Review: New summer menu launch at The Forge restaurant

Words and images: Paul Crofts

The Forge restaurant at Hotel Indigo in Chester’s historic city centre has become a staple of Chester’s fine dining offer over the last few years.

To celebrate its brand new summer menu, The Forge held a glittering launch event.

We Are Chester’s Paul Crofts and editor Angela Ferguson went along to get a taste of what culinary delights await discerning diners.

Launched in spring 2021, the 70-seater restaurant, which was awarded its first 2 AA Rosettes for Culinary Excellence in 2023, is a bright, contemporary space.

It provides head chef Dan Regan and his team with the perfect setting in which to display their passion for wild, sustainable, seasonal British ingredients and a love of simple cooking over fire and charcoal. 

As part of the launch of its summer menu, The Forge has announced a new collaboration with Aubrey Allen, a third-generation family business and suppliers to the Royal Household.

They supply The Forge with ethically sourced, naturally produced meats including heritage sirloin, grass fed fillet, ribeye, rump cap, picanha and bavette steaks, as well as chicken from Cumbria.

The Coventry-based suppliers, who trace their history back to the 1930s, pride themselves on the quality of their meat.

They only select the top 4% of the best beef cattle in the British Isles and support British farmers.

The beef is finished in specially designed locked in dry ageing rooms for a minimum of 28 days to enhance flavour and tenderness.

The hotel’s restaurant itself features special dry age maturation cabinets to ensure that the specially selected meat is full of flavour.

Speaking about the collaboration with Aubrey Allen, Scott Rankin, general manager of Hotel Indigo Chester, said “We’re delighted to have partnered with Aubrey Allen, five times winner of the Chef’s Choice Butcher Awards and launched our exciting new summer menu for our diners to enjoy.”

The focus on quality and flavour shines through at The Forge, as Angela and I soon found out as we and the assembled guests at the summer menu launch event were treated to a veritable feast for the tastebuds.

After a warm welcome from Scott Rankin, we were entertained by a talented saxophonist, a singer and Rio Carnival-inspired dancers who worked the room effortlessly, getting everyone in the party mood.

Fizz flowed, cocktails were shaken and stirred and canapé-sized versions of the dishes on the menu were in plentiful supply.

One of the highlights of the evening was seeing the talented chefs in action, thanks to the open kitchen complete with the charcoal-fuelled fire, adding extra flavour to the succulent cuts of meat. 

From melt in the mouth pork belly and Cumbrian lamb (some of the best I’ve ever tasted), to their signature wagyu and brisket Forge Burger and 30 to 50 day dry-aged steaks, the talented team at the Forge take fine dining to the next level. 

Although predominately meat-led, The Forge also offers diners a choice of fish, vegan and vegetarian dishes including wild sea bass-bouillabaisse with smoked aubergine, courgette and tomato and celeriac with miso, seaweed, mushroom and dashi.  

Set lunch and dinner menus are also available and are excellent value. The Forge offers a unique dining experience with the emphasis on great service and quality produce and it’s not difficult to see why it has become such a firm favourite amongst fine dining foodies from Chester and beyond.

The Forge is located at Hotel Indigo, Grosvenor Park Road, Chester, CH1 1QQ.

For more information and to book a table, visit https://theforgechester.co.uk/.