Paul Sletten a.k.a. "Cream Puff" has an uncanny talent for making food an amazing experience. In the years that I have known him he has only ever made one dish that I had to choke down, and thankfully that was during the experimentation process of creating a menu. Coming into our downtown community after many years at Cafe Patou, and a few running his own catering business out of a very small kitchen in his house, he has become a great friend and the best chef I know. Taking over the location that was for many years Bacchus, Paul has revitalized a restaurant that needed a shot in the arm into the most lively and exciting dining experience in town. He has a natural ability to turn a few ingredients into one dish that is at once in harmony and explosive in flavor. The idea of opening CRU was presented to me one late night over a glass of scotch in February of 2006. I had a good gig working for a Heritage, a fine wine distributor in Illinois but Paul had other ideas. I had shared my dream of owning a wine shop over the year we had known each other, and Paul felt he had found the right spot for a joint venture downtown. Just 2 doors down from brio sat an empty, old tattoo parlor. Needless to say, my life has been shaken up due to my friends vision & willingness to take a risk. Paul is a little crazy, I won't lie, but he also has the drive & the passion about this industry that make me and those that work for him want to give our guests the best experience they can get in this town.