An upscale European restaurant in the suburb’s downtown is going through a change.
From recent social media posts, Forest in Birmingham at 735 Forest Avenue recently closed temporarily for renovations, reopening sometime in May. This marks 10 years since the restaurant debuted in the suburb. Owner Samy Eid told What Now Detroit there is not an exact reopening date yet, but it will have a “refreshed look.”
Forest went through a change in ownership in 2015, when Eid took over the business from founding chef Brian Polcyn. Eid owns Chickpea Hospitality, with names like Phoenicia, Leila and Wilder’s. Eid added a 1,0000-bottle wine cellar to the dining area and redesigned the interior, and he feels it is again time for an upgrade.
The restaurant serves their own takes on pastas like bolognese, ricotta gnocchi and lasagna. For mains, the kitchen makes a filet mignon with sauce zingara-au poivre, swiss chard and chestnut mushroom. Eid said there will be a few new menu additions, but he is still evaluating what this will look like.
“A breeding ground for world-class chef talent, Forest’s sophisticated soul is built on an exemplary kitchen developed and overseen by Chickpea Managing Partner Nick Janutol. Marrying Janutol’s Italian-American upbringing with fine-dining finesse gleaned from stints at some of the country’s finest restaurants, Forest is a study in understated simplicity at the highest level,” says the description on their website.
Forest is in downtown Birmingham, at the corner of Forest Avenue and S Elm Street. This is just east of Woodward Avenue where most of the restaurants and shops operate. Apartments are right above the restaurant.
More information on the renovations and reopening date can be found on their Instagram @forest.birmingham.
