ru, one incredibly ambitious enterprise, has several attractions. The first is a restrained but engaging dining room marked by a white translucent backlit foyer. A long banquette takes up one side, tables and puffy chairs are scattered about the rest of the pastel tan room.

The proprietors are another attraction: sommelier Mark Taylor and his wife, chef Dana Reinhardt, prior to life at Cru, owned the Cellar Door Bistro in earlier days, and have cooked at the likes of William Tell, Raincity Grill, Opus and Lumière. In fact, Cru lured sous chef Guy Leggett into the kitchen from his long stint at Lumiere.

And now, thank you, very much, the power duo - with Christine Funnell (Bridges) as third partner - has fine-tuned Cru to be a high-end tapas bar. The food created by Leggett is supreme. drawing patrons from all over the Mainland area. They make a meal of the menu of "small plates" - or the prix fixe menu - that are designed specifically to go with the carefully chosen wine list that includes daily tasting flights by the glass.

Two separate menus, one high, one low, may seem like daunting double duty for the chef, but the task seems to have energized Leggett. At Lumiere, his food always had sheen and elegance, but too often there was a tentativeness that seemed at odds with his preference for Mediterranean flavours - as if he were making dinner to please my parents. But at Cru’s main room, he's ultimately playing on the open strings.