Wine

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Restaurant Review: III Forks

Published May 23, 2013 by mrsrag

Location:  4645 PGA Boulevard, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418. Just west of the Publix plaza, next to Cantina Laredo.  Phone: 561 630-3660. www.iiiforks.com.

III Forks (spoken Three Forks) is an upscale steakhouse chain.  Though the word “chain” is somewhat loose when applied to them.  They have seven total locations, three in Texas (Houston, Dallas, Austin), three in Florida (PBG, Hallandale, Jacksonville) and Chicago.  I would say they are going for quality not quantity at this point.  Maria and I had been to III Forks once before, the one in Hallandale just outside of Gulfstream Park.  We went with friends after a day at the races, and had a wonderful filet mignon and sea bass (our “go to” surf and turf).  The company and the food were superb, but Maria was under the weather that night and we had to leave early.  Last night we were trying to think of something to do.  While perusing through the Palm Beach Post, I came across a mention of a wine tasting at III Forks for $15 per person, appetizers included.  A night out at Forks for peanuts?  Very appealing.  Proprietor/Head Chef Tommy Nevill directed the proceedings himself, pouring our wines while educating us along the way with the history of each.  Dapper and nattily clad in a tuxedo, Tommy along with our bartender Christina, couldn’t have made us feel more comfortable.

We’ve enjoyed both locales that we’ve visited.  At the Hallandale venue they had a young woman, with quite a good voice, crooning soft love songs.  I was so disappointed when my head cold caught up with me during dinner.  The setting is what you’d come to expect from a steakhouse, dark and sleek with bright white linens and ambient light.  We sat at the gorgeous inside bar while dining on the hors d’oeuvres.  Nevill was a gracious host and as he described each wine to us you could feel the passion for his craft emanating from him.  Our first wine was a sparkling Italian Prosecco, which was a bit on the dry side for my palette and honestly forgettable.  Next he served us two Pinot Grigio’s, side by side for a better comparison, along with our first snacks.  A mini caprese of fresh mozzarella wrapped around basil and cherry tomato, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic.  Unfortunately that bite was overshadowed by the highlight of the hors d’oeuvres, IMO, a bite sized chicken parmigiana with a healthy bite of chicken and a generous slathering of marinara sauce.  It was absolutely delicious and was well paired with our favorite of the two Pinot Grigios, a sweeter and fruitier take called Rose’N’Blum.  This white and our first red, which soon followed were the big winners out of the wines for me.  The red was a blend of mostly Zinfandel with some Cab and a few other type of grapes.  I not only loved the taste of this blend, but we also liked the bottle, which featured what looked like a mad scientist donning goggles and a tattered suit.  Fitting depiction considering the name, Stark Raving.

I prefer the Gardens Forks.  The bar is elegant and the atmosphere is more intimate.  Hallandale is okay too, but it has a mall feel.  The food at each is top shelf however.  A few suggestions, beyond the aforementioned filet and sea bass, from my previous visits would be: bacon wrapped scallops, the wedge salad and the rack of lamb for my fellow carnivores.  To die for!  In addition, the wine selection is vast and varied, and Tommy Nevill has his finger on the pulse of everything current.  Subsequently, your palette should have no problem finding something to make it sing.  One final note; I’m generally a white wine guy, but during our tasting the red blend by Stark Raving was my favorite.  I would take the description of the bottle’s label a step further.  I thought the guy looked like Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes.  Yet Downey also plays Tony Stark/Iron Man.  Stark Raving?!  Those clever devils.  III Forks will not disappoint you, I can’t wait for our next visit!

This was an inexpensive, educational and entertaining night out.  I love finding new and exciting things to do…but I have to admit it really is Ross’ special gift.  He scours the paper and unburies these hidden gems.  And please don’t be intimidated by your local ‘wine tasting’ – these events are for everyone not just for connoisseurs.  You don’t have to write down notes, you don’t have to say if the wine has a good ‘nose’ or drop other fancy terms.  You just have to go with an open mind and enjoy yourself.

Ross’ Rating: 4.5 Wine Glasses out of 5.

Maria’s Rating: 4 Wine Glasses.

 

Restaurant Review: Red Tapas Bar and Grille

Published December 16, 2012 by mrsrag

Location: Downtown at the Gardens, 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens #3102, Palm beach Gardens, FL 33410. Next to Dirty Martini. Phone: 561 333-7331.  info@redtapasbar.com.

 

I’ve heard some people say that size doesn’t matter.  This is a lie…a bold faced lie.  It absolutely does matter.  Especially when it comes to food portions, in my opinion.  Tapas is defined as “small savory dishes”.  Usually, it’s appetizer size portions served with cocktails.  I’ve had tapas in many different places; Las Vegas, Rhode Island, California and the Sunshine state – just to name a few.  Tapas appeals to me because I enjoy variety when I’m eating and I like getting a taste of everything the venue has to offer.  The several items we tried at Red Tapas were absolutely delicious, intricate and complex dishes that exhibited culinary prowess.  As I explained earlier, tapas is defined as “small plates”.  These plates were very small indeed.  Honestly, too small for my apetite.  And the prices seemed excessive.  Ross and I decided to have a taste of their Filet Mignon Carpaccio, blackened Edamame and Lamb chops.  I wasn’t expecting a 20 oz. steak or two giant chops, but I did expect to feel satiated at the end of the meal.  Instead I found myself already pondering what I was going to eat for dinner.  Perhaps, I’ve been utterly spoiled by our other bar hopping favorites.  Without naming any names, there are a couple of places that come to mind when I hear Carpaccio.  One place has a Ahi Tuna Carpaccio and the other has a beef.  The portion sizes that you receive at these other destinations are quite impressive.  Literally they are triple the size of the Filet Carpaccio we tried and half the price.  And if you’re lucky enough to stop at one of these places for happy hour, you are looking at an even better deal.  In this unstable and weak economy we really enjoy getting the most bang for our buck.  I didn’t feel like we got our money’s worth at Red Tapas.

I am going to name names honey if you don’t mind.  You see Maria and I were heading for The Cheesecake Factory for their wonderful and ample Ahi Carpaccio, when we spotted the brand new Red Tapas (they’ve been open a month) and decided to give it a shot.  I thought the atmosphere was pretty decent, we sat outside near the bar in an interesting cushioned, bench-like table combo, they also have tables with little gas firepits at them which I thought was cool as well.  The music selection was a bit odd for 3 o’clock in the afternoon, a pulsing, generic club beat, but at least it wasn’t too loud.  I’m in total agreement with Maria’s evaluation of the food, very good but way too small and overpriced.  The lamb chops were the bomb, but $15 for two little ones?  Their beef carpaccio was delicious, but again, $11 and very small.  You can go around the corner to the Gardens Mall and have an equally delicious, giant beef carpaccio for less money at Brio.  Honestly, we’re the furthest thing from cheap people that you’ll run into, but we’re also not about squandering money either.  I’m certainly not ready to give up on Red Tapas.  The place is aesthetically pleasing and we noticed they have a happy hour 4 to 7, so I’m pretty sure we’ll give them another try.  But I would say if money is a concern for you and you’re starving, you may want to consider an alternative destination.

I’m definitely up for giving them another try.  Planning would have garnered some success, as Ross previously mentioned, we could have waited for happy hour.  The place has only been open for a month, so I’m hoping they get some accurate feedback and make the necessary changes to be successful.  On a positive note we did have a very tasty Riesling called Su Yuen, made by the Francis Ford Coppola winery.  This crisp and refreshing white wine could have easily accompanied any of the numerous dishes on the diverse menu.  It was the highlight of my first experience at Red Tapas.  Hopefully, there will be more things to rave about following our next visit.

Ah the Su Yuen.  Nice wine, nicer bottle, with a little fable about the Princess and the history of dim sum on the label.  You know, we ended up at The Cheesecake Factory for the ahi carpaccio the next afternoon.  Christmas shopping takes a lot out of you, you simply have to find a place to unwind and detox from the “holiday cheer” you encounter out there.  Wherever you end up, I hope you find the right combination of loved ones, laughter and libation.  Cheers! 

Maria’s Rating: 2.5 Wine Glasses out of 5.

Ross’ Rating: 2.5 Wine Glasses.