Rue Cler
| Address: | 401 E Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701, USA |
| Phone: | +1 919-682-8844 |
| Site: | ruecler-durham.com |
| Rating: | 4.2 |
| Working: | Closed 11:30AM–2PM 11:30AM–2PM 11:30AM–2PM 11:30AM–2PM 10AM–2PM 10AM–2PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 7
JE
Jerry McGrath
Thoroughly unimpressed with the brunch menu. They had all of your basic brunch items - eggs, ham, French toast. Very lackluster. I ordered what looked like something a little more interesting - a chicken dish with brie cheese. What I got was the smallest chicken breast ever served, with a chunk of melted brie on top, thrown in a huge bowl of nothing but romaine lettuce tossed in a (slightly too acidic) Dijon vinaigrette. It felt like a salad that would have come from a corner pizza joint, complete with warm wilted lettuce. Ill be trying it again for dinner because I like giving places a second chance, but I would not recommend this place for brunch - especially if you are trying to impress someone. Impressive this brunch s NOT. Edit March 25th, 2017: Well, I returned to Rue Cler for dinner as I promised myself I would. I regret to say that my original two-star rating will remain in place. Now, the service I received was excellent - the waitstaff was on point, attentive and friendly. The flavor of the food was pretty good - nothing to write home about, but certainly not bad. So why the negative two-star review? It boils down to pretentiousness and laughable portion sizes. I paid over $100 for a prix fixe meal for two. My first course was a half a handful of french fries topped with endive lettuce tossed in a vinaigrette with three tiny pieces of bacon. Ok, its just the salad...maybe the next course will wow me. This is where my meal took a turn that my date and I laughed about for the remainder of the night. My second course was a scallop. Singular. ONE small scallop. One small seared scallop set on a huge white plate next to three pieces of leek. I can understand keeping portions at a fine dining establishment somewhat conservative, but when Im paying nearly $40 for three courses and the second one is a SINGLE scallop, I cant help but feel absolutely, unashamedly cheated. The final course was a beef shoulder (not exactly the most sought after cut of meat) that could not have been more than 3.5 ounces. I left after a three-course meal HUNGRY. I have done purchasing for restaurants for many years and I know that the ingredients in BOTH of our meals cost less than $10 combined. Yet I paid upwards of $100 for 3.5oz of beef, a few french fries and, lest we forget, our friend the lonely, single, scallop. I will be avoiding Rue Cler like the plague from this point forward. Two strikes, you are most definitely out.
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lori james
If you like beignets then you need to come here, basically asap. They have a larger and a smaller order, but the four of us who came here for brunch easily finished the larger order and although calorie wise we would not need more beignets, our tastebuds very much did! They were so fluffy and sweet and delicious and addicting. But how could you not like fried carbs with powdered sugar on them? I also got their french onion soup which happens to be one of my favorite dishes of all time. And they did give my fav dish a pretty nice presentation. The cheese was nice and melted, the onions were great, I just wish I had a slightly bigger bowl of it for the cost. Other got brunch crepes which they loved, but they also were not the largest of portions. So without those tasty tasty beignets, not sure the men in our group in particular would have been full enough? Maybe this is how french food eaters have to be though---to make up for the butter and fried bread, you have to have smaller portions for the other parts of the meal? But for a spot that takes reservations for brunch, the service was nice and friendly, the decor and ambiance is nice and inviting, and those beignets are going to keep me coming back here...
PE
Peggy McCann
Went to Rue Cler for supper - would have given a higher rating had I ordered the steak frites which some others at my table ordered - tender and perfectly cooked. Alas, I ordered the vegetarian crepe and received an inedible dish - a gooey crepe, filled with tasteless vegetables (except for the spinach), covered with an odd tomato sauce, in no way incorporated into the dish. I ate only my fries (good) and a few bites of a generous friends steak. The people at my table least happy, other than myself, were those who ordered from the prix fixed menu - too little meat provided in entree course. Our schizophrenic waiter alternated between being arrogant and condescending to helpful and informative. Having been in public service positions myself, Im sympathetic to how difficult that can be, but it puts a damper on the dining experience to have a waiter who clearly feels trapped in his job. Given other reviews and the wonderful steak, I would give this place another try and hopefully a more favorable review next time.
WI
Wildlifer O.
We had made reservations for 4 of us, but a 5th friend really wanted to join us. Even so they were really busy, they were able to accommodate us by adding a 5th place at our 4-top table. Beignets were delicious…crispy on the outside and soft and light on the inside. We purposely made reservations after 12pm, so we could order cocktails during brunch. My friend and I are usually disappointed with bloody marys, but Rue Clers were tasty and delicious…I could have drank those all day! They made a great gin martini for my partner. Food was delicious…most of us got various versions of crepes. I got the duck confit crepe, which was savory and filling. At the end of the meal, we noticed that the final charge differed from our receipt. My partner brought it to the hostesss attention and, to our surprise, he gave us a gift certificate as thanks for our honesty. We didnt need the gift certificate to know we will be back to Rue Clear in the future…but it was a very nice gesture!
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A Private User
Had a great Valentines meal here. Special night and certainly plan to go back. If you could only get one dessert, get the crepe: A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Also, the chocolate terrine was incredibly good but incredibly rich, so Id suggest splitting it between 2 people. == Valentines Dinner FEBRUARY 14TH, 2009 == Amuse Bouche: Lockwood Folly, NC Oysters with Mignonette First Course: Beet, Chévre, and Leek Terrine Mixed Greens, Oranges, Fennel, Candied Pecans Butternut-Maple Soup Second course: Gnocchi, Sweet Potato, Sage, & Hazelnuts Asparagus, Farm-Fresh Egg, Sauce Béarnaise Lobster & Celeriac Salad, Bacon Vinaigrette Third course: Lamb Chops, Spätzle, Cabbage, Caramelized Onions, Sauce Robert Braised Shortribs, Pommes Purée, Celery Boulud, Blue Cheese Bouillabaisse with Rouille Crouton Rapini & Gruyère Tart, Mushroom Ragoût Dessert: Strawberry Shortcake Chocolate Terrine Ice Cream Caramel Banana Crêpe
BE
Beth Mandel
My favorite brunch in Durham, though be sure to make a reservation. Their beignets are to DIE for, and the perfect way to kick off your weekend brunch while waiting for your entree. Whether you ordered the melt-in-your mouth salmon or the most rich and indulgent salad ever (fried onions, chicken, brie, and champagne vinaigrette - insanely good), you will love what you eat. Their coffee is tasty and their breads fantastic for a bakery take-home. Lunch is also great. This french bistro/cafe is a Durham staple, and deservedly so. Lets hope they stick around a long time.
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Ken Simons
Never a bad experience here over the years. Definitely a favorite in Durham that I recommend to others. Best experience overall is brunch, which can be very busy but has always been spot on. Eggs always cooked exactly as requested, mussels and fries (moules fries) at brunch is just special, vibe is right, service on point, and coffee is good. Dont let an occasional stuffy note put you off, just smile and enjoy good food. Not inexpensive, but fair process for quality.
