My First Tasting Menu

     A few weeks back, my wife and I traveled out to the North Fork of Long Island for my best friend's birthday celebration. They were't getting in until Saturday, so we decided to make it a two night getaway and leave on Friday afternoon. When we booked the hotel room at The Greenporter (another recommendation of mine), naturally we started looking for the best restaurants around that area.
     I don't like to read people's reviews about restaurants, as I would rather form my own opinion about the food. Solely based on how good the menu looked, we booked a table at the North Fork Table & Inn. Coincidentally, my buddy's wife told us a few days after we made the reservation that we should give this place a shot, so we were very excited to try it out based on what she had told us about it.
    Finally, after three weeks of constantly visiting the menu page leading up to our visit, it was time to chow down. There was however, that dreaded three hour drive from Staten Island out to Greenport. Looking at the glass half full, at least it gave us a chance to build up an appetite. Upon walking into the restaurant, one can not help but to feel warm and comfortable. The setting is what you might expect out of a bed and breakfast, as it shares the same qualities as a lot of the restaurants out on the North Fork. There was not much of a crowd there at all, as it was the middle of January.
     The restaurant only has two menu options, which were the tasting menu or a prix fixe meal. Despite the steep price, my wife and I decided to give the tasting menu as a try. We had never done one before and had thought that this was as good of a place as any to start. Besides putting a pretty hefty dent in our pocket, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The restaurant also offers a paired wine option to go along with each part of the tasting.
     Now to get into the best part....the menu. The waiter began by bringing us a little appetizer that was not listed on the tasting menu. It was a rendition of their Hand-cut Sashimi Grade Local Yellowfin Tuna Tartare, which can be found on their prix fixe menu. It was very fresh and certainly a nice way to start off the meal. The actual tasting menu kicked off with a Raw Hamachi & Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras. This was my first time trying either one of these menu items so I will admit that I do not have anything to base my thoughts on. The dish was served with glazed daikon, radish syrup and micro greens. I never thought I would try foie gras but this was simply delicious. The foie gras had a nice sear on it and once you got past that you were met with a rich, buttery texture that just melted in your mouth. I started this meal thinking to myself "how can this get any better?"

    This is how.... The second course was Seared Local Peconic Bay Scallops. When you think about food marriages, combinations such as spaghetti and meatballs, peanut butter and jelly, and garlic and oil tend to be the more popular ones. This dish opened my eyes to the only marriage that you will need to know about (and no, I am not talking about Johnny Depp and Amber Heard; congrats by the way). It is the combination of vanilla and seafood. The scallops were served with a parsnip-vanilla purée, sautéed local spinach, and a crispy parsnip on top. My wife and I could not get enough of these flavors. We all but licked the plates dry (or at least would have if our surroundings were more conducive to that type of behavior). It is a combination I would have never thought would have worked if you had told me about it. But it does, and on so many levels... Mac and cheese, move out of the way because we have a new power couple in town.

     Moving on to the third course, you don't have to say much more about the dish other than that it is a risotto and you already have my attention. The waiter brought out a Roasted Wild Mushroom Risotto next. This dish was served with parmigiano reggiano and truffle butter. After the previous courses that I have described, this dish may sound like it is quite lower in quality compared to it's predecessors, but the simplicity of it is what helped it hold it's own. The presentation also helped provide this course with some elegance as it was served in a bowl with a rather large rim to bowl proportion. The creaminess of the risotto met with the earthiness of the truffle butter was an excellent balance. The cheese added that sharp, nutty flavor to round it all off.

     I hope you all are still with me and haven't run off to satisfy the hunger that these words have created. Moving on to the fourth "main course". The next dish that the waiter brought out was a 24-hour Slow-cooked Grass-fed Beef Short Rib of Vineland Farms This dish was served with baby carrots, roasted celery root purée, swiss chard, and black garlic jus. In what seems to be the central theme of this menu, the meat just melts in your mouth. The accompanying vegetables were good, but obviously the short rib was the star of this show. Over the past year or so, I have become a big fan of short ribs and have ordered them almost any time I've seen them on a menu. This dish puts them all to shame.

     The meal comes winding down to a beautiful dessert. The waiter brought out a Chocolate Soufflé Tart. This dish was served with a homemade coffee ice cream. It was rich and delicious and served as an excellent way to wind down and reflect on a beautiful, all around delicious tasting menu. I would strongly recommend it to anyone going out to the North Fork to enjoy the many wineries. I have also included a link to an article on epicurious.com talking about the chefs that are responsible for this work of art.

http://www.epicurious.com/archive/chefsexperts/interviews/claudiafleminggerryhaydenbiorecipes