distraction. The second trophy is Tru's service
- a perfectly synchronized ballet executed by employees who plainly enjoy the opportunity to work in one of the world's greatest dining experiences. Finally, the purpose for being at Tru is the menu fare which is an artfully crafted array of flavors, textures, amusement (poprocks candy stimulate your senses in the final amuse bouche) and presentation. Appetizers meet every expectation and prepare you for the entrees which are deliciously diverse. Dessert is a romp through a candy-store kaleidoscope of flavors and colors. The Tru dining is experience is nothing short of perfect from all angles. For those fortunate enough to be a Tru guest, it is the highlight of any visit to Chicago .

Not for every fine diner

   joehass99 - 03/11/2007

Tru has a wonderful menu, dazzling presentation and a definite air of grandeur. But we found the space cold and sterile, and the service was hyper-efficient and impersonal to a fault. If you want a similar dining experience and can forego coordinated table-side entree placement for a server that might actually smile and talk to you, try Nomi instead.

My favorite in the world

   fplantan - 08/15/2006

I've dined at Tru three times, taking the degustation menu and some of the most wonderful 3 hours of my life each time. I will say that the last visit was not as "wow!" as the first two times--some of the flavors were off or not as clear or explosive on the palette. I hope that is not a trend. But I would go back again, if only to support Rick Tramanto's stand on the stupid anti-Foie Gras vote in the City Council (and for which I will boycott Charlie Trotter's, just on principle). One warning though..leaver enough space to enjoy the desserts and incredible cheese boaard at the end. Gail Gand is a confectionary genius.

Tru without the commitment

   strchyarchy - 08/09/2006

A new 9-table Salon lets you sample the ambiance, coordinated service, and ingenious creations without dropping $110-$135 a person on three hours of degustation antics.

Its five caviar offerings and five “savory” ones start at $12. They’re tiny in size but huge in creativity and quality. Four tiny sandwiches--maybe 2 inches across--included one was of butter-poached lobster with mango on a tiny brioche; another was filled with chile-spiced peeky-toe crab. They came with a salad of lamb’s-tongue lettuce, each tiny but flavorful leaf seemingly brushed individually with a few molecules of dressing. I don’t know if it’s the superior ingredients or the ingenious combinations and gifted cookery, but an eye dropper of food here seems to pack as much flavor punch and more pure pleasure than a ladleful elsewhere.

It’s obviously not the amount of food that makes this place so special, but the careful hunting out of extraordinary ingredients and the specialized talent that delivers so much pleasure. Nowhere is that more obvious than in the $36 “slow-poached” egg. It’s cooked for 90 minutes to develop a unique consistency, then added to a cream-and-Champagne sauce with 1/8-inch croutons that crunch and simplicity to contrast with the smooth, rich sauce and delicate osetra caviar. The salty roe, sinfully-rich cream, unctuous egg, and elemental bread each makes its own statement to the delight of your taste buds.