I’m in the sleepy town of Southold on Long Island’s North Fork, an area known for its “wine trail” that includes more than 30 vineyards thriving off a sunny summer climate and temperatures cooled by ocean breezes. The North Fork is separated from the South Fork by the Peconic Bay, the south side being the nexus to summer hot spots like Southampton and East Hampton that attract a who’s who of New York society and Hollywood celebs. But I’m on the North Fork because I’m seeking a culinary adventure and there’s no better regional dining than at the North Fork Table & Inn. Chef Stephan Bogardus, who counts cooking at the Breakers in Palm Beach and the Culinary Institute of America under his belt, tells me, “We’re really focused on flavor development.” It will take a mere couple of hours before I’m convinced that Bogardus’s flavor development is the best anywhere east of Manhattan. He is surely a rising star on the culinary scene with his savory American cuisine worthy of a diversion for anyone visiting eastern Long Island.
From the outside, the North Fork Table & Inn looks like a grand old southern mansion with its stately façade and tall white columns flanking the entrance. The building’s foundation dates to the early 1800s with parts reconstructed keeping in sync with historic architecture, materials and techniques. The Inn portion includes four cozy, country-style guest rooms. The dining room exudes an understated, quiet simplicity. Perhaps that’s intended because it might be too much to be wowed by both interiors as well as food, and at North Fork Table, the emphasis is on the food. The dining area does, however, feature gorgeous hand-scraped oak floors, pale hues, a fireplace, and a small but welcoming bar.
Indulge in the Tasting Menu
Highly recommended is the five-course tasting menu for $125 per person, which can be supplemented with wines for an additional $35. Don’t even think about sticking with a three-course meal here, as you will miss so much. For starters, the Hudson Valley seared foie gras atop raw tuna is magical, the lightly glazed foie gras simply melting in your mouth. The contrast of cooked versus raw tuna intrigued me—and accented with a radish syrup and herbs it worked. Also delectable but on the meaty side is a pork paté with a purple mustard. My daughter raved about the ricotta toast with truffle honey and the risotto fritters with lemon and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses. A fabulous salad of quinoa, beets and goat cheese with a pistachio vinaigrette rounded out the choices.
Naturally, there’s a nice selection of local wines to complement the menu such as a Chardonnay from the Lenz Winery in Southold, a Sauvignon Blanc from Shared Table Farm, or a Chenin Blanc from Paumanok Vineyards. It’s said of the local terroir that the salt of the earth meets the salt of the sea to create intense aromatics and crisp acidity in the region’s wines. The restaurant’s pairings, however, go far beyond Long Island, including a Greek wine with which I was pleasantly surprised.
Intriguing Seafood Trends
The North Fork’s location, in proximity to the Long Island Sound and the Atlantic, means there’s always fresh fish on the menu. As a seafood lover, I was a bit surprised that I’d never heard of weakfish before, but I’ll remember it now. The light, white fish is served with fava beans and a truffled potato puree. More interesting still—and the chef earning my deep respect—is his experimentation with blowfish. Considered inedible the fish is known more for its playful appearance when it blows up in into a spiked ball in self-defense, rather than a restaurant specialty. But Chef Bogardus, who’s dedicated to locally sourced cuisine, sought to feature it given its resurgence in area waters. He likens the fish, which he poaches, to fluke, and with a little lemon, butter, herb puree and interesting accents like stinging nettles, it’s quite nice. The dish may need fine-tuning, but a chef’s courage in going where few have gone before is what creates new trends and tastes—so look for the possibility of blowfish coming to a fine restaurant near you.
Glorious Grass-Fed Beef
At North Fork Table … “If it’s not local, it’s luxury,” adds the chef. Grass-fed beef from Montana has become a recognizable luxury. I’ve never tasted meat so flavorful, which makes me wonder about all the other beef I’ve been eating all these years. The restaurant engages in a three-week dry-aging process—cut, trim, render the fat, brush it on, let the meat sit under fans for weeks—all to condense the flavor, with the meat then pan-roasted and basted in garlic-thyme butter.
To complete my incredible tasting menu, it became time to inspire sweet dreams before heading to my room upstairs. I order Baked Alaska (from pastry Chef Claudia Fleming), which includes chocolate crumble and baked meringue with blackberry ice cream and sorbet, and blackberry yuzu sauce. Though this was my desert, one bite of it and my daughter claimed it, devouring the delicious concoction. I am left staring longingly at an empty plate, my baked dreams gone up in smoke.
With a sigh, I resign myself to being forced to return to the North Fork Table soon. I leave with a menu in hand to plan my five-course tasting strategy for next time.
