The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar by Shareef Malnik

Revamped Miami Beach restaurant The Forge balances its larger-than-life legacy with
an updated contemporary approach
By Jen Karetnick | Photography by Michael Pisarri | Miami magazine | December 1, 2010

I sort of miss the birds.
Odd as they were, the live songbirds, encased in a glass wall in the ladies’ restroom, were just one of the iconoclastic design elements that made The Forge Miami Restaurant a household name. But as part of a $10 million renovation by designer François Frossard of this second-oldest restaurant in Miami Beach, which re-opened this past summer under the name The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar, the birds have been released, both literally and metaphorically, from duty. And unlike us nostalgia buffs, owner Shareef Malnik was relieved. “I had to keep a veterinarian on staff,” he told me during a recent outing at the restaurant. “They were always getting sick. The animal rights’ groups were not happy about us keeping them, either.”
No doubt. But then, chef Dewey LoSasso, whose current menu is heavy on the “Principal Meats” (beef, lamb, duck), “Principal Fish and Crustaceans” (stone crab claws and Maine lobster) and “Starts” that range from Wellfleet and Kumamoto oysters on the half shell to Black River Osetra caviar, isn’t looking to win any PETA hearts.
Nor, speaking of hearts, is he about to coax those of the health professionals over to his side. For instance, like other high-end, steakhouse chefs such as Michael Mina, he cooks his meltingly crisp home fries in rendered duck fat. And his brand loyalty to Plugrá butter is evident everywhere, from the whipped, spiced spread that accompanies the focaccia and cinnamon-raisin crisps that start the meal to an innovative side of mild fava beans, moistened with the butter and dotted with nose-stinging wasabi caviar. You’ll even find Plugrá melting on the baked potato under a generous scoop of crème fraîche and diced Niman Ranch bacon—a combination that is incredibly hard to resist.
LoSasso’s dedication to pricey ingredients and top-notch quality is perfectly appropriate, however. His sole concern is pleasing Forge fans, both those from back in the day, when Shareef Malnik’s father and Forge founder Alvin Malnik ran the place, and those who have followed him from his most recent gig as chef-owner of the defunct North One 10. They expect precedent and pedigree: the giant, meaty “U2” shrimp that are so hefty they weigh half-a-pound apiece and tear in the teeth like lobster; the succulent chunks of citrus-cured wild salmon and juicy, crunchy jicama intertwined with baby arugula in a surprisingly light salad; the adorable “oyster po’boy minis” on homemade hoagie rolls swiped with garlic mayo; and an assortment of soufflés that end the meal and include a decadent “s’more” version that features a graham cracker flavor and comes with fluffy marshmallow topping and rich chocolate sauce on the side. (Order soufflés during your meal to avoid a long wait at the end. Your waiter will remind you.)
LoSasso brings his own brand of kitsch to the once-overwrought Forge, where the whimsy used to be only in the décor. Now that the surroundings have been made a true backdrop—albeit a gorgeous one—the food can take the lead. LoSasso lends his clever culinary nature to items like the “lobster, peanut butter and jelly sandwich” appetizer and the “coffee and eggs,” a coffee-crusted rib-eye paired with a miniature goat-cheese frittata. Indeed, take his North One 10 persona, stick it in a larder that has unlimited resources, let him cook in “a real kitchen” (his words)—and you have today’s Forge.
That’s not to say that every item works. I find the chunks of lobster, chopped peanuts and onion marmalade, spread on toasted brioche, at war with each other. Here, the notes from a Thai kitchen might come in handy, where peanuts make better friends with rice-paddy shrimp than oceanic lobster; garden-friendly chives or young scallions are less intrusive than earthy onions; and cilantro acts like a peacekeeper.
On the other hand, the “coffee and eggs” dish is phenomenal, the exterior of the ribeye close to crunchy before giving way to a burst of pink beef. With just the right amount of larding fat, the meat itself is excellent quality, its juices sealed by the coffee, which lends a mild, chargrilled flavor. The golden-brown, goat-cheese frittata is neither too pungent nor too plain—a tasteful and textural triumph. To add a touch of greenery, try the warm, sautéed spinach leaf salad with pancetta and a sunny-side egg on top. It’s an interesting, double-rich version of creamed spinach, so captivating and silky you almost forget the steak.
LoSasso, who was also chef at Tuscan Steak both in Miami and New York, has a talent for cooking meat, whether it’s the 16-ounce, 21-day-aged prime New York strip—the so-called “Oak-Grilled Super Steak”—that Wine Spectator adored before the chef’s tenure, or his new “Burger and Bordeaux” invention. The latter is, as you might suspect, at once a hamburger and at the same time so much more. Dovetailing into the trend of bewigged burgers, this one features lobster marmalade dressing and boneless short ribs, with pomegranate ketchup and truffled French fries on the side—a shot of Bordeaux is included to wash it all down. You can’t taste the lobster under the onslaught of shredded ribs, so aside from the appearance of excess, there’s little reason to include it. That aside, this sandwich, bigger than your mouth unless you’re able to unhinge your jaw like a python, is destined for burger glory.
Though a Bell & Evans roasted half-chicken can prove dry—dip it into the “jus” for moisture—the kitchen’s competence re-emerges with items like the whole fish of the day, frequently some sort of snapper, that is boned tableside and served with a broth of wild mushrooms and miso. While delicious, the flavors can get monotonous, so this is best shared with a tablemate who also has a one-dish sort of meal—say the asparagus risotto (tips of asparagus flavored with grated hard cheeses and topped with jumbo prawns so fresh they taste like they’ve just been fetched out of the bay).
The servers are excellent at recommendations and explanations, judging based on their observations whether to provide the old-time formal service for which the Forge used to be known, or to give guests more contemporary conversation and delivery. As for guiding you through the wine list, many are either trained sommeliers or sommeliers in training, under the watch of Executive Cellarmaster Gino Santangelo. In short, The Forge, with an accomplished chef who runs his kitchen with humor and flair, and waiters with two-sided brains, is still a delightful anomaly in Miami Beach. Even without the birds in the bathroom.

The Forge 
Restaurant | Wine Bar

432 41st St., Miami Beach 305.538.8533. theforge.com

Rating: ★★★★ (excellent, among the area’s best)
What should I wear? Break out the sequins and suits. The Forge has toned down, but the clientele hasn’t gotten the word.

What’s the best cocktail? If you like classic martinis but don’t want to look too stodgy, get the “Hot and Dirty,” a jalapeño-spiced, olive-flavored, chilled blast of vodka.

What about the wine bar? It’s also entered the new millennium with eight do-it-yourself Enomatic wine systems dispensing 80 bottles of vino, accessed by a Forge “wine card” that allows guests to serve themselves in one-, three- or five-ounce pours.

What’s the best seat in the house? One of the huge wing-back chairs in the corners of the room. And the Library is terrific for post-movie coffee and dessert.

What it costs: Appetizers, $6-$48; main courses, $16-$55; sides, $8; desserts, $9-$12.

George Hamilton: My Ex-Wife Has My Warhols
George Hamilton says ex-wife Alana Stewart ended up with some of his best artwork after their split in 1975. He was overheard joking with Danny Glover, “Andy gave me a couple of great pieces, but unfortunately my ex-wife now as them,” at a dinner at the famous Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar by Shareef Malnik in Miami held by Swiss-based gallery Galerie Gmurzynska. According to a witness, Hamilton joked, “The men find the great art and then tier wives inherit them in the divorce.” Glover, Calivin Klein and his much-younger boyfriend, Nick Gruber, also popped by Gmurzynska’s booth at Art Basel, designed by Zaha Hadid.

The Forge’s Dewey LoSasso wants to share his famous, peanut butter, and jelly sandwich recipe with all you great blog readers.

Ingredients

For the lobster:
3 lobster tails cooked, chilled, and removed from shell. Dice the lobster meat and reserve.

For the peanut mix:
1 cup unsalted peanuts – finely chopped
1 tsp chopped ginger
2 Tbsp kimchee paste
4 tsp low sodium soy sauce
½ tsp finely chopped jalapeño
2 tsp sesame oil
1/5 cup water

Combine all of the ingredients, adjust with salt and pepper, and reserve.

For the onion marmalade:
3 red onions, peeled and diced small
4 cups water
1.5 cups red wine vinegar
1.5 cups sugar
Salt and pepper to taste at end

Directions
Combine all of the ingredients, except the salt and pepper, in a stainless-steel sauce pot. Simmer at medium heat for up to 1.5 hours or until most of liquid is gone. Season with salt and pepper; you might have to add an additional teaspoon or two of red wine vinegar to counteract some sweetness. Chill and reserve.

To assemble the sandwich, you need two pieces of toasted challah bread. Spread some of the peanut mixture on both pieces of bread, and some of the onion marmalade. Scatter some of the diced lobster meat on one piece of bread; then top with the other. Press and cut in half.

Come in tonight and order a Lobster Peanut Butter and Jelly paired with your favorite wine from our Enomatic wine dispensers.

kelly h.

Chicago, IL

Decadent decor, attentive service, and great food about sums up the Forge.

It was just me on a Sunday so sat at the bar. Both bartenders were attentive and knowledgeable about the menu.

Here’s what i ordered:

Two raw oysters (Atlantic & Pacific)
Lobster peanut butter & jelly sandwich
8 oz. Filet
Steamed Chinese broccoli with almonds and orange sauce

Let’s just say I finished the entire meal with not a single piece of food remaining. I had actually planned to only taste the lobster pb&j sandwich and bring the rest to my hotel, but it was too savory to put down… By the second bite any portion control I had set was duly over.

The only other comment is that I’m not a big fan of F’s special mustard sauce that comes with the filet. It’s too sour for me.

I paired my meal with Acacia Pinot Noir.

The entire experience was enjoyable. See you next time!

___________________________________________________________

Rick H.

Miami Beach, FL

What a great night — wonderful ambiance, great wine, inventive menu, excellent food and service. For the level of restaurant, prices aren’t eye-popping — they are actually lower than we expected.

Loved the mushroom risotto, the Lobster Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich (you have to try it) and one friend raved about the duck.

Our waiter was fun, funny, attentive and seemed to know every ingredient in every dish.

Few restaurants in Miami have the long and distinguished history of The Forge. Throughout the decades, customers have remained loyal with everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to Chris Bosh dining the night away at the 41st Street eatery (Brett Ratner and Mickey Rourke were busboys ther back in the day). Now, thanks to a stunning facelift, The Forge is celebrating a new era. Gone are the dark woods and heavy, old fashioned bar; in their place is a dazzling, light-filled space with large Murano-glass chandeliers. After overseeing this physical transformation, owner Shareef Malnik upped the ante by hiring renowned Miami chef Dewey LoSasso to take the culinary helm.

Traditionally Novel
“I spent about 12 weeks going over the menu, and it’s been tweaked twice since the March reopening. At the old Forge, menus seldom changed. For example, this is one of the first places to do chopped salad. Why would you ever take it off the menu? And the dressing is perfect. So how do we make it better? We added some Angus-beef tataki and porcinitomato, which is the equivalent of a culinary hug. The Super Steak has been on the menu for 20 years, so we weren’t going to touch it. But there is a new steak dish–Coffee and Eggs–and I recently added a 12-ounce New York strip: It’s smaller and you don’t have to commit to the higher price point. That’s another aspect of the new Forge: You can spend money but you don’t have to. It’s an affordable, comfortable living space, not just a restaurant.”

Family Matters
In 1968 Alvin Malnik bought the site of an old Miami Beach black smith’s shop; a year later he opened the doors to the opulent, original Forge. It’s always been a family business, and that’s what drew LoSasso to the project. “At The Forge, you’ll find the same guy has been making the macadamia-nut roll for 30 years. marva, the receptionist, has also been here that long. There are business elements, family elements, and that’s why I took the job. On Mother’s Day there was a table with three generations of longtime regulars, and they all had something different; lobster peanut butter and jelly, mushroom risotto, and of course a steak. The family that dines together….”

First Course

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

HARVEST SALAD

REDLAND GREENS, FRESH HEARTS OF PALM, CANDIED WALNUTS

CITRUS-CHEDDAR CROSTINI- BLOOD ORANGE DRESSING

Second Course

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

THE FORGE RESTAURANT |  WINE BAR

432 FORTY-FIRST STREET MIAMI BEACH 33140

Art Basel Miami Beach 2010 Oceanfront Nights: Presented by Art Basel Miami Beach and Creative Time
This year, Art Basel Miami Beach hosts a nightly program at the Oceanfront, organized by Creative Time, sited in an environment designed by Phu Hoang Office and Rachely Rotem Studio. The pavilion uses two types of rope – reflective and phosphorescent – to create a diverse and interactive environment of open-air structures that sway and glow in the night.
The 2010 Oceanfront Nights program features four cities at the forefront of today’s artistic experimentation and cross-disciplinary collaboration: Detroit, Mexico City, Berlin, and Glasgow.

From December 1 to December 4, each night will spotlight one city with film, music, video, performance and more. Art Basel Miami Beach and Creative Time invited four organizations to partner on creating the program – the Museum of Contemporary Art in Detroit, Museo Tamayo in Mexico City, 032c in Berlin, and Tramway in Glasgow.

The Oceanfront at Collins Park, between 21st and 22nd Streets is free and open to the public from Dec 1 – 4, 2010, 6pm to midnight, with refreshments provided by the Oceanfront bar and a selection of local food trucks. For more information: www.artbaselmiamibeach.com/oceanfront

Wednesday, Dec 1, 2010 DETROIT In partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit 6pm Happy hour with music from Detroit 7pm Dance performance by Biba Bell and Jmy Leary, ‘Oneness: Making it with Love’ 8pm Screening of the ‘Lost Landscapes of Detroit,’ compiled by the Prelinger Archive followed by a discussion with Luis Croquer, Meredith Johnson, and artists from the Detroit program 9pm Live DJ set with DJ R E L A X E R (Macho City/Disco Secret) and Dj Dez-Andres (Slum Village) 10pm Art Loves Music, concert on the beach, featuring Canada’s Metric 11pm ‘Enter the Darkness,’ with ‘Danjee Flesh Nation’: Jennifer Price, Jimbo Easter, Brett Lee Pickins, Ami Seal, and Noah Eikoff (music performance)

Thursday, Dec 2, 2010 MEXICO CITY In partnership with Museo Tamayo 6pm Happy hour with music from Mexico City 7pm Discussion with Sofia Hernández Chong Cuy and Patrick Charpenel on the Mexico City Cultural Scene 7.30pm Presentations by Pase Usted, with Pedro Reyes, Claudia Fernández, Raúl Cárdenas/Torolab, Mariana Muguía/OPA, Jorge Méndez Blake 8pm ‘Visits’ video series: Carlos Amorales 8.30pm ‘Volume’: Live concert by El Resplandor 9.15pm ‘Visits’ video series: Tania Pérez Cordoba and Abraham Cruzvillegas 9.30pm ‘Volume’: Live concert by Pellejos 10.15pm ‘Visits’ video series: Melanie Smith 10.30pm Live DJ set by Torolab’s Raúl Cárdenas

Friday, Dec 3, 2010 BERLIN In partnership with 032c 6pm Happy hour with music from Berlin 7pm Isa Melsheimer and Arno Brandlhuber, ‘Concrete Society,’ lecture on ideological clash, architectural destruction and brutiful objects 8pm Aids-3d, presented by PROGRAM (Berlin) ‘舞88: Mixed Reality,’ performance with multimedia motion-tracking and video 9pm 80*81 (Georg Diez / Christopher Roth), screening, reading, performance 10pm Live DJ set with Broken Hearts Club

Saturday, Dec 4, 2010 GLASGOW In partnership with Tramway 6pm Happy Hour with Torsten Laushmann, screening of ‘Digital Clock (Growing Zeroes),’ 2010 7pm Video screenings: Corin Sworn, ‘After School Special’, 2009 and Torsten Laushmann, ‘Skipping over Damaged Areas,’ 2010, commissioned by LUX 7.30pm Stephen Sutcliffe, performance 8pm ‘Beethovens Fifth Symphony (X8) in C minor: Op 67 (after Stefan Wolpe, originally performed circa 1920/21.),’ performance by Raydale Dower 8.30pm ‘A Grammar for Listening (part 2),’ 2010, a video by Luke Fowler and Erica La Casa 9pm ‘Hallo Welcome To Keith Street,’ 2010, a performance by Sue Tompkins 9.30pm ‘Improvising around songs on a customized guitar,’ a performance by Rob Churm 10pm ‘The End is a Tumultuous noise,’ 2010, a performance by Cara Tolmie 10.30pm Martin Creed and his band 11.15 pm Pro Vinylist Karim (PVK) DJ Set

OceanDrive welcomed the Miami Heat’s 26-year-old, $110 million, six-foot 10 superstar, Chris Bosh, to Miami’s hottest restaurant The Forge (a logical location to host the party considering its soaring ceilings). Photographers snapped, hordes nibbled delicious bites, and owner Shareef Malnik worked the room-flanked by Burn Notice actress Gabreille Anwar, looking appropriately gorgeous. Among the guest at the post-soiree dinner for Bosh (a sweetheart, really) were Anwar’s costar Jeffrey Donovan and hotelier Nathan Lieberman. Needless to say, the joint was packed. What else would you expect for a superstar and a super restaurant?

Art Basel Miami Beach 2010 Art Public

9 public art works in Miami Beach

Art Public, curated this year for the second time by Patrick Charpenel of Guadalajara, Mexico, features 9 projects by internationally renowned artists from seven countries. The projects will be installed in the outdoor public spaces of Miami Beach, within close proximity to the Oceanfront area and the Miami Beach Convention Center.

The 2010 edition of Art Public will present works that engage directly with the viewer, interrupting the daily routine of passersby in poetic and surprising ways. Most of the works are site-specific and commissioned for Art Basel Miami Beach, including the projects by François Bucher and Minerva Cuevas; Fyodor Pavlov Andreevich will present a new site-specific performance.

Andrea Bowers: Educate, Agitate, Organize, 2010 / Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York François Bucher: The Man Who Disappeared, 2010 / Proyectos Monclova, México John Chamberlain: Piquanteagle, 2009 / Anthony Meier Fine Arts, San Francisco Carlos Cruz-Diez: Color Aditivo, 1975-2010 / Sicardi Gallery, Houston
Minerva Cuevas: Atlas (Homage to Jean Vigo), 2010 / kurimanzutto, México D.F. Runa Islam: Magical Consciousness, 2010 / White Cube, London Marco Maggi: Global Myopia, 2010 / Josée Bienvenu Gallery, New York Jorge Méndez Blake: There is no Easy Way from the Earth to the Stars, 2010 / OMR, México, Meessen De Clercq, Bruxelles
Fyodor Pavlov Andreevich: The Great Vodka River, 2010 / Galeria Luciana Brito, São Paulo