What

Chef Marc Forgione and partner Chris Blumlo open FORGE 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 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 29year 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 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 in the dining room and served with caramelized onion butter.

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 bright 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 a 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 a 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 of the 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. Others sweets include Wild Strawberry Soup with yogurt sorbet and lemon verbena cotton candy; Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut with Sauternes-poached peaches and toasted almond ice cream; and Rustic Summer Berry Pie with crème fraîche ice cream and young mint.

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 including Robert Mondavi's Reserve Cabernet highlighted as a tribute to the late winemaker.

Designed by Jun Aizaki of Crème Design (Rayuela in New York City, Tinto Wine Bar in Philadelphia), FORGE exudes a vintage, well-worn feel. Reclaimed cedar wood from Blumlo's family sawmill circa the early 1900's in Massachusetts envelops the walls. Custom-made glass lanterns scattered throughout the restaurant are suspended by elevator cables with real candles glowing inside.

In FORGE's 55-seat Dining Room, wood shelving displays antique and heirloom objects ranging from vintage cookbooks from James Beard's personal library to scales and aged copper pots. Custom-made butcher block tables seem to glow against black leather banquettes. At the rear of the Dining Room, a pair of eleven -foot high iron shutters are mounted on the wall. The shutters were forged at a foundry around the block in 1857 and then installed as an original storefront across the street.

The more casual Communal Room lies to the left of the entrance, and includes the bar and long communal dining tables, together all accommodating up to 30 people. All menu items along are available throughout the Communal Room. Behind the concrete-topped bar is an exposed elevator shaft, pulley still intact, which now functions as a stairway leading down to FORGE's 40-seat private dining area that will open in the coming months. On warm evenings FORGE opens its floor-to-ceiling front windows onto the 20-seat patio.