The Best Of Everything

Styling In Birmingham

Changes at Forte make it even nicer
for upscale dining.

,

0*

• Pan Seared Sea Base

•Almond Boneless Chicke

• Sesame Chicken or Bee

• Sweet & Sour Ribs
or Chicken

• Pan Seared Yellow Fin
Tuna
• Pan-Seared Salmon
with Shitake Sauce
• Emperor Beef
• Baby Back Ribs

• Spicy Garlic
Shrimp, Scallop
or Squid
Spicy
Garlic Seafood
•
• Spicy Garlic Chicken
• Stuffed Jalapenos
with Shrimp Paste

Before opening, Forte's
irmingham's contin-
locale was the Polo Shop,
ual changing to
where Michael Korn washed
maintain its image
windows with his cousin,
as an upscale subur-
Todd Sachse.
ban community is extending
Today, Michael is Forte's
to its commercial residents.
maitre
d' and sommelier,
The transition of Forte on
coming
a year after its open-
South Old Woodward in
ing
...
following
stints for
downtown Birmingham
DAN NY
Rick Halberg at R.I.K.'s in
marks another restaurant
RAS KIN
West Bloomfield and Emily's
making the move as a place to
Lo cal
in Northville.
go.
Colu mnist
Michael received his first-
When Forte, one of
level
sommelier certificate
Birmingham's most recogniza-
from
the
British
Court of Master
ble restaurants, opened in November
Sommeliers
in
1997
... Once a year, he
1996, it had seating for 155 ... With
travels
to
California
wine
country for
its recent dining room expansion,
the Harvest Festival, an annual event
about 1,250 more square feet was
that furthers Michael's wine knowledge.
added ... This accommodates another
Also in the expanded area is an
54 people ... and is used for both din-
enlarged wine room that now can hold
ing and a private sector for group
about 45,000 bottles ... with the pres-
entertaining.
ent collection dating from 1979 to
Among the striking features in the
today ... the oldest bottle, a Maury
newly refurbished Forte are clever
dessert wine from the Maury-region of
fold-down tables that come out of the
France, is among the selections that
wall like magic ... Five, including a
Michael and his staff now offer.
long table, a strolling buffet utilizing
Forte is also unique in its various
the pull-down wall panels, eight-top
times of food service ... noon, midday
tables, four-top tables and two-top
and evening ... with menus for each.
tables.
On a busy Saturday evening, it is
The expansion includes a private
nothing
to see 13 people working in
entrance and a wall separating the
the
kitchen,
where executive chef Tim
original dining room from the addi-
Voss
cleverly
plies his trade.
tional area ... making the total square
Tim
likes
to
use organic ingredients
footage now 3,200.

Mon. - Thurs., 11-11 • Friday, 11-12 midnight • Sat., 12-12* Sun., 12-10

V A4

5/3
2002

84

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•••, , ,Creg, •

At Forte, Michael Korn is maitre d' and sommelier; Penny Zwick is general manager.