Lauren S.
Yelp
The Crossing was the first fancy dinner date night my partner and I went on so it holds a special place for us and our relationship as a milestone, however, that is only because of the exceptional food that was offered to us that created such a fond memory. Clayton is home to many exceptional dining establishments but we hold the belief that it is the crème de la crème and stands out amongst its peers.
Using our tried and true PASTA mnemonic (presentation, affordability, service, taste, and atmosphere), we easily give the last three 5/5, affordability 4/5 (to be expected when attending fine dining), and presentation a 6/5 if we could. We recommend the dinner tasting menu and choosing two dishes from each category you each would like and then sharing to get a full, well-rounded tasting experience. You get to try ~50% of the menu that way! The kitchen and waiter was even nice enough to split the entrees and what they could of other dishes between the two of us in advance. That went above and beyond to cater to our dinner strategy in our eyes. We started with the beat salad and butternut squash soup which may have been the best soup in my life and was an interesting presentation of a salad that almost looked like a dessert and tasted like one too! A delicious start. Next, the spanish octopus and rigatoni. We each only had one complaint the whole night. For one of us, the octopus was a bit chewy or rubbery. For the other, in the main course, the venison was touch underwhelming in its flavor profile but was still cooked to perfection. All other aspects of the dishes and tuna were phenomenal. The finale with cheesecake and apple pie was to die for, and I wish I could have ordered more to take it home as well as a gallon of that butternut squash soup.
If you are looking for a new dinner date experience or smaller more intimate group get together I strongly advise The Crossing be in your consideration if you do not mind splurging a little of that spending cash. It will not disappoint.