Now that I’ve become a part-time commuter, the idea of happy hour has become more enticing — especially after a 40-minute train ride from San Francisco. So imagine my smiling face when I came upon Cru Wine Bar & Merchant, a welcome addition to downtown Redwood City’s dining scene just steps from the Caltrain station.
Located in a corner of the massive Box building on Middlefield Road, the restaurant is easy to pass by unless you’re looking for it. But it has identified an ideal niche for its clientele — tech employees, downtown and Sequoia Station shoppers needing a break, and commuters with a wait before the next train arrives. That’s when Cru’s happy hour really comes in handy.
Decorated with exposed brick and rustic wood tables, Cru’s high ceilings feature fixtures reminiscent of train tracks, and its walls are lined with wines and imported comestibles for sale. The space is large and open, with barstools made of lacquered wine crates and a vintage red Berkel meat slicer that looks like a piece of art. Large chalkboards list the daily menus, which change slightly between lunch and dinner.
Cru serves up fine charcuterie, cheese samples, slices of Roman-style pizza and small plates designed to whet an appetite rather than satiate it. The menu is oriented toward snacking and sharing, but you’ll have no trouble filling up on the offerings. The focus is on its well-rounded wine list, with a heavy showing of bottles from Italy, France, Spain and California.
Cru is the latest addition to Donato Scotti’s sister enterprises, the much-lauded Donato Enoteca just down the street (a 2015 Michelin Bib Gourmand selection) and Desco in downtown Oakland. The concept is simple but brilliant: uncomplicated dishes using pristine ingredients and interesting wines that can be savored. The wine list is compiled and edited by partner Eric Lecours, a certified sommelier of the Court of Master Sommeliers, who has an eye for rich, complex bottles at reasonable prices. Vintages are available for sale, as are some select imported olive oils, balsamic vinegars, sea salt and hard-to-find Gianni Frasi coffee beans.
That coffee is the draw in the morning, brewed in the restaurant’s Faema E61, a 1961 espresso machine that was rebuilt by Frasi himself. Scotti and the renowned Italian coffee roaster have been friends for 20 years, according to Lecours. Paired with a house-made croissant, it’s a sophisticated way to start a morning.
The lunch menu, focused on salads, sandwiches and pizza by the slice, is designed to be swift and simple. A highlight is the house-cured pastrami on warm ciabatta ($12), small chunks of dense and tender meat balanced with homemade coleslaw and an afterthought of provolone. That pastrami also is the star of a good-sized salad, mixed with kale, apples and provolone cheese, doused with vinaigrette ($11).
Later in the day, Cru evolves into a full-fledged European-style wine bar, with archival beers and a well-curated wine list. An extended happy hour offers generous discounts on wine and beer ($3 off glasses of wine and $2 off beer), and the bar tends to fill up quickly.
Artisan meats and cheeses are the perfect accompaniment to the select vintages offered by the glass or bottle. And that’s where Cru really shines. The ideal pairing is to create a mix-and-match custom charcuterie and cheese plate. Prosciutto, salami, sausage and hard and soft cheeses pair with pretty much any glass on the menu. Servers are friendly and savvy, and can help wine newbies find a selection in any white or red comfort level.
Small entrees include a rillette of duck and pork ($8) served in a small glass Mason jar with slices of toasted baguette. Though not as creamy as pate, the spread was rich and flavored, and a fitting complement to a glass of Sparkman Cellars cabernet from Washington ($11). A dish of polpette ($6) featured four tasty meatballs smothered in a sweet tomato sauce, nicely balanced with a dry and hefty San Lazzaro sangiovese ($8) from eastern Italy.
A large square of pizza topped with prosciutto and burrata cheese ($7) lacked cohesion, though the version with spicy salami and mozzarella ($8) had more zip. As a fan of thin-crust Neapolitan-style pizza, I found the Roman-style pizza too bready, though the dough is a source of pride, made in-house over a period of 72 hours.
Both the food menu and wine listings will change regularly, Lecours said, to appeal to different palates and introduce new vintages, though certain basics will always remain in place. Sidewalk tables in a roomy enclosed patio will be a great option once the weather obliges, and live jazz is in the works for Sunday mornings.
Cru straddles a relatively undeveloped line between restaurant and bar, with a sophisticated Euro vibe, flavorful menu offerings made with top ingredients and a refined wine list to expand the palate. And it’s a terrific diversion the next time you need to wait for a train.
Cru Wine Bar & Merchant
900 B Middlefield Road, Redwood City
650-362-3535
Cruredwoodcity.com
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Happy hour: Monday-Friday, 3-6 p.m.
Credit cards: Yes
Reservations: Yes
Catering: Yes
Delivery: No
Outdoor seating: Yes
Parking: Street and nearby public lots
Alcohol: Beer and wine
Wheelchair access: Yes
Noise level: Low
Bathroom cleanliness: Excellent
