Deals
share
Price:
$$$$
Last updated 10.14.11
Category:
Catering, Restaurants, Bars & Pubs
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Romantic Dining, Fine Dining, Outdoor Dining, Date Spot, Group Dining, Bar Scene, Notable Wine List
General Info:
Open 7 Days
Cuisine:
What People Are Saying About 230 Forest Avenue Restaurant
Featured Review
Contributor
Contributor
In Short – A chatty crowd drinks cocktails and dines on Cal-Asian cuisine at street-side patio tables and an outdoor-indoor bar that disappears into the restaurant through floor-to-ceiling windows. The sleek setup offers patio patrons and passers-by views of the narrow dining area and long open kitchen. Popular menu picks include prosciutto-wrapped shrimp, a tomato-and-mozzarella stack drizzled with pesto, wild mushroom ravioli with sage butter and arugula and New York steak with toasted garlic haricots verts.
Editor's Tips
- What to Drink:
- The menu offers 13 specialty martinis, from a simple mix of vodka and raspberry liquor to the Creme Brulee, a cocktail of Kahlua, Smirnoff vanilla vodka and cream.
- Parking:
- Street parking is competitive, and the restaurant doesn't offer valet. Try one of the low-priced lots a block or so to the east.
05/31/11
Food is Standard, Bar is Great
by kwiley at Citysearch
So let me get the boring stuff out of the way. The food was just ok. You don't go there for the food. The menu items are standard, too standard. Wild Mushroom Ravioli, Rosemary Thyme Chicken, Carb cakes, etc. Their desserts were boring (yawn).
BUT.......here are the plus-es. The decor is great. I like the look. On Friday nights the place is moving, so you know you're in the right place. The drinks were delicious as well. I had their 230 Martini and it was to die for.
So with such a great review, why the 3 stars. Well, it's called a restaurant, which I don't think focuses on their strength. I think they should be a bar that serves food. The restaurant part is just subpar.
I definitely recommend that you go for the happy hour and get yourself a martini.
05/04/11
Great Martinis
by Swong66 at Citysearch
I went on a Friday night so the place was pretty busy. We had made a reservation a couple of weeks in advance. That was fairly easy. We waited for about 15 minutes to get seated. (which I didn't really care for). This however gave us time to check out the drinks. My friend and I had the plum basil martini, which I guess they're well known for. it was fabulous. Not too sweet. Just the right amount of alcohol.
their meals were nothing special. Fairly standard fair. A little too cookie cutter. but well done. The halibut was cooked just right. We skipped dessert. the dishes were all reasonably priced. Between the two of us, the dinner came out to $73.
12/03/10
Unbeateable Happy Hour
by CStacey at Citysearch
Fun place to hang-out place & delicious food. We girls love to hang out here since it's so close to the beach.
Favorite yum drink: plum basil martini
Favorite appetizers: sugar-cane tenderloin, ahi tuna tartar, calamari, manila clams & green-lip mussels, caesar salad with the cheese-cracker.
If you ever sit for dinner: the smoked bacon wrapped scallops, pan seared scallops, seabass & halibut are the bomb.
Dessert: bread pudding!
09/30/09
Great place for dates & taking your friends/parents out
by Miss Amy at Citysearch
I love taking my boyfriend & parents to 230 Forest after walking alongside the beach and window shopping on Forest St. This is definitely a place to share with family and friends. Plus, they have enough flat screen TVs with sports games on; enough to keep the guys entertained & not at all distracting for everyone else to enjoy their meal.
The menu is made up of seafood & poultry, all of which is incorporated into classic American favorites such as baby back ribs, mac & cheese, grilled fish, steak & even beef stroganoff. Food to try:
Swordfish with crab meat - This was a chef's special & had a medley of corn, tomatoes, garlic & crab meat on top of the swordfish. No corn from a can from this place, it had the vibrant crunch of fresh corn!
Gorgonzola Mac & Cheese - Not on the menu, this is a side dish on one of the entrees. It's small enough to share with another person & adds to any meal. They added a little spice to the cheese & topped it with breadcrumbs for extra oomph.
Hoisin Duck Eggrolls - Appetizer. Great to split for 2-3 people & savory enough to satisfy ravenous guests. Especially since they put sliced hot baguettes & olive spread as soon as you're seated.
Baby Back Pork Ribs - Order the full, it's only $3 more than the half & you're sure to have perfect late-night leftovers. Amazingly paired with shoestring onion rings & mashed potatoes.
Molten Chocolate Bread Pudding - Save room for this coma-inducing dessert. This is a single large slice of bread pudding, soaked in the sweetness of caramel & cocoa. Walk a few times around the block after this one.
- Pros: Fresh seafood, uncomplicated & heightened style on favorites
- Cons: Parking can be limited on Forest St.
05/28/07
good food, wont make you bankrupt
by highhighhigh at Citysearch
the food was very good. i had the salmon salad .Made a reservation for later so i managed too find a parking pretty quickly. they offer steaks. my friend had a steak which was average. i would definetely stick with the fish which is their speciality i think. Liked the atmosphere. my salmon salad came with a fully cooked salmon which was very tasty. dont live too close to laguna but ill definetely be back sometime
