A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of dining at Restaurant Marc Forgione in Tribeca. I live nearby, so, was happy to finally get a chance to sample the menu and see the space. Marc was there and was entertaining, passionate, and sweet all at the same time. This is bold farm-to-table food in a sexy, smart, and comfortable setting -- an ideal date spot, business dinner, or comfortable menu and seating for catching up with friends. The bar adds a cozy side to the restaurant if you wanted to meet just for drinks too.
The general manager and sommelier was flawless - he created a perfect wine pairing to match the tasting menu we ordered. What a fun and enjoyable night. The glasses started to fill with my favorite - brut rose Billecart-Salmon - a divine, true rose champagne.
First bites included little snacks that came in a genie bottle: warm mini bagel holes with freshly creamed cheese, lox, and dill. The next dish was a decadent buckwheat agnolotti with the finest Kaluga Caviar. A couple bites were all we needed to be truly satisfying. Then we had tacos de lengua (tongue) that were melt-in-the-mouth, and came in paper thin grilled root vegetables as the "taco shell".
Dishes got slightly bigger as the courses went on. Monkfish with sorell and Castelvetrano olives was delicious and meaty. Halibut en croute with hazelnuts and sauce proposal was my favorite dish of the night - having me still crave this incredibly flavorful dish! We saw almost every couple in the restaurant ordering the chicken for two, so we begged to try a smaller portion of it before leaving for the night. The Bell & Evans chicken under a brick came with yukon potato and broccoli rabe in the juicy pan drippings. Moist and comforting...very few places do chicken right, but I would order this chicken again for sure.
And, Restaurant Marc Forgione does not skimp on dessert! To be clear, dessert here is memorable and a must. A warm, humongous chocolate chip cookie comes out with a glass of milk. Gooey gooey gooey inside with a gorgeous crust. This is a spectacular cookie - if I do say so myself. Would bring anyone - at any age - right back into a little kid. "The Egg" dessert came out next, which gets cracked open table side, and is a nice show-stopper and refreshing but also rich. The shell is really white chocolate and the inside is a bright yellow passion fruit sauce. Delish, refreshing, and fun. Thankfully they gave us a pina colada sorbet to refresh our pallet before the final dessert: s'mores. A burnt homemade marshmallow on the side, with a fudge brownie topped with ice cream. Really playful and creative, yet sophisticated and mature. This is the kind of restaurant that has just as much smarts as fun with their food. Coming back very soon Marc. Thanks for everything.
Restaurant Marc Forgione
134 Reade Street
New York City 10013
212-941-9401