There is only one thing wrong with Forge & Vine, located in historic Groton, Massachusetts.  This fun, new restaurant is just a teensy bit too far from where we live for it to become our regular spot.  Having said that, the distance didn’t prevent my friend, Sally and I going from going there twice in the span of 8 days.  We loved it and hope that our endorsement encourages you to give it a try soon!  You may just see us there.

Forge & Vine is located on the property owned by The Groton Inn.  The Old Groton Inn had been the oldest inn of its kind in America until a devastating fire shut it down in 2011.  A Maine-based hotel group purchased the property and turned it into a 60-room boutique hotel, attracting business and leisure travelers as well as parents and alumni of the two independent schools located in town, Lawrence Academy and Groton School. The Inn was opened last Spring, followed by Forge & Vine in November.

Walking into Forge & Vine, you are immediately drawn in by it’s U-shaped bar that seats 26.  The bar area also has several high tops for larger groups.  There is an expansive, open kitchen with counter seating where you can watch your food being prepared, perhaps engaging with the chefs.  There is plenty of general seating and a private dining area that can accommodate up to 20.  During warmer months, patrons will be able to dine outdoors on a deck taking in the views of Gibbet Hill.

Sally and I sat at the bar on both of our visits and highly recommend that if you are a small group.  The atmosphere was very lively and fun (both Monday nights in fact when our hubs are playing paddle tennis). You can make a reservation to be seated in the dining room, or take your chances in the bar area like we did.

Service was excellent and we spent a lot of time speaking with one of the managers on our first visit and with our server on the second, learning that the space was designed to pay homage to the blacksmith shop and carriage houses previously situated on the property.

The menu is ambitious and options abound.  Not everything is perfect, but everyone in your party should be able to find several dishes worth trying.  Starters range from standards such as Clam Chowder ($8) and Brown Butter Seared Scallops ($16 and enjoyed by another friend who visited earlier in the month) to Country Style Ribs ($7) and Mussels ($13).  Over the course of our two visits, we sampled both salads and they were equally delicious.  First the Kale Salad prepared with a Honeycrisp apple, Bayley Hazen blue cheese, spiced walnuts and a yummy vinaigrette…

The Arugula and Citrus Salad had a delicious honey-lime vinaigrette that complimented the peppery arugula and the bright flavors of the citrus.  Candied almonds and goat cheese finished it off nicely…

On our first visit, Sally ordered the Veggie Burger “BLT” ($15), prepared with mushroom “bacon” and balsamic onion jam.  She asked to swap out fries with one of the side dishes of roasted cauliflower prepared with marcona almonds and raisins.  The burger was a Beyond Burger which you may have heard of and was terrific, as was the mushroom bacon, thinly sliced pieces of bacon that were cooked until crispy, taking on the flavor and texture of a traditional bacon.  That’s an idea for our home kitchens I think!  The cauliflower was really tasty too and they were happy to accommodate the swap…

I ordered the Wood Roasted Salmon ($24) that was prepared on a plank and topped with a maple-lemon glaze.  The salmon was moist and luscious, perfectly cooked.  I also swapped out parsnips with oven roasted brussels sprouts that were tossed with pickled kumquats and pomegranate seeds.  I wasn’t completely taken by the apple-fennel slaw that was also on the plate but it was fine.  The brussels were tasty and again, the salmon was perfection…

The menu also has Shared Plates, Raw Bar and Plates that range from a Rotisserie Chicken ($22), a few pasta dishes ($22/23), Braised short ribs ($26), a New York strip ($31), Berkshire Pork Chops ($24) and for vegetarians, an Ancient Grain Harvest Bowl ($19) that looked very tempting.  The least expensive menu items are the 6 flatbreads, all priced at $14.

Since we were already ordering a salad, I settled on the Wild Mushroom flatbread that was topped with Arugula and Pickled Onions.  Not mentioned on the menu was the arugula which I didn’t mind, but I did just have a salad and since it is quite dominant on the flatbread I would say is worth a mention.  Also not mentioned was a hint of truffle flavor and I am really glad it wasn’t more pronounced as I am not a truffle fan. Nonetheless, the flatbread was enjoyable, a crispy crust topped with a combination of Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano (perhaps redundant?) before the addition of Fat Moon mushrooms (a Westford, Massachusetts company), the greens and onions. The flatbreads are definitely large enough for sharing. Leftovers are still waiting in my fridge…

Sally ordered this scrumptious Potato Crusted Cod ($25), served with a smoked bacon-leek fondue, wilted greens and roasted pearl onions.  She absolutely loved it…

The dessert menu was tempting with a Spice Cake, Mocha Bombe, Pear Crisp and Sweet Potato Doughnuts, but we passed.

Overall, we had a great time and will definitely be going back!

Until next time…

One Year Ago:  Turkey Luleh Kebabs

Two Years Ago:  Slow Cooker Beef Ragu with Pappardelle

Three Years Ago:  Wayland Winter Farmers’ Market

Four Years Ago:  Review of La Brasa in Somerville, Massachusetts

Five Years Ago:  Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies