| What initially attracted me to Crush was its modern-looking sign and tagline: "eat. drink. lounge. crush." I hadn’t heard any murmurings about the restaurant and I didn’t know anyone who’d eaten there, so what better reason to check it out?
Formerly the Sizzling Wok Malaysian restaurant for more than 10 years, Crush (1312 - 12 Ave. S.W., phone 245-8487) did extensive renovations and opened its doors in March 2003. The 4,800-square-foot space features an olive-brown minimalist design with exposed ceiling, cream vinyl-upholstered chairs and booths, funky paintings and mood lighting that is a little too dark to be called dim.
The restaurant’s layout and menu both cater to a number of tastes, yet succeed without running the risk of being too many things at once. The quieter, non-smoking dining room is its own entity, furnished with big, inviting booths as well as a separate section designed for a large group. Opposite this room and across from the large foyer is a more casual smoking lounge with a beautiful bar, where a few people were sitting and watching the Monday night football game.
The upper section of tables overlooks a pool table, a separate nook of video games and a jukebox playing everything from Justin Timberlake to Bryan Adams. By next summer, the small patio at the entrance will be extended to the city sidewalk. The 120-seat restaurant wasn’t at half-capacity when I visited, although Friday and Saturday nights are supposedly busier, but it definitely has the potential to be a buzzing destination.
The menu was fun, featuring typical items alongside a few surprises like catfish strips ($9) and edamame ($6) appetizers, #17 Won Ton soup ($6), hiro noodle bowl ($9) and a blackened catfish entrée ($13).
My friend began with a one-pound order of P.E.I. mussels ($11, or $8 for a half order), bathed in gold tequila, freshly squeezed lime juice and jalapeño peppers. The flavour was fabulous and, at times, so spicy that it took our breath away. A few baguette slices accompanied the dish, but a more interesting bread, like focaccia, would have better matched the high-quality mussels. On a future visit, I’d like to try the other mussel dishes, including curry and musquodoboit (garlic, spinach, shallots, white wine and cream).
Next, we shared an appetizer of calamari ($9), lightly breaded and served with tzatziki, which was good but needed more red onion for a sharper contrast.
For my entrée, I chose the pan-seared, free-range chicken breast ($16), sautéed in garlic. The chicken was perfectly tender with lovely crisp edges and a delicious topping of goat cheese and cilantro. It was served with two tasty vegetable skewers and creamy, sweet, red-skinned mashed potatoes.
My friend ordered the Guinness-marinated sirloin kabob ($10), served with grilled vegetables and infused rice, but the friendly young waitress returned to say the new batch was still marinating. This was disappointing because the Guinness marinade sounded intriguing, but it happens.
Instead, he ordered the Crush pizza ($10) with Cajun chicken, Spolumbo’s sausage, roma tomatoes, red onions, and Monterey jack and cheddar cheeses, with a creamy ranch dressing. Although it wasn’t his first choice, he enjoyed the crisp flatbread pizza and its savoury toppings.
Crush is a fully licensed restaurant with a fun martini list featuring such names as nuts & berries, blue whale, Thanksgiving dinner (Wild Turkey, cranberry and lemon) and, of course, Hawaiian, pink and orange crush. Just a street above "designer row," 12th Avenue could, and should, be the city’s next lively restaurant scene. Crush may just very well be ahead of the times – time will tell.
COMING SOON
Contrary to rumours, Mercury is not relocating to Pongo. After months of being boarded up, Pongo has been redesigned and is resurfacing as a new tapas lounge called The Bungalow (524 - 17 Ave. S.W., phone 209-5005). Watch for the opening any day now. |
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