Despite the presence of a great number of “new generation” steakhouses, South Florida still offers several classic-style steakhouses where diners can get a good cut of meat, a traditional appetizer, and some recognizable sides.  One such place is III Forks Prime Steakhouse in Hallandale Beach.  Located at the Village at Gulfstream Park, III Forks is just the place to go to when one wants an evening of just plain good food.  Upon opening the double doors, you are greeted by a friendly hostess takes you through a corridor lined with glass-encased bottles of wine to your table.  The décor and general ambiance of III Forks is what you’d expect and want from a steakhouse: romantic low lighting, rich woods, and a vibe that is formal yet comfortable.

We started dinner with a question: would we be having wine this evening, and if we’re planning of having steak.  Given their impressive wine list, as well as the brief tour through III Forks’ wine cellar, I decided that I’d have a glass, although I wasn’t certain if I was going to have steak or pork that evening.  Our waiter, who was very well-versed with the wine list and just about everything else on the menu, suggested a Belle Gloss “Meiomi” Pinot Noir.  Sensing the uncertainty on my face, he offered to give me a taste of the wine before I made my selection, and upon tasting it, I decided that this would be the perfect wine for my steakhouse experience.

For our first course, we sampled the restaurant’s seafood medley, which consisted of several of their most popular seafood appetizers: shrimp cocktail, crab cake St. Francis, and bacon wrapped scallop.  The oblong plate arrived at the table with one enormous scallop wrapped in a thick rasher of bacon and topped with a meuniere sauce that was absolutely delicious, as well as a crispy crab cake that yielded a moist explosion of crab meat that contained hardly any filler, and the two gargantuan shrimp that were tender and sweet and complimented by a generous dollop of cocktail sauce and mustard sauce.  Since we informed our waiter that we were intending to share our courses, the kitchen took the liberty of splitting the luscious lobster bisque that I had ordered, which was a nice touch and demonstrated that III Forks pays close attention to offering guests personalized service.  The bisque was velvety smooth, not too thick, had a generous portion of lobster claw meat, and was finished with just the right amount of brandy that gave it slightly different character from the traditional sherry-infused bisque.

For our entrées, we decided on the eighteen ounce USDA Prime Bone In Ribeye - the restaurant’s signature cut - and the Prime Double Cut Pork Chop served with a peach and balsamic reduction sauce.  Again, being that we intended to share both entrées, both cuts of meat were brought to the table on a large wooden cutting board, sliced tableside, and served onto our individual dining plates.  Along with our meat, we chose side dishes of six cheese potatoes and sautéed mushrooms.  When a steakhouse does its steak well, there is nothing much to elaborate on as far as nuanced flavors and textures.  After all, the reason I found myself in a steakhouse to begin with was to avoid all of that.  III Forks’ steak was wonderful - perfectly cooked, juicy, tender, and everything one would ask for in an excellent cut of beef.  Our waiter made a point of emphasizing that the pork they used was Prime, although one bite of III Forks’ pork chop was enough to convince me of its quality.  The chop was lightly rubbed with salt and spices, and the peach and balsamic sauce with which it came was a nice sweet accompaniment.  The six cheese potatoes, which were basically potatoes au gratin, were delicious, and the tiny whole mushrooms sautéed with bourbon offered a nice umami compliment to the steak.

For dessert, we shared a six layered chocolate ganache cake encrusted with coconut, which was enough for four people to easily share, especially after a large dinner like the one we just had.  The layers of cake were moist and intensely flavored with chocolate while not being too overwhelmingly sweet, and it offered a nice, decadent end to a very classic steakhouse dinner, albeit with a couple of twists.  So, while South Florida abounds with new and creative restaurants on the cutting edge of today’s culinary trends, it’s nice to know that there are still a few good ole-fashioned steakhouses like III Forks where we can just enjoy a well made meal that is familiar and comforting.

Make sure to catch III Forks’ “Sure Thing” martinis on Wednesdays throughout the rest of the summer, where a different martini is featured every week for only $5.

Also be sure to check out III Forks tomorrow, August 7th, from 5:30 to 7:00 PM for a complimentary wine tasting with passed hors d’oeuvres, as well as half priced glasses and bottles

III Forks Prime Steakhouse
Located at The Village of Gulfstream Park
501 Silks Run # 1130  
Hallandale Beach, FL 33009
(954) 457-3920
www.iiiforks.com