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| 'The Table' |
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| Southhold, NY, USA |
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Extraordinary
January - 2010 |
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5
Stars & 5 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| The heavy rain and icy winter roads made our trip to
the North Fork of Long Island slightly longer than we expected. As we slowly
moved along I-495 (The L.I.E.) to the end of the highway, quaint villages,
towns and vineyards of the North Fork came into view. We were on our way to
Southold, the first English settlement on Long Island (1640) located at the
northeastern tip of Suffolk County. We had read and heard some great reviews
about a very special restaurant: 'The Table' at The North Fork Table and Inn.
Driving through Southhold took about 10 minutes, before we finally arrived at
the charming, small, white colonial style home of the "North Fork Table and
Inn". The Inn is managed and run by two renowned culinary stars from Manhattan,
Chef Gerard Hayden (Aureole, Amuse) and his wife Claudia Fleming (Gramercy
Tavern) the Inn's pastry chef. The restaurant/Inn opened in 2006, after being
purchased from the prior tenant "Coeur des Vignes". |
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| The North
Fork Table & Inn |
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| As we entered the front door of the Inn, we were
greeted by Chef de Cuisine Gerard Hayden who was in the process of preparing
for the evening meal. The North Fork Table and Inn has been rebuilt from the
ground up into a bright, country style inn, with wood floors, fire places, and
ceiling beams. After our check in, Rita and I walked upstairs to the second
floor guest rooms. Our accommodations were small but comfortable and nicely
appointed. We rested until dinner at 7:30PM was served in the first floor
dining room, although diminutive, it offered roomy table seating, as well as a
series of unique alcoves for more intimate dining. Each table was covered with
elegant linen and set with fine china, silverware and crystal goblets. Our
special tasting menu, designed by Gerard and Claudia, focused on seasonally
inspired, locally grown organic produce, fresh seafood, some from the Peconic
Bay and award winning cheeses. Their wine cellar also features award winning
L.I. wines. |
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| Our meal got off to a
great start with a basket filled with an assortment of crisp local breads and
butter. Our waitress/server was charming, knowledgeable and extremely helpful
in describing each course. Rita and I waited with great anticipaiton as our
server brought the first course to the table. What we saw was a beautifully
arranged shimmering pink filet of Organic Scottish Salmon & Yukon Gold
Potato Cake with Truffled Tartar Sauce and Herb Salad. The added presence
of golden straw colored Yukon Gold Potatoes provided an appealing contrast to
the eye and promoted a gradual appetite arrousal simply by visual admiration of
the dish. The Salmon was delicate and flaky with a noticeable fresh ocean aroma
and a sublime flavor. |
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| The
North Fork Table & Inn - Cuisine |
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The wine presented for this course proved to be
a dry, fruit driven Riesling, Kung Fu Girl, Charles Smith, 2008 Columbia
Valley, WA, with low alcohol and brisk acidity thereby providing the
necessary compliment to the salmon. A second appetizer of Sautéed
Peconic Bay Scallops with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette and Micro Greens arrived
shortly thereafter. We marveled at the bright crimson color of shredded pieces
of radish adorning the entire dish creatively mixed together with wedges of
orange and mixed micro greens. The wine paring was an especially crisp Alsatian
style Pinot Blanc, Lieb Cellars, 2007 Mattituck, NY, with honeyed floral
notes, and a big creamy palate. We were acutely aware after the first two
courses that we were headed in the right direction in terms of a polished,
creative and flavorful experience. Next up, Long Island Duck Breast with
Chanterelle Mushrooms and Roasted Butternut Squash-Orange Puree appeared
from the kitchen resembling a three-dimensional work or art. Crispy skin atop
tender duck breast sliced thinly to reveal perfectly broiled juicy meat
instigated an immediate reach for a taste. The portion was that of half a duck
including the leg together with a few cippolini onions, whole baby carrots and
the almost magical sautéed chanterelles. |
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| The
North Fork Table & Inn - Cuisine |
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We were treated to
another Long Island icon, Pinot Noir, Castello Borghese 2006, Cutchogue,
NY, which reminded me of an old French saying, “…Cabernet will
throw you down and rip your clothes off; Pinot Noir subtly convinces you to
take them off yourself.” This Pinot Noir displays subtle aromas of mocha
and berries followed by exotic flavors of chocolate, black cherry and currants
and seems to go perfectly with the duck breast. |
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| A second main course of Hickory Smoked Bacon
wrapped Cervena Venison Loin with local Cider Foie Gras Jus, Red Wine Braised
Cabbage and Black Pepper Spaetzle, an all natural venison from New Zealand
together with the rich taste of au jus, foie gras and tart cabbage. We loved
the peppery spaetzle loaded with eggs and butter and topped with fresh ground
black pepper, as it seemed to accompany the venison beautifully in its support
roll. Our server recommended Petit Sirah, Lodi, Starry Night, 2006
Sebastopol, California to go with the wild taste of venison. This is a
fruit driven spicy masterpiece offering a hint of sambuca and Morello cherry.
The dessert, like all other courses came in twos. For starters, Warm
Chocolate Soufflé Tart with Black Mint Ice Cream was light, fluffy
and deeply chocolate with an opposing cool flavor of mint ice cream. An intense
dark ruby-red colored Warre’s “Warrior” port displaying
plenty of ripe fruit and spice was the well-suited accompaniment to this
luscious dessert. |
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| Finally the Fig
Napoleon with Vanilla Goat Cheese Cream, Concord Grape Sorbet and toasted
Pistachios denied us the opportunity to say “no more food” as we
dutifully relished this inspired combination of fruits and nuts together with
sweet-tart vanilla goat cheese cream. A special favorite of mine, Late
Harvest Chardonnay, Wolffer, 2007 Sagaponack, NY winning "Best Dessert
Wine" at the 2006 New York Wine and Food Classic, delivered an immediate burst
of honey and tropical fruit aromas while an energetic acidity helped to temper
the overall elegant sweetness. Each dish simple in its presentation, offered
compelling, complimentary, flavor combinations. After 2-1/2 hours of satiating
our appetite and engaging in some fun conversation with other diners, we went
back to our room for some peaceful slumber. |
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| The
North Fork Table & Inn - Team |
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| The next morning we had the opportunity to again
sample some of Claudia's legendary breads and muffins and spend some time with
Gerard and Claudia as they recounted their culinary backgrounds. Gerard is
dynamic, personable and bright, and it was a pleasure to spend time talking to
"a man with a plan". Claudia is witty, highly creative and attractive. She
brings her love of cooking to some of the best breads, desserts and cakes we
had ever eaten. They both believe that delicious "home grown" food and
excellent service continues to build their brand and has given them a lot of
"Great word of mouth" viral publicity. This belief and vision has made The
Table at The North Fork Table and Inn, a highly visible and much desired
destination for sophisticated diners. Cooking and food are a part of Gerard and
Claudia's family heritage, and along the way they had the opportunity to work
with some world famous culinary mentors. They worked with famous chef/
entrepreneurs
Charlie Palmer & David Burke and ultimately opened Amuse, their own successful, NYC restaurant. Having always had a love affair with the North Fork of Long Island, Gerard and Claudia decided that their "Nirvana"
would be a home and a new restaurant on the North Fork in Southold. With the
money they received from the sale of "Amuse" they purchased a house as well as
the original "Coeur des Vignes" restaurant site in Southold. The North Fork
Table and Inn gave Gerard and Claudia the opportunity to live their dream,
& change their lifestyle and create the dining experience of their dreams.
Their Mission continues to be "Elevate and pay homage to local produce" on the
North Fork. The food, service and ambiance are on par with the very best
Manhattan has to offer. Congratulations to Gerard, Claudia and kudos to Mary,
Alana and the staff for a truly memorable experience. |
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by Barry & Rita Kay
Editor-in-Chief: John
Lomitola |
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| © 2010 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes,
Inc. |
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