{"id":4352,"date":"2012-08-28T05:12:46","date_gmt":"2012-08-28T05:12:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/articles\/life\/food\/fora-s-on-naples-2\/"},"modified":"2012-08-28T05:12:46","modified_gmt":"2012-08-28T05:12:46","slug":"fora-s-on-naples-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/hi-lo\/food\/fora-s-on-naples-2","title":{"rendered":"THE FOOD GUY: Fora in Naples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A few comments from the last review before we begin:<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease, please, please LB Post, get someone else to do the food reviews!\u201d \u2014Dragonflyqueen
It\u2019s funny; when my girlfriend read the review, she said the same thing.  Then she saw the byline and said she felt kind of bad, but not really.<\/p>\n

\u201cStop reviewing food trucks and eat at a real restaurant. Try Fora, on Naples Island.\u201d \u2014Ray<\/p>\n

You got it, Ray:<\/p>\n

This was my second visit to Fora, the first being a little over one year ago. I can\u2019t explain why I haven\u2019t been more often\u2014I was very impressed during my previous visit. On Naples, Fora is a small restaurant that can probably seat forty or less. The decor is simple, but stylish and the soft lighting makes for a relaxing meal and provides a good atmosphere for conversation (and for fuzzy pictures…sorry).  <\/p>\n

During my previous visit, attention from both the servers and the owner (or manager\u2014I\u2019m not sure) was excellent, particularly given the full house. This time, there were only two other occupied tables. Our servers were excellent again, though it seemed like we had an inexperienced server. While that can sometimes lead to trouble, she went out of her way to find the answers to questions she didn\u2019t know and never professed knowledge she did not have (an admirable quality, in my opinion). Unlike last time, we did not receive much attention from management, until I took the effort to stop him for questions. At first, he seemed preoccupied, but he warmed to the conversation as the meal carried on.<\/p>\n

The menu is very diverse, but not so large that it is overwhelming.  Also, there is a tasting menu of either four or five courses. The tasting menu is available with or without wine pairing and is very generously priced ($46\/50 without wine, $57\/66 with wine). Four courses with wine for less than $60\u2014particularly with food this high quality\u2014is fantastic.<\/p>\n

To the food…<\/p>\n

Beef Stroganoff<\/strong>: filet mignon, cremini & white champignons, pappardelle<\/p>\n

This is probably the dish I was anticipating the most.  I hadn\u2019t eaten a stroganoff since 2001 in the Czech Republic and while I\u2019d love to tell you a story about the enchanting dinner I had in a World War II bomb shelter reborn as a restaurant, about all I remember was the town of Pilsner, which I was much more interested in at the time, but I digress.  Fora\u2019s stroganoff is made with filet mignon, similar to the classic Czarist preparation (it\u2019s often made with lesser quality meat). The meat was nicely cooked and tender, and there was a generous amount of it. The mushrooms had plenty of life left (a good thing…no one likes a shriveled, lifeless mushroom), and though the portion size was perfect, the mushrooms were so good that I wish there had been a few more. The sauce was quite tart at first bite, but after mixing in the cream, it balanced out nicely.<\/p>\n

\"stroganoff<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Beef Stroganoff\u2014Main Course<\/span><\/caption>\n
 Taste <\/td>\n Preparation <\/td>\n Presentation <\/td>\n Service <\/td>\n Guy Score <\/td>\n Portion Size <\/td>\n Price <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\n 8<\/td>\n 7<\/td>\n 7<\/td>\n 79<\/td>\nGood <\/td>\n$24 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Seared Tuna<\/strong>: sushi grade, asian plum wine gastrique & black forbidden rice<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t resist ordering seared tuna if it\u2019s on a menu. Fish is so great raw (or seared), it\u2019s hard to believe anyone ever thought to cook it at all. Fora\u2019s did not disappoint. They let the tuna do the talking and did not allow the spice crust to bury the flavor of the fish. The sear did not penetrate too deeply, leaving a perfectly cool center. The plum sauce was very sweet, yet somehow never got to be overwhelming. The small dab of wasabi allowed me to balance out the sweetness of the sauce to my liking. The tuna was also served with some mango-avocado salsa, and while it was good, I\u2019m not sure that it was necessary. The black rice had a nice crunch to it, which I liked. The starch helped counter the sauces, however it didn\u2019t add much in the way of flavor (the salsa came in handy here). The black rice looked great on the plate, and it is supposed to be very good for you.<\/p>\n

\"seared<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Seared Tuna\u2014Main Course<\/span><\/caption>\n
 Taste <\/td>\n Preparation <\/td>\n Presentation <\/td>\n Service <\/td>\n Guy Score <\/td>\n Portion Size <\/td>\n Price <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\n 9<\/td>\n 8<\/td>\n 7<\/td>\n 83<\/td>\nGood <\/td>\n$24 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Lu De Mer<\/strong>: with fresh tartar sauce, mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach<\/p>\n

When this came to the table, it looked too simple. A piece of fish, a small mound of mashed potatoes, and spinach. The mashed potatoes tasted just liked mashed potatoes. The only thing that stood out was the potato crisp with the parsley leaf decoration. The spinach was a little on the soft side and a tad too salty. All of that was instantly forgotten with one bite of fish. How can a piece of sea bass have such a crisp finish, yet be so tender and juicy inside?  It was the seafood version of cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e\u2014crack the shell to get to the creamy goodness inside. The flavor was buttery and gentle.  The sea bass was large, but appropriately so, as it was the centerpiece of the dish. I had to dock the taste section some for the lack of impact of the side dishes.<\/p>\n

\"LuDeMer<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Lu Du Mer\u2014Main Course<\/span><\/caption>\n
 Taste <\/td>\n Preparation <\/td>\n Presentation <\/td>\n Service <\/td>\n Guy Score <\/td>\n Portion Size <\/td>\n Price <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\n 8<\/td>\n 7<\/td>\n 7<\/td>\n 73<\/td>\nGood <\/td>\n$24 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Crab Cake<\/strong>: roasted red pepper coulis, balsamic drizzle, avocado-mango relish<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t often order crab cake, because it\u2019s usually more cake than crab, if it\u2019s real crab at all. This dish should be called \u201cCRAB cake\u201d. There were big, real crab chunks (and plenty of them) without much filler other than egg and parsley.  Unlike the tuna dish, the avocado-mango relish added a lot here, as the acids helped to balance out the richness of the crab, and the balsamic and red pepper coulis offered a nice contrast of sweet and sour. There were a few flashes of salt\u2014not too much, but noticeable. I couldn\u2019t tell if it was the coulis or the cake itself. Finally, the texture was great with the richness that only real crab can provide with a crunchy seared exterior.<\/p>\n

\"crab<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Crab Cake\u2014Appetizer<\/span><\/caption>\n
 Taste <\/td>\n Preparation <\/td>\n Presentation <\/td>\n Service <\/td>\n Guy Score <\/td>\n Portion Size <\/td>\n Price <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\n 9<\/td>\n 7<\/td>\n 7<\/td>\n 82<\/td>\nSmall <\/td>\n$10 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Roasted Tomato Soup<\/strong>: garlic crouton & cr\u00e8me fra\u00eeche<\/p>\n

The roast on the tomatoes really stood out\u2014it was not subtle at all. Yet, the soup was somehow still too delicate. The garlic on the crouton didn\u2019t stand out, and the crouton completely disintegrated into the soup after only a couple minutes, which I didn\u2019t care for. I also think the soup could have used a touch more cr\u00e8me fra\u00eeche.<\/p>\n

\"tomato<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Roasted Tomato Soup\u2014Appetizer<\/span><\/caption>\n
 Taste <\/td>\n Preparation <\/td>\n Presentation <\/td>\n Service <\/td>\n Guy Score <\/td>\n Portion Size <\/td>\n Price <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\n 6<\/td>\n 6<\/td>\n 7<\/td>\n 61<\/td>\nGenerous <\/td>\n$6 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Baby Spinach Feta Salad<\/strong>:  dried cranberry, spiced walnut, rosemary skewered cucumber collar<\/p>\n

The spinach and feta salad was terrific. It had just the right mix of spiced nuts, fruit and perfectly tart vinaigrette. I don\u2019t typically care for feta, but it was very smooth and not too salty. The spiced nuts were subtle and tasted almost caramelized. The dried cranberries were still very plump. The cucumber collar looked cute (and the cucumber was very crisp and cool), but it made the salad a little more challenging to eat.<\/p>\n

\"spinach<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Baby Spinach Feta Salad\u2014Appetizer<\/span><\/caption>\n
 Taste <\/td>\n Preparation <\/td>\n Presentation <\/td>\n Service <\/td>\n Guy Score <\/td>\n Portion Size <\/td>\n Price <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\n 8<\/td>\n 8<\/td>\n 7<\/td>\n 80<\/td>\nGood <\/td>\n$8 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fora provides an excellent menu, along with quality ingredients, impeccable presentation, and honed preparation.  There\u2019s no doubt that Fora is one of the best eateries in town, and I have promised myself not to wait so long between visits next time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Average Score<\/span><\/caption>\n
 Taste <\/td>\n Preparation <\/td>\n Presentation <\/td>\n Service <\/td>\n Guy Score <\/td>\n Portion Size <\/td>\n Price* <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7.5<\/td>\n 8<\/td>\n 7.2<\/td>\n 7<\/td>\n 76<\/td>\nGood <\/td>\n$24 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

*price is an average of main courses only, not including the cost of beverages, appetizers, desserts or other items.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fora<\/strong> is located at 5730 E. Second Street | (562) 856-9494 | fora-naples.com<\/a> | Open Tuesday through Sunday at 5pm (dinner only).<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n