Crossville is a lucky town to have a restaurant of Forte’s quality
By Don Napier
Owned by John and Ken (and their wives Kim and Christine), Forte’s has become my favorite place for lunch. Crossville is a lucky little town to have a restaurant of this quality. I really enjoy walking to lunch. There is just something great about taking that little stroll and leaving the car parked. I do understand that not everyone can enjoy this convenience.
When I take an out of town friend to Forte’s for lunch or dinner, often they will say, “we don’t have anything like this in Cookeville, — or Livingston. You guys are so lucky.” I think that speaks volumes for Forte’s.
In my eating plan that has pretty well eliminated meat from my diet, fish has become the star of several of my meals. I can depend on Forte’s to deliver the goods. On their menu is Salmon and Grouper, both delicious pan broiled. They also have other fish available at certain times, and I had their Artic Char once that was the best single piece of fish I ever ate. I have also had Amberjack and Mahi Mahi.
Forte’s is a unique restaurant for a small, rural town. Don’t get me wrong, I love “meat ‘n threes.” I love turnip greens, sweet potatoes, pinto beans, fried okra, etc. and everyone who reads my food columns know that cornbread is nearly sacred to me.
But Forte’s is not that kind of restaurant. They have a hand-written blackboard where they outline their daily specials. You are liable to see nearly anything there, from fried oysters to a Short Rib chopped steak, or Paninni’s, or Eggplant Parmesan.
But it is more than just what they serve as specials. For example, I am always looking for steamed veggies, and I always find that their steamed broccoli is cooked perfectly. We’ve all had some al dente broccoli that you could not eat – hard and rubbery, just terribly undercooked. We all know what we think about that!
If I had to single out one outstanding food group, it would be their soups. Chef John Forte is a master soup maker. I am allergic to milk or cream so I have to be careful about the ingredients, but they serve many varieties that I can enjoy. Variety is the key to the Forte’s daily lunch menu. You will not grow tired of their special menu.
I would also like to comment on their wait staff. They have had the same four regular waitresses for a long time, and I really enjoy seeing them all every time I go there. I have a tendency to sit in the same place, so Kelly is my standard waitress, but I talk to them all and they are always friendly. What a great asset it is to have good employees. A good wait staff is essential to having a successful restaurant.
I remember John’s quote when I interviewed him last summer for a story, “We feel blessed every time we open the doors and people come in. We believe if you give good food, at good prices, with good service, people will love it.” We obviously do!
Hey, it’s 12:30 — let’s walk up to Forte’s.
