Forest Grill
735 Forest Ave., Birmingham
Oakland County
(248) 2586107 (FAX); (248) 9400
Brian Polcyn’s stylish bistro, situated on the unlikely east side of Woodward Avenue, is on the ground floor of a new multi-use, especially “green,” three-story building created by prize-winning architect Victor Saroki. The handsome, long, narrow room, with huge windows and a bustling open kitchen, seats only 65 at its white-clothed tables and lively bar. Starters include a hearty bowl of French onion soup ($8), thick with onions and melted cheese, and the charcuterie du jour platter ($18), with exquisite smoked meats, sturdy housemade mustard, and three choice mini-salads. The mains, most of which hover around $28, are anchored by an admirable steak-frites platter, with a thick strip rather than hanger or flat-iron steak, plus abundant skinny, crunchy fries. Another pleasing dish is the Berkshire pork loin, thin slices of meat, perhaps a little fatty, but nicely adorned with warm green apples and red cabbage, along with a cippolini onion, all of which rests gently in a subtle port-wine reduction. A mecca for oenophiles, almost all of the wines are not only available by the 5-ounce glass but also by the 2-ounce taste, which permits a good deal of experimentation, even for those doing the driving. As for dessert, it is difficult to pass up the warm chocolate cake, stuffed with chocolate mousse, which comes with contrapuntally cool vanilla-bean ice cream, pistachios and cherries.
