Krüs Kitchen is beautiful and obsessed with ingredients - Review - Miami - The Infatuation

"Krüs Kitchen marries ingredients the way royalty marries off their children: deeply invested in where it’s from. 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. photo credit: CLEVELAND JENNINGS / @EATTHECANVASLLC 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 dinner here can last a few 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. But overcomplicated dishes 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—and then keep going back every season. RESERVE A TABLE WITH RESERVE A TABLE CARDMEMBER BENEFITS FOR Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits. SEE EXCLUSIVE TIMESAPPLY NOW Food Rundown The menu at Krüs Kitchen changes seasonally, but here are a few examples of the kind of dishes you might find here. 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 With its snappy crown of nectarine straws, creamy avocado emulsion, and local fish in peach ponzu—this dish tastes like a long summer vacation from top to bottom. PlayMute video credit: Virginia Otazo Smoked Coconut Rice Always order the coconut rice. These sweet chunks of crab covered in silky saffron custard are draped over a mound of smoked rice—the same way you’ll want to sprawl across your chair after the first bite. PlayMute video credit: Julia Malavé Ravioli The ravioli is a great example of how Krüs can turn contrasting flavors into one tart, rich, nutty, and sweet kaleidoscope. Even more impressive is how it’s bound by opposing textures, like crunchy hazelnuts and a creamy cheese filling. PlayMute video credit: Virginia Otazo 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. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc" - Virginia Otazo