A few comments from the last review before we begin:
“Please, please, please LB Post, get someone else to do the food reviews!” —Dragonflyqueen
It’s 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.
“Stop reviewing food trucks and eat at a real restaurant. Try Fora, on Naples Island.” —Ray
You got it, Ray:
This was my second visit to Fora, the first being a little over one year ago. I can’t explain why I haven’t been more often—I 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).
During my previous visit, attention from both the servers and the owner (or manager—I’m 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’t 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.
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—particularly with food this high quality—is fantastic.
To the food…
Beef Stroganoff: filet mignon, cremini & white champignons, pappardelle
This is probably the dish I was anticipating the most. I hadn’t eaten a stroganoff since 2001 in the Czech Republic and while I’d 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’s stroganoff is made with filet mignon, similar to the classic Czarist preparation (it’s 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.
Taste | Preparation | Presentation | Service | Guy Score | Portion Size | Price |
8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 79 | Good | $24 |
Seared Tuna: sushi grade, asian plum wine gastrique & black forbidden rice
I can’t resist ordering seared tuna if it’s on a menu. Fish is so great raw (or seared), it’s hard to believe anyone ever thought to cook it at all. Fora’s 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’m 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’t 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.
Taste | Preparation | Presentation | Service | Guy Score | Portion Size | Price |
8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 83 | Good | $24 |
Lu De Mer: with fresh tartar sauce, mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach
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 crème brûlée—crack 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.
Taste | Preparation | Presentation | Service | Guy Score | Portion Size | Price |
7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 73 | Good | $24 |
Crab Cake: roasted red pepper coulis, balsamic drizzle, avocado-mango relish
I don’t often order crab cake, because it’s usually more cake than crab, if it’s real crab at all. This dish should be called “CRAB cake”. 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—not too much, but noticeable. I couldn’t 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.
Taste | Preparation | Presentation | Service | Guy Score | Portion Size | Price |
8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 82 | Small | $10 |
Roasted Tomato Soup: garlic crouton & crème fraîche
The roast on the tomatoes really stood out—it was not subtle at all. Yet, the soup was somehow still too delicate. The garlic on the crouton didn’t stand out, and the crouton completely disintegrated into the soup after only a couple minutes, which I didn’t care for. I also think the soup could have used a touch more crème fraîche.
Taste | Preparation | Presentation | Service | Guy Score | Portion Size | Price |
6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 61 | Generous | $6 |
Baby Spinach Feta Salad: dried cranberry, spiced walnut, rosemary skewered cucumber collar
The spinach and feta salad was terrific. It had just the right mix of spiced nuts, fruit and perfectly tart vinaigrette. I don’t 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.
Taste | Preparation | Presentation | Service | Guy Score | Portion Size | Price |
8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 80 | Good | $8 |
Final Thoughts
Fora provides an excellent menu, along with quality ingredients, impeccable presentation, and honed preparation. There’s 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.
Taste | Preparation | Presentation | Service | Guy Score | Portion Size | Price* |
7.5 | 8 | 7.2 | 7 | 76 | Good | $24 |
*price is an average of main courses only, not including the cost of beverages, appetizers, desserts or other items.
Fora is located at 5730 E. Second Street | (562) 856-9494 | fora-naples.com | Open Tuesday through Sunday at 5pm (dinner only).
—a note from Guy: If you have suggestions about places I need to eat, or about dishes that I should have eaten instead, let me know. If you disagree with me, tell me in detail, why: “Because you’re a prick”, while likely correct, will not elicit a response. I am more likely to respond to e-mail than an online post. I’m likely to respond in a future article. If you want to know how my rating system works, you can read it on my author page.