The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar by Shareef Malnik

Thanksgiving at The Forge

Thursday November 25^th, 2010   5PM

PLEASE CHOOSE ONE

ROASTED BLUEPOINT OYSTERS

TOPPED WITH BRIE, SPINACH AND LEMON DUST

PUMPKIN BISQUE

CRANBERRY FLOATING ISLAND, TOASTED CALABAZA SEEDS

PAN SEARED CRABCAKE

ROASTED APPLE AND LEMON CONFIT

SALAD

REDLAND GREENS, FRESH HEARTS OF PALM, CANDIED WALNUTS

CITRUS-CHEDDAR CROSTINI- BLOOD ORANGE DRESSING

ENTREE

ROASTED CAROLINA TURKEY

CORNBREAD WHEATBERRY DRESSING, CRANBERRY

“KUMQUAT CONSERVE, PAN GRAVY

FOR THE TABLE

MAPLE ROASTED YAMS

GRILLED ASPARAGUS

SUNDRIED BLUEBERRIES AND TOASTED SHALLOTS

ITALIAN SAUSAGE STUFFING

DESSERT

PUMPKIN PANNA COTTA

CRISPY DARK CHOCOLATE AND CHESTNUT RAVIOLI

$65.00 per person *does not include tax and gratuity

for reservations please call 305 538 8533 or Click Here

THE FORGE RESTAURANT |  WINE BAR

432 FORTY-FIRST STREET MIAMI BEACH 33140

Andrew S., Miami-Dade, FL *****

Holy. Mother.

The Lobster and Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwich is, as my mother would say, to die for.  I’m talking about the kind of thing you put in your mouth and you never forget.  If you like Thai food, you’ll love this concoction — ‘Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich’ is a misnomer.  Think a spicy thai sauce and an onion marmalade slathered on brioche with chunks of lucious, juicy Caribbean lobster in between.  Just very, very good.

Their burger is also one of the best in Miami.  The truffle oiled fries on the side were perfect.

The design of the restaurant is fashion forward, certainly Starck inspired.  Their salt and pepper grinders were a hit with the fiancee and I, and we bought the same ones at Crate and Barrel yesterday.

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Lorena B., Miami, FL *****

To start we had the smoked salmon croquettes with a spicy guava sauce and peppered cream, were very good. The lobster bisque is quite good also.

Our main entrees mushroom risotto and spice rubbed duck. Both meals really top notch.  I was also very impressed with their wine list; however I was surprised and disappointed that they do not offer a corkage fee. Most of the time we walk in with a bottle of wine, we didn’t tonight though ordered one from the wine menu.

For desert we ordered Marble Soufflé, delicious!

This place is great if you’re celebrating a special occasion, prices are steep. Dinner will easily cost you a couple of Benjamin Franklins. I suggest going to this place for special occasions.

Overall The Forge has wonderful ambiance, great wine, inventive menu, excellent food and service.

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diana n., Loma Linda, CA ****

Food i give it three stars, but it gets bumped to four stars because of the service. I was so impressed by everyone here. They were so warm and friendly. VERY attentive. we wandered into the courtyard to take pictures although it was closed. they were nice enough to turn the lights on for us. I felt like royalty…well ok not really but it was pretty awesome. For a Wendesday night, I was surprised at how crowded the place was.

Tried the Miami Spice menu (3 course meal fro $35)
Appetizer: salmon croquettes were ok…kind of forgettable.
the gazpacho was refreshing but very typical

entree: had the Burger and Bordeaux: angus sirloin burger topped with boneless short rib. one of the best burgers i’ve had in awhile. perfect medium, so so juicy and packed full of flavor. the truffled fries with the pomegranate ketchup were ADDICTING. the bordeaux on the side was a nice kicker.

never a big risotto fan, but my friend’s 3 mushroom risotto was quite tasty.  she LOVED it.

wine list was pretty extensive with  a nice selection. not too pricey. honestly can’t remember what i had for dessert…was a bit tipsy by then.

For this weeks cocktail blog I want to write about one of the first libations to be invented, it’s the quintessential New Orleans drink and it dates back to the early 1800s; “The Sazerac.” It’s a classic cocktail that follows the first description of what a cocktail should be: Spirit, sugar, water and bitters. The original recipe called for cognac but after he phyloxxera epidemic in Europe had devastated France’s wine grape crops the production of this spirit stopped as well. To add to this scenario the American taste had changed by then and Rye whiskey was the preferred spirit among them. Rye whiskey became then the main ingredient in The Sazerac next to the Peychauds Bitters, which were created by the same person that brought to life this cocktail, Antoine Peychaud.
Antoine was an apothecary in New Orleans He dispensed a proprietary mix of aromatic bitters from an old family recipe, to relieve the ails of his clients. He added this to his favorite French brandy, Sazerac-de-Forge et fils. I little bite of sugar and water and the rest is history. In today’s craze for classic cocktails “The Sazerac” is still center stage in cocktail bars, like our restaurant, that respect this true craft of mixing drinks.

“The Sazerac”

2 oz. Rye Whiskey
sugar cube
2-3 drops of absinthe
Water
4 dashes of Peychauds
Lemon peel

In a mixing glass drop a sugar cube and soak it with 4 dashes of Peychauds bitters, add a splash of water and a lemon peel. Muddle these ingredients. Add the 2 oz of Rye whiskey, ice and stir. In a rocks glass that was been chilled previously add 2 to 3 drops of absinthe, swirl and discard the excess. Now pour the cocktail into the rocks glass straining the ice. Garnish with a lemon peel.

THE FORGE DINNER at the JAMES BEARD HOUSE
SATURDAY OCTOBER 30, 2010
NEW YORK CITY
The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar makes a New York Debut at the historic 
James Beard House with Chef Dewey Losasso
7pm coctails & Hors D’Oeuvres in the Greenhouse
8pm Five Course Dinner paired with wines by Joseph Phelps

Tickets: 212.627.2090 or www.JamesBeard.org

One of my favorite cocktails to have prior to a decadent dinner is the classic Negroni.  A delicious aperitif, that combines gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. The origins of the drink traces back to 1919 to Florence, Italy where Count Camillo Negroni, an Italian nobleman, demanded his local bartender, Fosco Scarselli, to strenghthen his favorite libation, The Americano (sweet vermouth, Campari and soda) by adding gin instead of soda.
The gin adds a racy element, while the Campari imparts a bittersweet one and the sweet vermouth serves as the bridge between both of their flavors.

“ Negroni”

1 oz. Gin
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. Sweet vermouth

Stir ingredients and strain onto a chilled martini glass, garnish with and orange twist.

The Burn Notice season wrap party took place at The Forge on Wednesday night. Attendees included: Jeffrrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell and Sharon Gless who celebrated in the newly renovated Library while Dennis Rodman strolled in for a late dinner at the Wine Bar. Saturday night Rick Ross and DJ Khaled Enjoyed a business dinner with two other guest and spoke about how they loved The Forge’s new look.