The Forum at The Greenbrier® – America’s Resort located in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia focuses on Italian cuisine and has its own coal-fired pizza oven which is the heart of the attractive restaurant where outstanding cuisine is matched by outstanding service. We had an excellent dinner at the restaurant where "house made" is their byword. Buon appetito!
We had dinner at The Forum during our stay at The Greenbrier® – America’s Resort in early February 2016, where we sat at a table dressed with a blue and white checked tablecloth double draped over a white tablecloth overlooking the attractive yellow, blue, and white tiled coal fired pizza oven, appropriate as West Virginia is home of the coal mines where we could watch the chef in action. The large pizza oven also acts as a bread oven and we could not resist the freshly baked, hot from the oven ciabatta bread.
The Forum
We began our evening with cocktails, the Sidecar, and the Mint Julep served in a traditional silver julep cup (see recipe for The Greenbrier Mint Julep below) to pair with our antipasti (appetizers). For our first appetizer, we had the Fried Mozzarella (Mozzarella Fritta) as the restaurant makes their own fresh mozzarella, and the appetizer consisted of three very mozzarella balls that were rolled in bread crumbs and deep-fried, accompanied by olive oil poached tomatoes and basil oil, that yielded warm and melted mozzarella that was fabulous.
Fried Mozzarella
Next there was Sweet Banana Peppers (Peperoni Imbottiti), which were banana peppers stuffed with house made sausage and served with a spicy tomato sauce, that were also nice. For our last appetizer, we had the Fried Calamari (Frito Misto), which was a delightful mélange of tender calamari, shrimp, zucchini, and hot pepper rings, served with a fresh basil spicy marinara sauce and a garlic aioli.
Stuffed Sweet Banana Peppers
Fried Calamari
We continued with a selection from the primi (pasta) section of the menu, the Smoked Lobster (Aragosto Affumicata) which was a hickory smoked lobster tail nestled on a bed of penne pasta tossed in a fonduta cheese sauce and topped with steamed broccoli. Although we have had lobster prepared many ways before, this was the first time we had ever had it smoked, and the taste was exquisite especially when paired with the penne pasta in the creamy fonduta cheese sauce.
Smoked Lobster and pasta
For a secondi (main course), we had one of the specials for the evening, which was a big and bountiful breaded lamb shank topped with an arugula and cherry tomato salad, that was picture perfect and cooked to order.
Breaded Lamb Shank
Also interesting was one of the contorni (sides), The Forum Meatball (Polpettone al Foro), which was an enormous meatball that the chef makes in house by grinding a mixture of veal, pork and beef with added fresh herbs and served in a tomato sauce. When we asked about the actual weight of the giant meatball, we learned that it weighs 14 ounces pre cooking and 11.2 ounces post cooking. Now that was a big meatball and it was delicious, too!
Panna Cotta
We could not resist indulging sampling a few of the dolci (desserts), panna cotta, profiteroles, and tiramisu. The creamy panna cotta was topped with strawberries and three lighter-than-air meringues dusted with lemon zest and garnished with sprigs of mint. The profiteroles were a tasty trio and generously proportioned, and the luscious tiramisu was large enough to feed a family, yet was light, delicious, and very satisfying.
Profiteroles
As the perfect finale to our dining experience at The Forum, we paired the desserts with glasses of the delectable Italian dessert wine, Isole e Olena, 2005, Vin Santo, Del Chianti Classico, DDOG, from Barberino Val D’Elsa, Italia, 13% alcohol, which tasted like liquid raisins in the glass.
Tiramisu
The Forum at The Greenbrier® – America’s Resort graciously shares their Mint Julep recipe.
The Greenbrier’s Original Mint Julep Recipe
"The oldest account book at The Greenbrier dates from 1816 and reveals that guests ordered "Juleps" at a cost of 25 cents per drink. When the popular writer Charles Dudley Warner described The Greenbrier in 1886, he noted that travelers were met by attendants "who avowed that there was no time of day or night where a mint julep or any other necessity of life would not be forthcoming at a moment’s warning." By 1914, the mint julep was such a staple that a recipe for the drink appeared on The Greenbrier’s souvenir calendar."
The Greenbrier’s Original Mint Julep
Ingredients
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10-15
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Fresh Mint Leaves
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1
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Ounce
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Simple Syrup
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2
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Ounces
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Maker’s Mark Bourbon
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Crushed Ice
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Mint Sprig
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Powdered Sugar
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Method: Muddle 10-15 fresh mint leaves with 1-ounce simple syrup. Fill cup with crushed ice – very important for balance. Add 2-ounces of Maker’s Mark Bourbon. Stir once or twice. Add a sprig of mint dusted with powdered sugar.
The Forum is open for Dinner from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Contact the restaurant for reservations or information.
The restaurant has a dress code: Resort attire is required (collared sport shirts, sweaters, jackets, dress slacks and walking shorts). If denim is your preference, well-kept denim in a dark shade is theirs. Men’s hats ands baseball caps are not permitted. Children ages 10 and older are required to wear attire similar to that of adults.
Read about our stay at The Greenbrier® – America’s Resort in the Hotels and Resorts section, about our dining experience at Prime 44 West in the Restaurants section, the interview and recipes from Chef Meredith Flavin of Prime 44 West in the Chefs’ Recipes section, and about our adventures in the Adventures section.
The Forum at The Greenbrier® – America’s Resort
300 West Main Street
White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia 24986
United States
Telephone: +1-855-729-3778 (option 1)
Website: www.Greenbrier.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheGreenbrier
Instagram: www.instagram.com/The_Greenbrier
Twitter: https://twitter.com/The_Greenbrier
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/thegreenbrier/
Follow The Greenbrier on facebook at www.facebook.com/TheGreenbrier
By Amtrak (www.Amtrak.com): The White Sulphur Springs train station (WSS) is conveniently located next to The Greenbrier’s Christmas Shop at The Depot! Amtrak offers regular train service to The Greenbrier from major cities including Washington, D.C., New York City and Chicago. Guests of The Greenbrier taking Amtrak to White Sulphur Springs can enjoy a 15% discount with promo code: V739. Amtrak also offers a comfortable Business Class car and a Sleeping Car on the Cardinal line.
Amtrak
White Sulphur Springs Station
315 West Main Street
White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986
Station Code: WSS
15% Discount Promo Code: V739
Website: www.Amtrak.com
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© February 2016. Luxury Experience. www.LuxuryExperience.com All rights reserved.
