Visited Forty4 tonight. And what an experience it was. Forced the family and close family friends, nine people in all, ages ranging from late 50s to teenagers, to try it out. I had read such positive reviews about it, and wanted to try out something new, so my friend and I pushed our fathers to give it a go. Although they were reluctant, everyone was so hungry that they caved in, deciding that if they don’t like it, we’ll go somewhere else instead. Must say that the chances of it becoming a new favorite are at the top of the list right now. The ambiance is amazing, the staff is welcoming, and the overall feel is comforting and delicious.
Before entering, we took a look at how the beautiful tree had been left unharmed and the architecture had integrated the tree into the entrance. That was beautiful in itself. Once we entered, we were greeted warmly by the staff, and were accommodated in the smoking area (Where thankfully nobody was smoking), since the non-smoking area had all their tables reserved.
The one thing I do make a rule to follow through when I go to a new place with guests is to approach the manager and request them to please make the experience positive and worthwhile since I have suggested the place, and would love for us to become frequent patrons. Since I did first hear of Forty4 from good ol’ SWOT, I mentioned that I don’t know of anyone who’s been here, but I have read wonderful reviews on the SWOT page. Both managers assured me that the experience would be delightful, and they were there to make sure of it. Wonderful gentlemen. Speaking of gentlemen, so was our server, Noel. Extremely helpful and kept an eye on us the entire evening without being intrusive.
I do apologize for not remembering the names accurately, but my taste buds never fail me. Starting off with the bread basket, which was hot and clearly straight from the oven. Divine with the melted garlic butter. We ordered another basket, since we worked through the first two real quick. Then came the complimentary chicken mousse and potato cake. Both appetizers were delicately flavored and I personally enjoyed the flavor, although for some, like Dad, both things were a bit on the bland side. He made a funny blah face after the first bite, but was quick to change his mind. We ordered two starters, which were the chicken drumsticks, served with two dipping sauces,crispy on the outside, tender and juicy from the inside. Beautiful, delicate flavor. There were two servings of moneybags as well, which were bite-sized, fried wontons with a chicken and vegetable stuffing, served with three types of sauces. All three sauces were tasty in their own right, and the wontons were served piping hot in their little bamboo steamers.
Then came the hot and sour which Dad had ordered. He loved it so much, he passed it around the table, and everyone had a taste, agreeing that it really was lovely. Hearty, sour, no ketchupy flavor and with plenty of chicken and vegetables. Almost immediately, the food started to arrive. Since we had decided to sample every dish, all of them were lined up in the centre of the table. Starting off with the thai curry, served with rice, chargrilled burger with chardonnay sauce (For those who abstain from alcohol, we confirmed that there was no actual chardonnay in the chardonnay sauce, and it was just the name which had been adapted to the dish), chicken burger, basil chicken (I think), served with rice, and then there was my favorite, a rice dish served with steamed squid. I forget the name, but oh my! I have to say, I kinda hogged that one! It’s the last name in the rice list on the menu.
Each and every meal had been carefully prepared, and it was visible in the final products. Each and every entree had a story of it’s own to tell. No sauce drowned chicken or meager helpings here. The burgers had been grilled to perfection, the burger buns held their shape and were fresh, the basil chicken was divine, the thai curry was absolutely scrumptious, with the perfect balance of flavor, and my squid rice almost made me cry. The squid wasn’t cooked to death, and was tender, the rice flavorful and one of the most original dishes I’ve had in a very long time. I made Dad try a bite of the mashed potato, and he thought it was a bit off, but the one from whose dish I had mooched it thought it was just fine. Her tummy will tell the story tomorrow, I suppose. I personally don’t think there was anything wrong with the mash.
Even though Dad’s friend thought the rice helping served with the dish itself was too small a serving, he was told it was for the aesthetics of the dish when Mr. Virji approached our table towards the end of our meal while I was filling out the comment card. It was lovely to meet the gentleman and chatting with him was a pleasure. I guess you can tell I’ll definitely be visiting again very soon, and suggesting it to everyone I know.
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