Crusco

An excellent addition to the Asheville food scene. Simply stunning, creative presentations that were perfectly prepared. The vegetable, pasta, and main courses were delicious. Excellent drink menu. Desserts were also fabulous. Having been here a few times before, I was really impressed with how they have rotated in new dishes while still keeping an anchor menu of old standbys. Our server balanced providing everything we needed without hovering over us. She somehow managed to always show up exactly when needed. If I was going to take a serious foodie to any restaurant in Asheville, Crusco would be at the top of my list. Seriously impressed.

I must start my experience here: For those in previous reviews complaining about the cost, I invite you to ask any restaurant owner anywhere about the cost of running a restaurant and dare you to ever complain about the cost of your dish again -- especially when it's in such a lovely, welcoming, and queer-friendly environment such as Crusco has created. I would also encourage you to remember the countless ways that Helene impacted all types of business in this area (especially in River Arts) before you complain about the cost of supporting your local businesses. We have our own restaurant in San Francisco, so we know deeply the delicate interplay between menu choices, cost consideration, and hospitality and Crusco does a beautiful job on all fronts. With those important points aside, I would love to discuss the food! I'll mention that I can't eat gluten or dairy and our awesome server Matt was well-versed on the ways in which the chef can work within these restrictions and I really appreciate this flexibility. The beet and carrot app was lovely and layered with flavor, leaving us scraping the bottom of the plate for every last drop. The scallop crudo was truly delicious and light in the best possible way. The campanelle (which I couldn't resist trying a bite of) was super flavorful and the shrimp was perfectly cooked. The flounder was again cooked to perfection and had such layered and impactful flavors. My chicken leg was pounded flat with a lovely crispness in the skin and enveloped in a delightful broth. I highly recommend this new restaurant, and wish them only the best and brightest future!

Any time a new concept goes into a space that was previously occupied by a well-loved restaurant, there are the risks of either trying too hard to be like the previous restaurant or changing everything so much that the character/vibe of the space is completely lost. Crusco has not fallen into either trap. The space remains relatively unchanged - quaint, moderately lit, and lively but warm. Minimal on decor, but not at all boring. I was happy to feel immediately comfortable. The food is stellar. Order as many small plates as possible and share with the table. We didn’t have a bad bite, but the mushroom dish, the crudo, the pumpkin soup with blue crab, and the roast fish with new potatoes were the stars. The seasonal farm-to-table menu will ensure that the kitchen’s creativity will be on display in different ways all of the time. The service was top-notch. Attentive, helpful, and ultimately courteous without being overbearing. I had high hopes and expectations for this restaurant, I was not at all disappointed.

I went to crusco last night. they clearly know how to make a good taste but the portions were way too small and a few dishes were so bland. we got the potatoes and it was basically boiled potatoes in butter. same with the mushrooms. the caviar was 4 tiny milk bread buns with an even smaller amount of cream and caviar. the agnolotti was nice but the filling was too caulky. honestly the best things were the fennel gin and tonic & the stewed cabbage! plus we ordered 6 small plates and a pasta and our bill was nearly $250. tasty but not filling and not a good value.

Located inside an old warehouse in the River Arts District, Crusco is a new restaurant that sources local ingredients to create seasons dishes in a cozy environment. Making a reservation for a Saturday evening at 6pm for my family of three, here's our experience. 1) Food: Look on the dining room wall and you'll find a list of ingredients sources from local growers and makers. When they can, they incorporate them into dishes. To feed my wife, eight-year-old daughter, we ordered the chive buns, pumpkin soup, crudo (made with scallops), seared scallops, beets and carrots, roasted mushrooms, campanelle, and the Japanese cheesecake. Each dish came out beautifully presented. The favorite dishes were the chive buns with the kimchi butter, the pumpkin soup, roasted mushrooms, and Japanese cheesecake. 2) Drinks: The menu is diverse with cocktails, wine, beer, and more. I enjoyed a glass of their orange wine. It tasted like a cross between hard cider and a Sauvignon blanc. 3) Service: This was the star of the evening. Our server was amazing- personable, knowledgeable of the menu, passionate about the concept. She was excellent! 4) Space: Park on the street out front and walk inside into the dimly lit space with a bar and a small dining room. It's decorated well and cozy.

I had been wanting to try this new restaurant after hearing so many great things, and my friend and I finally decided to give it a try. We booked an early reservation at 5:30, right when they opened. There weren’t many patrons when we arrived, but by the time we left, the place was a full house—every table seemed to be filled. Our waiter was absolutely amazing. He spent so much time answering all our questions about the menu and truly made the experience special. My friend ordered a non-alcoholic Phony Negroni, and I said I would just stick with water. He quickly offered to make a delicious non-alcoholic cocktail, and even though I don’t remember what he called it or what was in it, it was unbelievably good. We started by sharing the Radishes with cultured butter. The radishes were crisp and full of flavor. Next, we chose the Beets and Carrots salad—the beets were cooked to perfection, and every bite was pure deliciousness. For our entrées, my friend ordered the Agnolotti and I chose the Campanelle. I tasted the Agnolotti and it was fantastic, but I absolutely loved the Campanelle—pasta in a light tomato sauce with perfectly cooked shrimp. It was outstanding. For dessert, we decided to share the Chocolate Pot de Crème with orange (I may not be saying it exactly as listed on the menu). It was heavenly—silky smooth chocolate with a hint of orange, topped with cookie crumbles and nuts. An unforgettable ending to a wonderful meal. If you have the chance, go dine with them—I promise you won’t be disappointed. We split the bill at about $65 each, including the tip, and it was worth every penny.

Extremely impressed! The menu is outstanding and reflects exactly what’s happening in local produce. We ordered about 60% of the menu and I would have every dish again. Anywhere a vegetable showed up it was treated beautifully and showcased the quality of the farms they came from. Everything was cooked perfectly from the kitchen's clearly talented Chefs. The service from front door till leaving was perfect in every way. Warm, friendly and refined The space is beautiful with a super cool bar and a main dining room that overlooks the kitchen in the back. Parking was super easy too which is an added bonus. Can’t wait to come back although it’s clear this will be the hottest ticket in town and I will need to plan ahead. Well done Crusco, well done!! And congratulations to all of you

We had an absolutely wonderful dinner here with our family, including our parents. The atmosphere is beautiful, the décor is thoughtful and warm, and the food and drinks were truly delicious. A special shout-out to our server, Matt. His service was exceptional — he introduced every dish and drink with so much energy and personality, and he was incredibly attentive throughout the evening. It really made the whole experience even better. We enjoyed every moment of our time here and would happily come back. Highly recommend!

I love the whole sad but also beautiful origin story and concept of Crusco The food was fantastic, I felt everything was in a way risky and challenging but high-level, minimalist, and super tasty; all under the honorable overarching theme of making locally sourced ingredients the main protagonist The interior is very cozy and simple which we appreciated. Staff was really nice to us and knowledgeable Cocktails are also great This place is new and I bet it will be on JBeard and Michelin shortlists soon, you can tell the've been ambitious in the best way possible and I hope they keep it that way Good luck Crusco, we hope to come back soon!

Located inside an old warehouse in the River Arts District, Crusco is a new restaurant that sources local ingredients to create seasons dishes in a cozy environment. Making a reservation for a Saturday evening at 6pm for my family of three, here's our experience. 1) Food: Look on the dining room wall and you'll find a list of ingredients sources from local growers and makers. When they can, they incorporate them into dishes. To feed my wife, eight-year-old daughter, we ordered the chive buns, pumpkin soup, crudo (made with scallops), seared scallops, beets and carrots, roasted mushrooms, campanelle, and the Japanese cheesecake. Each dish came out beautifully presented. The favorite dishes were the chive buns with the kimchi butter, the pumpkin soup, roasted mushrooms, and Japanese cheesecake. 2) Drinks: The menu is diverse with cocktails, wine, beer, and more. I enjoyed a glass of their orange wine. It tasted like a cross between hard cider and a Sauvignon blanc. 3) Service: This was the star of the evening. Our server was amazing- personable, knowledgeable of the menu, passionate about the concept. She was excellent! 4) Space: Park on the street out front and walk inside into the dimly lit space with a bar and a small dining room. It's decorated well and cozy.

I had been wanting to try this new restaurant after hearing so many great things, and my friend and I finally decided to give it a try. We booked an early reservation at 5:30, right when they opened. There weren't many patrons when we arrived, but by the time we left, the place was a full house--every table seemed to be filled. Our waiter was absolutely amazing. He spent so much time answering all our questions about the menu and truly made the experience special. My friend ordered a non-alcoholic Phony Negroni, and I said I would just stick with water. He quickly offered to make a delicious non-alcoholic cocktail, and even though I don't remember what he called it or what was in it, it was unbelievably good. We started by sharing the Radishes with cultured butter. The radishes were crisp and full of flavor. Next, we chose the Beets and Carrots salad--the beets were cooked to perfection, and every bite was pure deliciousness. For our entrées, my friend ordered the Agnolotti and I chose the Campanelle. I tasted the Agnolotti and it was fantastic, but I absolutely loved the Campanelle--pasta in a light tomato sauce with perfectly cooked shrimp. It was outstanding. For dessert, we decided to share the Chocolate Pot de Crème with orange (I may not be saying it exactly as listed on the menu). It was heavenly--silky smooth chocolate with a hint of orange, topped with cookie crumbles and nuts. An unforgettable ending to a wonderful meal. If you have the chance, go dine with them--I promise you won't be disappointed. We split the bill at about $65 each, including the tip, and it was worth every penny.

Had a nice dinner experience last night at Crusco. The food was delicious & the service was on point. The buttered daiquiri was so good & I enjoyed everything we ordered. I love that their menu changes with the seasons. The only thing to note about the atmosphere is that it was oddly very loud in the dining room.

I had been excited to try Crusco since it took over the former Vivian spot. I was thrilled to find that the quaint, elevated but comfy vibe of the space remains the same. The service throughout was warm, friendly, and on point. The farm to table menu is creative and interesting. Plenty of unique vegetarian options - some takes on vegetables I never would have come up with and would completely ruin if I tried at home. They were able to accommodate a simple request to remove a meat element from a dish so the vegetarian at the table could enjoy - and the server was very friendly about it. That dish, the mushrooms, was one of the collective favorites. Other stars were the marinated beans, the apple and sudachi crudo, the pumpkin soup with blue crab, and the roast fish with new potatoes. The Japanese cheesecake was a stellar dessert. Overall, it was an incredibly enjoyable meal. Crusco is definitely going on my recommendation list.

Crusco is a new restaurant at the River Arts District, in the spot where Vivian used to be. If you used to go to Cucina 24, you will be delighted to see many familiar faces there. We went for the soft opening and sat at the covered patio. Here is what we had: Yellowtail crudo, with a fresh crunchy fennel relish. Delicious. Spanish Tortilla with creme fraiche and caviar. So good, with a generous amount of good quality caviar. Tomatoes with eggplant and garum. This was such a bright summer dish. Greens in chicken broth with cipollini. I'm already craving this dish. Spaghetti with clams. Just perfect. Fried pork chop with cabbage, with a delicious vadouvan sauce. Desserts: Steamed cheesecake with a fresh berry sorbet and the Bundt cake with peach and whipped cream. Both really good. Service was impeccable and super friendly. You can taste and feel the love put into the dishes and the space. I can't wait to go back.

My husband and I decided to try Crusco for his birthday dinner and thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. We were warmly greeted by the hostess and promptly seated. I couldn't tell that it wasn't Vivian's minus the books as far as the decor goes and was happy about that. The menu was explained well and our waitress was knowledgeable and ready to accommodate any food allergies or preferences. We each had a delicious cocktail to start with and then had the fish entrees for our meals. My husband had the special, which was yellowtail collar and I had the roasted fish. Both were delicious and so flavorful! We also splurged on dessert since it was his birthday. We shared the cheesecake and the deconstructed apple pie. Both were fabulous! The portions were perfect.

We are Ashevillians. We love the food culture in this town. Two of our favorite locations were Vivian's & Cuchina 24. Sadly, both have needed to close... With that said, there is this amazing new restaurant combining the original Vivian's location with mgmt./staff/kitchen from Cuchina 24. HAZA!! The food here is, in my humble opinion, a level above most anything in this foodie town. Each dish is not oversized, but presented beautifully featuring local farm ingredients w/a gourmet quality that is, again by me, world class. My wife and I are indeed world travelers. We often compare Asheville restaurants to others and overall Asheville ranks as some of the best. Crusco is a must experience for presentation, preparation, quality, atmosphere (killer tunes) & engaging experienced service. That's it. Go! Selah...

We began our dining experience at Crusco with a friendly greeting, we were seated outside, the weather was beautiful and outside seating was very nice. We ordered three starters, each uniquely flavored, each extremely small portions. For the price of each item we were all disappointed in the portion size. We then each ordered an entree, again very small portions but very delicious! I would say for the price of each item the portion sizes could be much larger. Our waitress was lovely and did let us know that each item was on the smaller size. I'm not sure we would return as we all left still hungry.

We took some friends from out of town and loved it! Delicious food and drinks. We sat on the patio which was a nice vibe and are looking forward to coming back to sit inside.