There’s a new restaurant in town with a menu that seems designed to challenge and intrigue diners, offering a culinary experience unlike any you may have had before. 

Welcome to Rune, the latest venture of chef Sean Richardson. 

Located at 2725 Broadway, the restaurant features a rotating menu highlighting regional ingredients. They even they have a certified forager on the team.

Don’t be intimidated

At first glance, the menu might seem daunting, with unfamiliar ingredients — see aforementioned forager!

A menu like that can be intimidating, and I confess sometimes I don’t want to feel stupid by asking lots of questions about the various unfamiliar items, no matter how friendly and welcoming the staff. But hey, check this out — I carry a tiny computer with me wherever I go, and sometimes I use it to look up foods I’ve never heard of. In fact, I did this both times I ate at Rune. I did also ask questions but mostly about our server’s favorite menu items and if the patio is dog-friendly (according to our server, it is). 

First impression

My first eating adventure at Rune was for Sunday brunch with my man pal. 

We did not have a reservation, but they said they could seat us as long as we could be in and out in 75 minutes. We assured them we could, as long as they could bring us the food in that time. They did, we did, and everyone lived happily ever after. 

I ordered the fried rice (beef brisket, radish kimchi, asparagus, nuoc cham, sunny egg). What the heck is nuoc cham? A quick search on my phone revealed it’s a Vietnamese fish sauce. 

My. Dish. Was. De. Licious. 

The rice was a really long grain and had an almost noodle-like quality. The brisket was in small bits throughout the dish, both tender and crispy. There was crunch from the asparagus and radish, and there was just enough heat to be interesting. All the flavors and textures played beautifully together. I would absolutely have this again — in fact, it’s lurking in the back of my brain, calling me back to have it again. 

The man pal had the biscuit sandwich (bacon, egg, cheese, scallions, rhubarb jam, dijonnaise). 

A breakfast sandwich sounds kind of unassuming, but this was an excellent specimen. This was a knife and fork sandwich on a massive biscuit that was crispy on the outside without being dry on the inside. The egg was light and fluffy, and cheese and scallions were folded into the egg for even distribution. But it was the rhubarb jam that really elevated the meal. It was delectable and unique, and we’d like to put it on all kinds of things. 

Sharing is caring

My next eating escapade at Rune was dinner with a dear friend. It was the end of a hard week, and I considered getting a cocktail. 

The cocktail menu rivals the food menu for unfamiliar and intriguing ingredients, including a non-alcoholic section, which is what we ended up ordering. 

As someone who doesn’t drink often, I regularly peruse the non-alcoholic beverages, but often they seem like afterthoughts. Not so at Rune. I had the Raspberry Moon (jasmine, raspberry syrup, lemon). I loved it. It was light and a little floral, but not overpoweringly so. I kept trying to find the right words to capture it, and all I could come up with was that it tasted like magic. 

My friend had the Britton Bridge (wood sorrel green juice, shagbark pine syrup, lemon). She let me have a sip, and it was bright and fresh; it tasted like a forest. 

The dinner menu is divided into small, medium, and large plates, and as our server was walking us through it, she said they encourage food sharing. We started with a selection from the “small” section to share, a smashed cucumber dish with chili crisp and bean puree. I really love cucumbers, but sadly, this dish was not for me, and my friend had a similar reaction. I found it to be overly pungent. Don’t get me wrong — we ate the whole thing. But we agreed we would not order it again. 

For our mains, we each ordered our own dish from the “medium” section, but we ended up trading bites. 

I had the flatbread (carrot, giardiniera, chickpeas, apple mint). I didn’t know what to expect, but it sounded interesting, and I like those foods. (I did do a quick search to confirm giardiniera is pickled vegetables.) The flatbread was chewy and crunchy, with just enough toasty brownness on the edges. The hummus was creamy and held everything together the way melty cheese might on a traditional flatbread. It was herbaceous with the mint and fresh dill, and there were textures. My friend said she enjoyed the experience of it, which is a lovely way to feel about food. 

For her entrée, my friend had the tostada (braised chicken, chipotle, rhubarb pico, cotija cheese, crème fraîche). The shredded chicken was beautifully moist and flavorful, and the tostada provided a lovely crunch. Things were really nicely proportioned so you could easily get a bite with all the things, and when you did it was a harmonious balance of flavors and textures. 

We both agreed we would be happy eating either the tostada or the flatbread again in the future. 

Ultimately, Rune exemplifies how dining out can be an opportunity for discovery and exploring new tastes and sensations. 

If you find yourself facing a menu with unfamiliar foods, consider stepping outside your comfort zone to embrace a culinary adventure. You can always have a bowl of cereal when you get home if you regret your choices, but I’d wager that if you trust the team at Rune, you’re in for a satisfying experience.