III Forks

Tonight I got to nosh and nibble at III Forks. It seemed like every media outlet was there as well as some of Jacksonville's big spenders.

Trying their filet mingon, I found that Capital Grille now has some serious competition in the steak department. Their Kona crusted steak may no longer be king.

Their scallops were perfectly cooked, not overdone despite being on a buffet line.

The crab cakes probably follow the plated recipe, which is why they tended to fall apart as you used tongs to lift them to your plate on the buffet. This is not a criticism--they were falling apart because they use more crab meat than bread crumbs. Served straight to your table they would hold up well and on the buffet they were tasty, if slightly messy.

Their single culinary misstep was in the shrimp. Larger does not mean better. The shrimp were huge, served cold with cocktail sauce. But large shrimp are often not as flavorful as midsized shrimp. The fault, as far as I could tell, was in the shrimp, not in the prep of the shrimp.

And their desserts were heaven. The tiny creme brulees had the requisite caramel glass to break through and their chocolate cups were divine.

Decorwise, III Forks is swank, with high ceilings, dark wood and modern details. A girl would feel quite special if you took her out there. I also think it will be come the new go-to for salesmen romancing clients.

III Forks 9822 Tapestry Park Circle Jacksovnille, Fl (on Gate across from Tinseltown)(904) 928-9277