The West Village’s charm doesn’t just arrive from small shops, blooming flowers, or cobblestone streets, but from its dining establishments as well. When walking through the picturesque West Village, one can feel as if they are part of a scene in a rom-com due to the many restaurants and more. If romance is on your mind, then look no further because you and your date are in for a culinary adventure. One restaurant that’ll provide you with this exact feeling and a dining experience like no other is North Fork. North Fork is located right on Bedford Avenue and Christopher Street and is a locale you can’t miss due to the opulent floral decor vining throughout the establishment’s exterior.
When walking into North Fork, you’ll step into a modern yet cozy dining space, as brown leather banquette seats and white marble tables topped with modern-day writer’s lamps make up the decor. The restaurant is owned and operated by Maram Reddy, who also brought the restaurant’s decor to fruition. He received this inspiration for North Fork’s decor, as he wanted to go for a rustic theme. In addition, he wanted to create a casual and comfortable vibe where great-tasting food is offered and one could also feel at home.
With that said, the dining experience at North Fork was so comforting that I knew I had to go for seconds. I started with the Croissant Burger, a staple cultivated from a croissant bun, pulled beef brisket, butter lettuce, melted Gruyere cheese, mild garlic aioli, and topped with pickled onions. This special handheld reminded me of a savory Cuban Sandwich, as the mild garlic aioli gave it the savory and tangy taste just like this Latin American staple. A fun fact about the Croissant Burger is that only 15-20 are served throughout the day due to the limited quantity and the smoking/braising process the brisket has to go through. The meat’s smoking is done in-house and in small batches every day. With this in mind, make sure to get there early if this is what you’d like to order.
After having this delectable croissant burger, we opted to sample two other main courses. These two main courses were the Maple Braised Rabbit and Braised Goat Neck, which are items you don’t see on your everyday menu. These game meat options are part of North Fork’s dinner specials, which also has one more game meat option: the Wild Boar Bolognese, along with a Filet Mignon and Halibut dish. Reddy’s inspiration for incorporating game meats in the menu came from living abroad in Europe for many years, as restaurants offered more varieties of meat cooked with care that goes beyond just stews.
This was the first time I ever tried game meat, which didn’t disappoint my palette at all. The Maple Braised Rabbit dish had the same flavor profile as a typical Thanksgiving dinner, as the rabbit was sweet, salty, juicy, and tender, just like a turkey. The rabbit meat was delicate and took the brine nicely, and was accompanied by tasty vegetables such as carrots, asparagus, mushrooms, and broccolini, which paired very well with the rabbit because the rosemary wine reduction gave the dish an overall mouthwatering and sweet savoriness.
The Braised Goat Neck dish was the epitome of straight-up comfort food. The goat neck is slow-cooked for eight hours till it’s falling off the bone. It happens to be very fatty, therefore, braising is key to rendering the fat and cooking the meat until tender. Under the immense yet mouth-watering piece of goat neck, you’ll find a bed of creamy grits, along with steamed bok choy which topped the game meat.
Of course, we can’t forget cocktails! The first cocktail I sipped on was the Espresso Martini, which was rich, indulgent, and creamy. North Fork’s Espresso Martini recipe consists of a shot of espresso, Kahlua, and is topped with coffee beans. Then to end the night, I ordered a Lemon Lavender Drop, as I wanted a soothing cocktail to end the night. The Lavender Drop consisted of Tito’s Vodka, lavender syrup, triple sec, lemon juice, and topped with lavender, which was sweet and sour with a floral taste.
Overall, North Fork is a quaint dining establishment to stop by for dinner with your parents or for an impromptu date night, as you and your companions will have an out-of-the-ordinary yet tasteful dining experience. In addition, a delectable bottomless brunch is served from Friday to Sunday, as well as other items you could order a la carte.
For more information on North Fork, follow them over on Instagram @northforknyc.
North Fork Restaurant, 122 Christopher St (corner Bedford St)
