There should be a special legal provision for businesses that are put out of business by interminable road construction projects. That was the thought I had as we tried to make our way to Forks & Corks, a favorite north shore restaurant we weren't even sure was still open. But the owner Osman Rodas would have told us it was gone, so we wemt with faith it was still around. Even if the way to get there was impassable, it is tucked away in the quiet community of Terrabella, which has a lot of residents also cut off from the bridge repairs, so they could hang on.
When we reach the bridge it was still out, so I called the restaurant for directions. A little country road bypasses the bridge and takes you right to the restaurant. So would my GPS if I had consulted it.
We arrived to find things looking exactly the same, minus the bartender who had moved to Pardo’s, Osman Rodas’s flagship restaurant. But Robert Vasquez, the new corporate chef was in the house cooking. The entire menu had been revamped with the imprimatur of Vasquez, who has a distinctive cooking style. He is firmly committed to the idea that healthy eating can be downright delicious, and proves it at every turn. The menu is exponentially larger than when we last visited here, and that is a good thing.
Our favorite server greeted us with enthusiasm about these changes, touting the new gumbo on the menu, made without a roux. Robert explained that he works with the natural starches in the vegetables to thicken it. And thick it was! I didn't try the standup spoon trick, but I think it would have definitely stood up. I don’t like gumbos or any soup to be this dense, but it had a delicious spicy flavor that won me over. I was surprised to see it served with white rice. But I guess there had to be something familiar. Gumbo with amaranth? Naw.
It was tough to make a choice from the options on this large menu. Tom was excited to hear that mussels were a special. He got that, as he does whenever he can get mussels, and I got the burger because I am always expected to try the burger. This is hardly a burden. This was a brisket and chuck burger and it was almost soft inside. The bacon that came with it was great. It was dressed exactly as I asked, with extra pickles. I was surprised in a place like this to see iceberg lettuce - not upset - just surprised it was not a fancier version of this green accompaniment to a burger. What also surprised me but definitely not in a good way was the fresh-cut fries. They were too dark, which immediately alerts me to the fact that the oil should have been changed. And they were limp. And greasy. There was absolutely nothing about these fries to entice me to eat them. I would honestly prefer a pile of frozen fries to this. Nearly everyone serves some form of frozen french fry. People expect frozen french fries. Depending on their quality, (and there is an enormous scale of quality to these) I will eat frozen fries. Some are good. But making fresh-cut fries is a badge of honor. You are willing to go the extra step, and this is a considerable extra step I am told by restaurateurs. So for heaven’s sake, if you are taking this extra step, don’t do it badly.
Tom didn’t notice the fries situation because they were buried under his pile of mussels, with he thought were delicious. The sauce was mildly spicy from what looked like a tasso ham. These always come in a large pile, and Tom eats every one of them. He was very pleased with this.
I almost never get dessert so Robert’s offerings fell on deaf ears, and Tom was too full from his pile of mussels. We will have to go back and try a dessert in the Robert Vasquez model, along with the many other things we also wanted to get here tonight.
Forks & Corks
141 Terra Bella Blvd Covington
985-273-3663
forksandcorkscovington.com
