25 February 2010

a dinner at Marc Forgione


We slipped into Marc Forgione's wine bar after a few failed attempts at uncomfortably crowded spots. The venue, also labeled as The Forge, is an epicurean throw on modern American cuisine-- accented by spacious communal tables, antique wooden shelving and shutters dating to 1857. We sipped on glasses of light, dining friendly Pinot Noir- while indulging in conversation.

After a few rounds, hunger presented itself: we decided to drink a plate of oysters while mulling over the entrees. The seasonal pick hailed from Virginia- small and aggressively briny, we elected to not finish the plate. The server noted that briny and Virginia rooted were signature favorites of the chef- he wouldn't offer any others. A disappointment in my opinion, the West Coast and North East offer gorgeous shellfish.

We moved on to course two.

While Forge is noted to execute seafood dishes better than poultry or meat, we decided to share the Suckling Pig for two. The dish came in wide-mouthed bowl with mustard crush fingerling potatoes. The ultra savory dish proved a bit too salty for the average palate. Pushing that downfall aside, the meat's texture was quite excellent and the potatoes balanced the dish well, albeit messy.

In closing, we were offered sugared mini brownies and our parkas from the coat check.



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