The Fork Restaurant officially opened its doors to the public at Fork Restaurant’s brand new location on 52 Cod Seine Cove Road, Mobile, Newfoundland on June 19th and Whale House Guest House was there to get the scoop, and by scoop, we mean both the Fork Restaurant news story and a second helping of creme brulee. We were also able to enjoy a few extra glasses of wine since Whale House Guest House is a 5 min walk from Fork Restaurant, so if you’re staying at the Whale House, take our lead and leave your car parked so you can enjoy a second juniper gin cocktail, glass of wine, or perfectly poured Landwash beer without having to worry about who’s driving.
The Fork Restaurant isn’t new to the foodie scene. Originally started as a pop-up restaurant in Witless Bay, Fork Restaurant has a cult-like following and is famous for serving up high-quality food from the best locally sourced ingredients. Fork chef Kyle Puddester and partner Kayla O’Brien sacrifice nothing when it comes to quality. The emphasis is on the highest quality locally sourced expertly prepared food in a setting that mirrors the same.
The emphasis is on the highest quality locally sourced expertly prepared food in a setting that mirrors the same.
Walking from Whale House Guest House, you will see the soft glow of Fork Restaurant’s new location as you walk towards the East Coast Trail. The Fork is tucked away in the trees, surrounded by nature and wildlife with the cedar shake exterior of The Fork blending into its surroundings, making the Fork Restaurant look like it somehow sprouted out of its wooded surroundings. The restaurant overlooks Tinker’s Point path, Witless Bay Marine Ecological Reserve, and humpback whale feeding grounds. The only thing that will take your attention away from The Fork Restaurant’s spectacular setting is the five-star food coming out of Fork’s kitchen.
Moose, fox, puffins, eagles, whales, and ptarmigan are some of the animals that make appearances in and around Fork Restaurant’s boreal forest, and during whale season it’s hard not to spot a Humpback Whale spouting or breaching just offshore.
As fellow foodies, we have high standards when it comes to cuisine and eating out. The atmosphere needs to be appealing, the setting needs to match what’s being served up, and the food needs to be high quality, locally sourced, and expertly prepared. There are lots of great restaurants in Newfoundland, and certainly, there are many choices here in Eastern Newfoundland, but when it comes to offering an international five-star standard that consistently exceeds guest expectations, Fork Restaurant is in a class of its own. Simply put, if you’re looking for the best of the best, there is no substitution for eating at The Fork Restaurant.
Because we couldn’t decide on just one dish, we decided to enjoy three small plates while being careful to leave room for dessert. Also, the appetizer Nan’s Bread should not be overlooked. If you love bread and are lucky enough to try Nan’s Bread as an appetizer, be warned that all bread you eat from this day forward will pale in comparison to Nan’s Bread.
1: GNOCCHI Your Socks Off
The Gnocchi was to die for, and a foreshadow of what was to come. Whenever we see Gnocchi on the menu, we order it since it can be prepared in so many different ways and is a great barometer of a chef’s talent and skill. You can’t go wrong with this classic dish.
2: GRASS FED BEEF TARTAR
For the red meat lover, Fork Restaurant’s French-inspired Beef Tartar will get your blood flowing. When it comes to Beef Tartar, it’s all about the beef, and we’ve seen many a chef mess this one up by choosing less than perfect beef. In fact, more often than not, ordering this dish outside of a French Restaurant leads to disappointment. We can happily say, Fork Restaurant’s chef Kyle Puddester nailed this dish right to the last bite.
Chef Kyle directly oversees everything coming into and out of The Fork Restaurant’s kitchen, selects only the best grass-fed beef raised locally on coastal meadows here in Newfoundland. The Tartar wasn’t just good, it was outstanding. To date the beef we had at Fork Restaurant was the best beef we’ve ever eaten, rivaling the Kobe Beef and Wagyu Beef we’ve enjoyed in the past.
3: PORK BELLY TOPPED WITH SCALLOPS
Scallops so fresh they tasted like we were eating them right on the boat. Served on a perfectly seared slab of pork belly, the presentation and balance of this small plate was also first class. Paired with unfiltered Landwash Brewery Ale, this dish was a total taste extravaganza.
For those that are thirsty, Fork Restaurant offers locally inspired cocktails made with juniper gin and chaga rum (from the The Newfoundland Distillery Co, fine wine, and locally crafted beer. When we heard they had just tapped a fresh keg of locally brewed unfiltered Landwash Beer, we elected to enjoy a few tall frothy glasses of this unique ale which paired great with our selection of small plates. Normally one of us will drink while the other is relegated to being the designated driver, but since we were staying at Whale House Guest House, just down the lane from Fork Restaurant, we decided to walk, giving us the freedom to drink and simply enjoy the evening without the hassle of transportation logistics, which usually comes down to a game of paper, rocks, and scissors.
Don’t worry, we’re getting to the Desserts
What about dessert? If you skip dessert at The Fork Restaurant, you missing out on a transcendental experience. We chose two and they were so good the next day we came back just for dessert and coffee.
1: Creme Brulee
When we see Creme Brulee on a dessert menu, it usually makes it to our table, but that doesn’t mean it’s always delectable. This classic French dessert made with egg yolk and heavy cream is all about preparation and presentation. Anyone can mix these ingredients together, but it takes a skilled chef to make this dish well according to the classic French tradition. If you need a reference on how to properly make Creme Brulee, refer to Larousse Gastronomique, the world’s greatest culinary encyclopedia. As lovers of Creme Brulee, we give Chef Kyle a gold star for this one, and that’s not something we hand out often.
No Dessert to Photograph … we’ve had it three times … and all three times, there’s no thought of photos, just get it in my mouth – STAT!
2: Salted chocolate tart with peanut butter caramel, bruleed banana
While this wasn’t the desert I chose for myself, I did get to taste my partner’s who begrudgingly let me have two spoons of theirs. Not too sweet, perfectly portioned, and oh so delicious, if we have to choose one dessert you must try, it’s this one.
Eating out is an experience. It’s certainly about the food, but it’s also about much more than that. When doing a food review, it’s best to take a balanced approach and always offer up something that could have been better. When it comes to our experience at Fork Restaurant, however, we can’t fault a thing, so we will simply summarize The Fork Restaurant experience in one word
Perfect.
