Lucie Loves… Food // Forge: The Wolf of Wall Street in restaurant form | part one
When I go out in London, I want several things: excitement, great atmosphere and boast-worthy food & cocktails. I don’t ask for much.
When JMG and I accepted an invite to dine at Forge, I didn’t know what we were in for. But then again, having no expectations whatsoever is often for the best.
We had checked out the Forge website in advance, albeit briefly, and our mouths did water a little at the menu. But what we weren’t expecting was to be completely blown away. After all, there are so many pit and spit style restaurants in London, that you’re often spoilt for choice.
As we approached the restaurants impressive exterior, making our way from Bank tube station, we looked at one another and I suddenly had a horrible thought that we were underdressed… The dress code is smart casual: no sportswear permitted, which also means no trainers of ripped jeans.
However, we were warmly welcomed by our PR host Maria and guided us through the impressive bar. The place was bustling with banker types and city boys. It was like we’d stepped into a scene from Wolf on Wall Street - note: minus the strippers, live sex and drugs.
Suitably impressed, we took our seats on a long table, lined with beautiful burnished copper lamps *swoon*, at the back of the restaurant and busied ourselves making introductions and learning about how they put together their extensive cocktail menu.
Forge Manager, Giles, kindly took us through their numbering system. He explained that they only ever have a bank of 20 cocktails on at the same time, and it was a lot of fun making them. "Take a look at the menu, choose one you like and you’ll know from the key which type of cocktail you’re going to be getting.“ They can then chop and change them and keep the menu fresh. He recommended the Pick-Me-Ups and champagne cocktails. Their bartenders are so well-trained that if you’re wanting to go ‘off-piste’ and dabble in a bit of mixology, they’ll happily whip up your concoction for you.
Cocktail styles
- No. 1–10 Pressed & squeezed
- No. 11–20 Highballs
- No. 21–30 Martinis
- No. 41–50 Old Fashioned
- No. 51–60 Collins
- No. 61–70 Sours
- No. 71–80 Pick-Me-Ups
- No. 81–90 Champagne Cocktails
- No. 91–100 Sharers
JMG and I being whisky drinkers were immediately drawn to No. 41-50 and No.61-70. But wanting to try something completely different JMG chose no, 22. (smooth ambler barrel-aged gin, Talisker, cider, apple juice, lemon juice and sugar syrup) priced at £10.59.
I opted for a no. 82 (zubrowka vodka, champagne, lemon juice, peach syrup, sugar syrup, cucumber juice and green cardamon) priced at £12.50. The cocktails were very nice, well mixed, worth the money and a refreshing change the from usual ones that we’d go for.
To start we ordered a Jacob’s Ladder each, beef short ribs served with mustard mayonnaise, well-priced at £6. The portion size was excellent and the meat was so tender that it slide off the bone almost as soon as your fork touched it. Succulent, flavoursome and beautifully cooked by the team of chefs in the open kitchen.
For our main we ordered the 20oz Tomahawk steak (for two), which was served with an exquisite selection of sides:Served with a horseradish bhaji, a tomato fondue, watercress, confit red onion and seasoned thick cut chips. OMG! It was so flippin’ good. Think: more refined than Man vs. Food but just as mega!
Read part two.
Photography © Lucie Kerley