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| - Face it, there are just a few things that are inarguably done better in The South: BBQ, fried things (most notably chicken), and breakfast, or as the oft varied interpretation of it is known, brunch. You folks up North can keep your bagels and lox, West coasters will enjoy avocados and egg whites, but I'll die happy with a belly full of biscuits and gravy. Based on our meal here, I'm sure that a regular dinner or lunch would be equally fantastic, but it was so nice to get a wonderful Southern inspired breakfast/brunch on the way out of NC as we drove back to DC. It's so difficult to find in my home up here that I'm glad I get to return back to my old home enough to really savor how special it is.
We had a reservation for this meal, but had set it for 1PM mainly because we were driving in from my parents farm out in the boonies and had no idea how long the rest of our morning errands would take before we arrived. We wound up getting there much closer to noon, but luckily the wait wasn't too bad on an otherwise very busy Sunday and they were able to clear off our table only 10 or 15 minutes after waiting in the foyer of the beautifully restored home that Fork resides in. Since we had a long drive ahead of us we had to forego any brunch drinks, although those we saw drinking seemed to really be enjoying themselves, always a good sign. Our waitress couldn't believe the size of our order, assuring us that the dishes we large, but I equally assured her that I rarely walk away from a table with empty plates.
Since I knew we would be trying to have a large brunch I had previously turned down my dad's sausage biscuits and gravy at home that morning before we headed out. It's one of the few things he excels at making in the kitchen, so the standard is pretty high. I ordered Fork's herb biscuits and gravy with "wild turkey farm sausage", hoping for a nice substitute. I wasn't clear from the description if the sausage was turkey based, came from a farm called Wild Turkey, or what exactly the descriptor meant. Whatever the case, the sausage flavor was pretty bland, not nearly the spicy, flavorful kind I grew up eating, and it didn't add a whole lot to the dish. It was still good, but I regretted not having that at home since I only get the chance about twice a year, at most. They do top it with a poached egg, something I could never get at my parents' house, where egg yolk is an abnormality...that added a nice bit of depth to the gravy. the biscuits themselves were the best part, the right amount of firmness to not get too soggy with lots of gravy, but still tender enough to fold in your mouth.
The other main items we ordered were things less frequently made at home, a shrimp and grits dish with chorizo gravy and spinach, and baked french toast with maple syrup, mascarpone mousse, and apples. Each of these provided substantially more surprises flavors than the biscuits and gravy, and I would highly recommend either to folks who might be coming here for brunch. The shrimp were plentiful in that dish, and the portion size to price ratio was outstanding. I also really loved the texture of the baked french toast. I'm not sure I've ever had it prepared that way, but it helped keep the dish warm and fluffy throughout, and some bits had really nice carmelization as a result. We also got a side of hash browns, which looked more like "home fries" to me than what I typically refer to as hash browns (the diced variety). The irregularity of what you get from this term is somewhat frustrating, but I suppose I should have asked before ordering. They were ok, but just kind of plain compared to the other items we ordered.
The chef here has been one of the biggest proponents of local farm sourcing for ingredients in the Charlotte area, and it really shows in the freshness of the ingredients. Sometimes it might sound overblown, but when you compare these brunch dishes to some of the other similar offerings at more generic places, there is an undeniable difference in the taste of the product, and that's not all due to what's happening in the kitchen. If time allows it, we'll definitely be returning to this cute little restaurant for dinner on a future visit back home.
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