TRUST

Do you trust the restaurant recommendations you read on this blog?

If so, I have a new treat for you!

After hearing so many great reviews about Trust Restaurant,

I finally made my way over to Hillcrest last weekend to check it out for myself. 

My first impression as I walked through the large outdoor patio filled with chic patrons gathered around the fire pits, 

cocktails in hand,

is that it's very European-esque. 

I loved the unassuming decor of this place - 

large open windows, art deco gold bar stools, and an open kitchen accentuated with a wood fire oven are all spot on. 

As we sat down, the first thing that caught my attention was the Pental Quartz communal bar.

Before I could even dive into the menu, I needed a cocktail. 

Stat!

 The friendly waiter educated me about some ingredients that I've never even heard of, 

and promised that adding a whole egg would make my selection taste like apple pie. 

I believed him, and he was right. 

He was quickly gaining my trust. 

See what I did there? 

Next, I requested a few recommendations from the food menu. 

The hardest part for me was making a selection,

since so many options made me drool on the spot. 

He suggested that a combination of 4-5 plates from the Farm, Ocean and Ranch sections 

would be perfect for sharing between two people.

Right again. 

I'm a big fan of the small plate concept, since it allows to taste different dishes without being committed to a single option. 

The standouts for me were the Wood Grilled Octopus and the Uni Pasta, 

but I can't wait to go back and try out more options. 

The menu is constantly evolving to keep up with the locally sourced, seasonal ingredients,

so I trust that my next visit will be just as good as the first.

Pork Sausage Spring Roll - roasted butternut squash, watercress, basil aioli, ginger

Bone Marrow - beet pickled pearl onions, cauliflower, chimichurri, pain de mie 

Uni Pasta - shiitake mushrooms, clams, lemon, soft herbs