Close to 90 miles west of the North Fork, diners can experience the local bounty at the aptly named North Fork Restaurant, tucked away on a quiet corner in the West Village.
Dreamt up by New York City restaurateurs Vincent Albin and management consultant, Ram Reddy, the intimate 45-seat restaurant opened in February.
The concept is based on a hyper-seasonal contemporary American menu highlighting New York farms and North Fork vineyards and breweries. Reddy, who also co-owns new age Indian restaurant Imli on New York City’s East Side, got the idea after visiting friends in Jamesport.
“The menu is very seasonal and reflects what is being grown on the North Fork,” said Reddy, noting that the menu changes up to four times a year. “I was surprised when I realized no one was really doing that concept, or had taken the name, because the North Fork is so popular.”
Executive chef Brian Jawahir creates a menu that embodies the region by sourcing from local farms on the North Fork and the Hudson Valley as often as possible. Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue, Sang Lee Farms in Peconic and Goodale Farms in Riverhead are among the purveyors whose ingredients are used to create the menu.
The summer menu includes farm-style game meats like roasted quail as well as pastrami-crusted Long Island duck, North Fork sea bass and plenty of vegetable-based dishes like the chilled potato-corn salad.
Brunch, served Saturdays and Sundays with the option for bottomless mimosas, includes a menu of crème brûlée French toast with fresh berries and the North Fork Breakfast Burger made with house blend dry-aged brisket and short rib, fried egg, onion jam and a gooey camembert-blue cheese pour.
“I am always looking at what’s in season and for something that people aren’t used to seeing,” said Jawahir, a former chef at the renowned restaurant, The Aviary NYC at Mandarin Oriental. “It is about simplicity and letting the ingredients shine.”
The bar program also pays homage to the region, featuring about 15 North Fork wineries at any given time, including Pindar Vineyards, Suhru Wines and Duck Walk along with four or five rotating beers from breweries such as North Fork Brewing Company and Greenport Harbor Brewing Company.
“When people visit the North Fork for the weekend, they come here and recognize the farms, wineries and breweries,” Reddy said. “We try to incorporate that as often as possible.”
The rustic, farmhouse ambience is also familiar to the North Fork. Reclaimed barn wood, exposed brick walls and lush greenery from hanging potted plants set the tone for a comfortable, relaxed meal more akin to Southold than Manhattan.
“We wanted to capture the image of the North Fork and what it is like — laid back and wholesome,” Reddy said.
North Fork restaurant is located 122 Christopher Street, West Village, New York City
