Review: Fork

Located in Philadelphia’s Old City neighborhood, Fork is a regular on many “best of” lists in the city. I experienced why the restaurant is a favorite among Philadelphians during a recent brunch visit.

A post shared by F O R K (@forkrestaurant) on Apr 4, 2017 at 9:45am PDT

My husband and I met another couple for Fork’s Sunday brunch service. Our waitress went over a few special offerings and we ordered brunch cocktails while perusing the menu. Fork specializes in new American cuisine and features a succinct menu of elevated classics. After much deliberation, I decided on the smoked fish. The fish option changes depending on seasonality and on our visit arctic char was on the menu. A favorite of mine, this cemented my decision.

Fork offers a rotating daily house-made brunch pastry. An apple cake with apple butter was featured on the day of our visit. While I opted to skip the pastry, my friend ordered one and was generous enough to offer me a bite. The cake was light and more reminiscent of banana bread than a cake. It was a sweet start to the meal.

A post shared by F O R K (@forkrestaurant) on Apr 5, 2017 at 12:32pm PDT

Our seats near the open kitchen offered a prime view of the chefs preparing our meals. When our entrées arrived, in all honesty, I was disappointed. The plating of my dish wasn’t as appealing as my brunch companions. The dark heirloom beans covered the bottom of the shallow bowl. Several leaves of mustard frills, chopped herbs and bite-size chunks of artic char sat atop the beans. After taking my first bite, I immediately changed my opinion. The texture of the beans was tender without being mushy. The smoked arctic char was flavorful and soft. The mustard frills provided a nice, crisp texture change to the beans and fish. The dish was finished with a light, vinegary sauce. I ate every last bite and learned my lesson to not judge a book by its cover.

In addition to the incredible food, the service was impeccable. I am more accustomed to casual brunches, with crowded and hectic service. At Fork, the wait staff maintains the restaurant’s fine dining reputation.

After a stellar brunch, I’m looking forward to my next meal at Fork.

Fork

306 Market St.

Philadelphia, PA 19106

215 625 9425