Dazzle

FORGE
CHEF MARC FORGIONE

FORGE is located at 134 Reade Street between Hudson and Greenwich.

Chef Marc Forgione and partner Chris Blumlo opened FORGE in June this year in TriBeCa. FORGE features Forgione’s laid-back yet high-style approach to New American cuisine in a comfortable and energetic atmosphere. The name FORGE is Forgione’s nickname among friends, and is a fitting tribute to the level of craftsmanship present in both the food and design of the restaurant.

“For my first restaurant, I wanted a place that is genuine; somewhere that projects my energy and passion,” says Forgione, son of renowned chef Larry Forgione. “FORGE reflects years of family history, my personal style and the texture of the neighborhood.”

The 29-year old Forgione has been developing his skills in the kitchen since he was 16 years old, first at his father’s restaurant An American Place, and then with a number of notable chefs including Kazuto Matsusaka, Patricia Yeo, Michel Guerard and Laurent Tourondel. From these varied experiences, he has created a straightforward American style with bold flavors and playful touches. Forgione manipulates citrus, heat and fresh herbs to create maximum flavor; and his sophisticated dishes blend familiar elements with precise technique. Menus change frequently to showcase fresh ingredients and new twists on seasonal American favorites.

Guests are welcomed with house-made potato rolls and carmelized onion butter by pastry chef Jennifer McCoy (Emeril’s Delmonico in New Orleans, Blackbird and Bittersweet Bakery in Chicago). The rolls are kept warm in a circa-1906 cast iron oven which is a focal point of FORGE’sdining room. Signature appetizers “to start…” include Chicken “Nuggets,” a mixture of shredded confit chicken thighs, poblano chiles, red peppers and chives, breaded then cooked until crispy and served with smoked onion remoulade and local wax beans; a vibrant salad of Charred Octopus with fresh hearts of palm, almond pesto and roquette; and delicate house-made Sheep’s Milk Ricotta Agnolotti in a tomato consommé with olive oil delle Famiglie Maruca e Falvo.

Entrées “to follow…” present an aromatic Basil Crusted Halibut with marinated cherry tomatoes and Sorrento oil emulsion; Prime Boneless Rib Eye with potato brown butter, young Vidalia onions and chimichurri sauce; and Black Sea Bass wrapped in La Quercia Prosciutto and served in an aromatic broth with baby sorrel and cockles. A signature item “to share…” is the Suckling Pig for Two finished with natural jus, garlic confit and a touch of whole grain mustard, then topped with a round of perfectly crisped skin. It is accompanied by three sides that vary to include such selections as mustard crushed fingerling potatoes, braised ramps, bacon-braised greens, sautéed broccoli rabe, porcini mushrooms and spring vegetable cassoulet.

McCoy’s desserts are an ideal way “to finish…” and also are updated versions of American classics. The signature Taste of American Classics is presented as a trio: Root Beer Float with ginger ice cream, Butterscotch Pudding with a pignoli cookie and Forgione’s Granny Lu’s Chocolate Cake with a cocoa nib tuille.

The 75-bottle wine list focuses on global selections, mostly from producers in California, New York, France, Italy and Germany. A section dedicated to American classics includes Robert Mondavi’s Reserve Cabernet as a tribute to the late winemaker.