The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar A legend rethinks itself

Even the greats occasionally need to reinvent themselves, like Michael Jordan when he became primarily a jump-shooter, or Adam Sandler, when he began making movies that made you want to either jump, or shoot yourself. For a legendary resto re-doing its steez, hit the all-new Forge.

For The Forge's just-unleashed second incarnation, the 42-years-young library-ish landmark has moved in a livelier direction, with mildly Tim Burton-esque low-slung plush furniture (including a swan couch!) dotting the dining area, a massive, rectangular bar zone in the old Nouveau/Dome Rooms, a wall of glass bubbles, and a glass-enclosed "Board Room" with a three-part communal table cut from massive tree trunks, and Donald Trump yelling at you for not having enough celebrity friends who'll pay 20 grand for a hot dog. The menu's similarly overhauled, with starters like a wedge salad with bacon dressing, a plate of red lentils & Moroccan lemons, and the towering "Bermuda Triangle": with local tomatoes, onion rings, prosciutto, Chateau Margaux vinaigrette, and a brulee of goat cheese, it interestingly makes large objects appear. Entrees include spaghetti with kale, slivered garlic, poached egg, and long shavings of Parmesan, steamed yellowtail "in a bag" (infused with herbs, veggies, red peppers, smoked tomato sauce, and anchovies), and the "Burger and Bordeaux" (grilled Angus sirloin layered w/ short rib, lobster marmalade, pomegranate ketchup, served with the wine); they've even retained a couple old faves like the Super Steak and the U2 Shrimp, who've saved way more African children than Mini Kiss.

Drinks!: 80 wines you can sample in 1/3/5oz pours by swiping a "wine card" at one of 10 enomatic stations, plus new cocktails like the Apple Crisp (green apple-infused Maker's/lime juice/cinnamon syrup/house-made ginger beer) and the Smoke & Fire, with pineapple-infused Cuervo, creme de mezcal, lime juice, egg whites, jalapenos, and Peychaud's Bitters -- exactly how you feel when you watch the guy who once let Bob Barker beat the crap out of him start speaking Spanglish.