Forbes Island Restaurant - San Francisco

Oh Phil, this guy...after Alcatraz, he had yet another surprise in store. He took me to a restaurant my friend AS had suggested but that I thought would be too expensive and over the top for us. Little did I know, Phil had put a mental sticky note on it and reserved a table for dinner.

After telling me that we were going elsewhere for dinner, he lead us to the dock for the Forbes Island Shuttle. Boy doesn't that look like the face of someone who is shocked and excited...

Once on the island, we settled in for dinner in a dimly lit and intimate environment.

Each table was lit with only a gas lamp and a lighthouse shaped lamp.

The island sways a bit with the waves and as I drank this strong Island Cocktail ($10), everything seemed to sway all the time.

($16) We started with an avocado, crab, and scallop salad. The salad consisted of a ring of avocado slices around a pile of juicy flaky crab meat and drizzled with a slightly but not overbearing citrus-like dressing. Why do they have to tease me with such a small portion of such a delicious thing.

($26) Mushroom risotto. I did not get to try too much of this but I recall the sauce was good. I quote the man himself when he says this was, "real good, wish there was more, cooked just right, I would like to recreate it with my Target risotto boxes."
 

($39 + $7 + $7) Filet Mignon with potatoes, beans, and additional jumbo prawns. I let the waiter upsell me to the jumbo prawns and although they're about $7 a prawn, I was very satisfied with my seafood choice. Jumbo prawns are so good and so...jumbo! I liked everything about my dish except for that broccoli and shitake mushroom puff. It was a bit bland and tasted too much like eggs.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS

The service at Forbes Island was warm and welcoming from the time you board their ferry until the time you return to dock. They understand why people go here and that they want to be left in peace for intimate dinners. It was a good blend of service without suffocation. Their butter was sprinkled with black lava salt which is so addicting. I need to get some for myself. While the menu selection isn't the most creative or varied, the quality of ingredients is superb, i.e. my prawns, steak, and beans were fresh, plump and juicy. The crab and scallops in our salad, albeit small in portion was fresh. Other than my dish, portion size leaves you wanting a little more but its not too bad. Depending on how sensitive you are to motion, the swaying of the island can be either cool or can ruin your night. Prices are sky high but it was our anniversary so we lived a little. Also, the bathroom is connected to a bedroom - bow chicka wow wow...

Forbes Island on Yelp

Keep reading for a surprise ending...

After dinner, we had to check out the lighthouse because why would you go to a restaurant on an island with a lighthouse if not to see the light house? Phil snapped this pic of me on our way up the 50 flights of stairs. Look at me all happy and chipper, not knowing what was to come...

BAM!

We're engaged!