Fork
306 Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(215) 625-9425
Since Ellen Yin and her partner, Roberto Sella, opened Fork in 1997, the restaurant has remained a major revitalizing force on Philadelphia’s Old City dining scene. And with the addition of Chef Eli Kulp in the fall of 2012, the general scuttlebutt seems to be that the eatery has moved up several more notches on Philly’s culinary Richter scale.
More than any other restaurant I’ve encountered in the City of Brotherly Love, Fork has a definitive New York City vibe about it. The interior – fresh from an impressive makeover – is decked out in hand-painted chandeliers suspended above the rustic cast-concrete bar, hand-painted floor-to-ceiling velvet-patterned curtains, and impressively vibrant wall murals. An open kitchen at the rear adds to the slightly hectic but casually sophisticated ambiance.
Table service here has always been personable and attentive… although the bartenders, on several occasions, appeared to be a bit on the disingenuous side. On the one hand, you don’t want the bartender to come on like your best friend… on the other, you do expect a modicum of interest on his/her part.
The website portrays Fork as Quintessential Bistro Dining – and this imagery is quite apt. In true bistro fashion, the tables are closely aligned. Anorexic contortionism is not quite required to successfully negotiate the seating arrangements – as it is in several Paris bistros I’ve encountered over the years – but a certain bodily flexibility would undoubtedly come in handy.
With the food, however, the bistro analogy begins to break down. Taking into account minor variations, the original meaning of bistro may be defined as: “A small restaurant serving moderately priced simple meals in a modest setting.” Setting aside the matter of price for a moment, to which I shall return at the conclusion of this review, the contemporary American cuisine at Fork – with the possible exception of lunch, and even that is stretching the point a bit – would never be accused of being “simple.” Creative…? Definitely. Sophisticated…? Assuredly. Simple…? Inconceivably.
The restaurant continues its farm-to-table approach to dining, sourcing meats & produce from the finest farms throughout the Delaware Valley, which is highly commendable. On the other hand, a number of ingredients listed on Fork’s printed menu will surely be unfamiliar to most patrons, sending even the most seasoned dining veterans scurrying for their culinary dictionaries – hardly the soul of bistro-like simplicity.
… Ditto the gastronomic broadside of three amuse bouches. It is not unusual, even within modest bistro precincts, for the chef to send out an amuse-bouche, a complimentary one or two bite portion to “set up,” that is, to tantalize the palate for the meal ahead – but three!! During a recent visit, in rapid succession, we were treated to a watermelon fruit wrap with sesame seeds, English peas swimming in wasabi foam, and a shot of parsley soda. Not only was this an overblown quantitative excess but also, ultimately, a counterproductive qualitative convolution of flavors that succeeded in anesthetizing rather than invigorating the taste buds.
But the thing that truly surprises me about Fork is the fact that the cuisine is not only rich but also quite heavy. And portions, especially entrées, are exceedingly generous – you will not go hungry here – almost as if the restaurant is specifically courting the rapacious appetites of the “Clean Plate Club.” Is the food good…? Yes, it is very good. But I, personally – and, of course, this is only a matter of opinion – would much prefer a touch more finesse and a good deal less overkill.
Take the whole Muscovy duck, a nightly special for two, as Exhibit A. The duck breast arrived on two separate plates, sliced over celery root purée and splashed with duck jus. The breast was thickly sliced – one would have expected exquisitely thin, elegant slices in such an upscale establishment – and was extremely fatty. This was accompanied by an individual side of duck parts, prosciutto & sausage, on a bed of Italian lettuces, and duck confit with broccoli rabe.
… As if this wasn’t enough, there next appeared an enormous side of duck meatballs, which, though delicious, seemed strangely and indelicately out of place. I mean, check out the photo; these could have been dumped on a plate in any lowly Neapolitan nirvana with more adroitness than was exhibited here. At a restaurant like Fork, one expects infinitely more subtlety.
Fortunately, other entrées were not quite as rustically gargantuan in scope and had infinitely more to offer. In the seafood vein, the kitchen prepares roasted skate wing on a regular basis. It is cooked to a golden brown and, true to its nature, the white flesh shreds easily (is slightly stringy) and is mildly flavored. The classic French recipe is to simply sauté the wing in brown butter. Here, as noted above, it is roasted and then companioned by clams, smoked fingerling potatoes, bits of chorizo sausage, and bathed in a colorful parsley sauce that slightly overwhelms its delicate countenance.
But much to be preferred, in my opinion, is another menu staple, the exquisite branzino (European sea bass). According to the menu, it is served en croute, which usually means that it is wrapped in pastry and baked. In this case, however, the term is something of a misnomer, as the filet is simply topped with a tuile (French for tile), a crisp wafer-like cookie. But that hardly matters as the pristinely white flesh is sweet, moist & succulent, and set on a seabed of perfectly sautéed spinach. Traveling companions include artichokes and a spiced tamarind broth.
While main courses can be a bit heavy handed and/or overwhelmed by a convolution of ingredients, appetizers are decidedly more focused and infinitely more pleasing to the eye. The charred octopus, for example, makes an excellent starter. It is inordinately tender, kissed by an irresistible sweet/sour glaze, and artistically garnished with thrice-cooked potatoes. An excellent effort.
“The Roots” is a novel idea that also makes an excellent prelude. The dish consists of a bevy of beautifully roasted morsels of root vegetables garnished with an ingratiating splash of pear vinaigrette and decorative smear of puréed sunchoke (Jerusalem artichoke).
Other possibilities include a first-rate crab-apple soup, veal carpaccio & raw tuna in a tonnato sauce, grilled carrots with green coriander seed, yogurt, and pickled ramps, and a simple spring greens salad with ginger crème fraiche, kale chips, and radishes.
The restaurant’s hand-made pastas, which also show a great deal of creative flair, may be ordered as either appetizer or entrée portions. The Chef’s “Burnt Grains” pappardelle, for example, is just as palate-pleasing as it is unique. Pappardelle is pasta cut in broad, flat strips that are usually served with some form of game sauce. This particular pasta is nearly black… not from squid ink but from the burnt grains that are used to make the dough. And, in this case, those wide noodles are teamed with a luscious wild boar ragù backed by olives & preserved lemon, a combo that offers up a marvelously distinctive flavor & texture. If you’ve never sampled wild boar, trust me, now is the time. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
Another must try is the ramp gnudi (pronounced “nu-dee”), a type of gnocchi that is usually made from ricotta cheese and a touch of flour. The dumplings have often been described as “nude” ravioli, or filling without the pasta. Fork’s version consists of cloumage, a fresh lactic curd made from cow’s milk at Shy Brothers Farm in Westport Massachusetts. When cooked, it exhibits the same texture as baked ricotta cheese. The resulting dumplings are light, creamy, fluffy, and very, very rich. The dish is finished with an ethereal buttermilk sauce and torn leaves of patience dock, also known as garden patience, an herbaceous perennial.
Desserts – including a serving of 3 or 5 American cheeses with appropriate accoutrements – also offer some interesting possibilities. The lemon & thyme semifreddo with thyme meringue, for instance, is surprising light and refreshing. And eggplant cake may sound rather odd, but coupled with chocolate crème and creamed orange sorbet is extraordinarily delicious… ditto the rich, filling, and positively decadent chocolate peanut butter praline bar with caramel cream & banana gelato.
Usually I find it difficult to resist any combination of chocolate and peanut butter; but if you wish to get away from the “death by chocolate” syndrome for a spell, you simply can’t miss with the incredibly satisfying brown-sugar-pecan cake garnished with butterscotch pudding, verjus apples, and a fabulously creamy brown butter ice cream.
And bear in mind that Fork also offers its diners an intriguing selection of wines covering a broad range of styles, many from smaller, lesser-known producers. Personal recommendations include: the 2009 Domaine David Clark Pinot Noir, which married exceedingly well with the duck; and the 2011 Gautheron, Cuvée Emeraude Chablis added a nice complementary touch to the piscatorial offerings.
My wife and I have dined at Fork on several occasions; and, although we’ve enjoyed our experiences, we always seem to come away with mixed emotions. During our last visit, we opted for the “Chef’s Tasting,” which included choice of individual appetizers, entrées & desserts, and a shared pasta. This also included the three amuse bouches mentioned above and various bread courses. I know that these plenteous portions may have great appeal for those with the appetite of a ravening hyena (and they must be legion, as the restaurant is always busy)… but for us there was simply too much food that was entirely too rich and too heavy. Sometimes less is more. Those with diminutive appetites should bear this in mind and order judiciously.
One final note: While Fork is not outlandishly expensive as Philadelphia restaurants go, after all items have been factored in, including tax & tip, depending upon your gastronomic and libationary preferences, dinner for two could very easily top $300.00. If you’re not particularly enthusiastic about parting with quite so much long green, lunch, which is served Wednesday – Friday, might be a viable alternative.
Bon Appétit!
TAD
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