Best Restaurants for Foodies in Forest Hill / West Portal

Our experience was a mixed bag. The latkes with smoked trout were outstanding. Burgers were also delicious. The steak, on the other hand, was not great. It was tough and difficult to cut or chew. It was also completely raw in the middle. I like rare but this was extreme- and very off-putting. I left half of it on the plate, which at $68 for the entree felt pretty bad. In addition, the sides paired with the steak weren't particularly good. Sorbets for dessert were mind blowing. I would return but couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed by the quality of the most expensive entree.

Always the best service in town. From the hostess to bartender to our server, everyone has our unique experiences in mind. In the hospitality world we talk a lot about “surprise and delight” moments for guests, of varying size depending on the group, occasion, etc, and foreign cinema always gets them JUUUST right. Not to mention the food is always superb

The chef selection tasting menu was a special treat. Well spaced delivery. Great explanation without being overdone. Kudos the chef's and servers

We got lucky getting the best table in the restaurant, across from the bar in a nook under the stairs, so we easily heard each other! We chose a plant forward menu and our waiter Kai (sp?) decided on the order of the dishes. I’d trust his judgment again because we had a great time. The pigs head hid a shaved fennel and pear salad underneath. I delightfully learned how different parts of fennel tastes when shaved so finely. The Hokkaido scallops were soooo good and fresh and compared to a sushi restaurant, a very good value. My partner normally doesn’t like shellfish but he loved the scallops. We ended the savory portion of the meal with the seaweed noodles and the grilled cabbage with dill pickle butter and roe. Both plates had amazing, complimentary sauces and Kai brought us some bread to savor the last drops. The One Punch Man cocktail complemented entire the meal so well with its fruity yet creamy flavor. We got the chocolate semifreddo for dessert for the texture. It had a toasted umeboshi meringue that tasted like dates if they were slightly pickled. I left food drunk and with very happy tastebuds. I loved the restraint in all the flavors. I think a lot of dishes could’ve easily gone sideways in less capable hands, or even the meal because this menu had a lot of citrus and pickled items, and instead they nailed it just right.

One of our party has numerous allergies. Our server went out of her way to help her find healthy choices for the guest, including checking with the kitchen to confirm that two pastas were suitable. A wonderful experience, delicious dishes!