Citris Grill 2991 E. 3300 South 466-1202 U-Discount: No Four-and-a-half out of five plates (food) Four-and-a-half out of five stars (ambiance) $10-20 per person
Portion size.
It's a little-talked-about problem that one often encounters when eating out. Sometimes you get too much food, other times too little.
Our country has inculcated us with the belief that, if we aren't presented with a gargantuan meal, we are either: A) not being sufficiently filled up, B) not getting our money's worth or C) not being a "good eater."
But what exactly is a "good eater?"
Judging by the statistics, a good eater, in America at least, is someone who consistently consumes enough food to expand his or her stomach to a new periphery with each passing meal.
Realistically speaking, though, a good eater is a person who eats just the right amount of food to acquire adequate nutrition and energy-not too little, but also not too much.
Our bodies' internal barometers for how much sustenance we need tell us different amounts for certain days and certain meals. Restaurants know this, and most try to serve portions that are going to please the greatest number of people.
But with all the difficulty and pressure surrounding portion size, we often end up with a meal that is too big and which we feel obligated-sometimes even challenged-to finish.
Citris Grill, a vibrantly fun, eclectic and innovative eatery, appears to also be quite intuitive. And accommodating. Citris preempts the portion dilemma by doing something unheard of: offering nearly every item on its menu in two sizes-hearty and petite-one of which is bound to be the right size for the meal, the day, the appetite and the individual.
Appetizers, soups, salads, pizzas and all but three entrées come with the size choice. The only category that doesn't is sandwiches, and that's because they only come in one size: sandwich (which is a very good size, if you ask me).
This hearty/petite option smoothly resolves several problems, the biggest of which is the portion predicament. Since each petite dish is half the size (and price) of its hearty counterpart, this system also aids indecisive diners who can't make a choice among several dishes. Why choose one full-sized appetizer (or entrée, salad, pizza, etc.) when you can get two small ones that add up to a big one? Or mix and match between categories? I don't know why you wouldn't-opting for several dishes allows you to sample more delicious flavors, something that is vital to the Citris experience.
What?, you ask. Citris has an experience…and it's about flavors?
Yes, it does. And it is. And it's good that you asked, because that brings me to the next most noteworthy aspect of Citris Grill.
Many restaurants strive to embody eclecticism, but most toil in vain. Few restaurants can be classified as eclectic, much less as truly, utterly and wonderfully so as Citris. The menu manages to fuse together all sorts of multifarious cuisines, and with unfailingly delicious results. Italian, southwestern, Asian and American mingle harmoniously together, enhanced by a few dashes of French and deli style. And does seafood count?
Each dish on its own is pretty amazing, but the menu as a whole is downright impressive. The flavors are so varied…but so compatible with each other. The result? That brand-new food genre best known as yuppy.
Mmm…yuppy. It's so close to yummy…
And with good reason.
An interesting appetizer at Citris is the pepper-crusted risotto cakes, which are essentially latkes made out of risotto instead of potatoes, and come served in "tomato fondue" (pretty much just really good tomato sauce) with a generous dab of rich and creamy goat cheese. This dish is simple, but flavorful and probably unlike anything you've had before. Definitely worth a try.
The salad known as "One" works perfectly as either a side salad or appetizer. Marinated and uber-fresh mozzarella, tomato slices, red onion and basil are the salad's core ingredients, and they come lounging decadently atop a fresh spring mix and drizzled with a golden balsamic dressing. Simple, sweet, pleasantly rich and refreshing, this salad is worthy of its title.
Like the salads, Citris' wood-fired pizzas come numbered One through Six, and each boasts its own standout flavor. "Two" sparkles with Madeira-sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions and gorgonzola; "Three" sizzles with pepperoni, spicy Italian sausage and fresh tomato sauce; "Six" scintillates with spinach, artichoke hearts, rock shrimp and cream cheese. Hearty or petite, you can't go wrong with these pizzas.
The entrées go hand in hand with the pizzas, in that many of them are also prepared with fire. Fire-roasted pork chop, wood-fired chicken breast, slow-roasted chipotle baby-back ribs, sesame-seared salmon, fire-roasted New York steak. There's definitely a theme here. But Citris' innovative, almost experimental style ensures that every dish both stands on its own and holds its own.
And for those who prefer less…ah…fiery meals, there are several softer options, namely the butternut squash fettuccini and the shrimp scampi fusilli. Their cream sauces are light and delightful, with just the right amount of richness and flavor.
So whether you're really ravenous or only moderately hungry, Citris has got you covered. Its creative, fusion-style cuisine promises to satisfy any palate (while redefining food genres), and its portions promise to redefine what it means to be a good eater.
Eating well really isn't about quantity, anyway-it's about quality.
And Citris proves it.
