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The only beer you can buy at the North Fork Brewery is brewed on the premises. Choose from a rotating assortment of beers, including Son of Frog English-style ale, Special Bitter, Strong Scotch Ale and its most popular, India Pale Ale. Historically, North Fork has operated solely as a brew pub, but it recently began selling kegs to downtown Bellingham's Nimbus Restaurant. Next is the beer shrine. Separating the non-smoking dining room from the main bar and
dining area, the shrine is made of glassed-in shelves that
display row upon row of every beer bottle you could ever
imagine. The brewery's Web site, www.northforkbrewery.com,
boasts of more than 90 years of beer collectibles enshrined here
Build your own pie by first choosing either a zesty marinara
or olive oil and garlic base. Sauce is a serious subject at the
North Fork, a careful mix of tomatoes and fresh spices simmered
to bring out a balanced blend of mellow flavors.
A variety of toppings comes next, including house toppers
like pepperoni, garlic, salami, spinach and salami to specialty
items like anchovies, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes,
roasted garlic and feta cheese.
Each pie is hand-tossed, baked and set atop a silver stand on
your blue-and-white checked tablecloth by, judging from our
experience, the friendliest server this side of the Cascades.
You can order a simple slice of cheese or pepperoni pizza, as
well.
Touted mainly as a pizzeria, The North Fork also offers a
plethora of non-pizza pleasures, including its popular spicy ale
steamer clams.
My husband and I started our meal last Saturday afternoon
with an appetizer of artichoke jalapeno dip. We expected a warm
dip, but were pleasantly surprised to be served a cold
concoction, hummus-like in its texture and utterly delectable.
A heaping bowl of tangy artichoke mingled with spicy
jalapeno, garnished with verdant slices of scallion and a
dusting of paprika. Surrounding the bowl was a massive moat of
blue corn tortilla chips.
Soon after we finished our appetizer, our entrees arrived.
Our smiling server placed them in front of us, glanced at my
husband's waning pint glass to check on his "fuel
level," and then left us to it.
My spicy meatball grinder was gargantuan, sharing the plate
with a handful of crunchy potato chips I never got to and a
garnish of pepperoncini.
Each half of the freshly baked panette was drizzled in
balsamic: the bottom portion smothered in spicy meatballs,
savory marinara sauce, fresh melted mozzarella and curls of
onion and green bell pepper; the top half covered in hatch marks
of freshly grated parmesan cheese, baked to a pleasing crisp.
The sandwich was far too big to actually pick up and eat, so
I dug in with knife and fork. It was the best spicy meatball
sandwich I've ever had, hands down, and far too much food for
one sitting.
My husband's house lasagne was equally impressive. The bright
garnet sauce was stunning, a sneak preview of the delightful
dish's taste. Robust and fresh, the sensational sauce made a
savory setting for layers of delicious lasagne built of noodles,
portabella mushrooms, almond-basil pesto and Italian sausage.
The rim of the platter held triangles of soft bread, ideal for
sopping up every last drop of sauce.
Our meal ended with two crisp fortune cookies and a tab that
was fantastically low for all that we had just consumed.
And don't forget, you can also get hitched at The North Fork.
My husband teased for weeks that we would renew our wedding
vows on our trip to the charming restaurant. After all, it has
an ordained minister on the premises, legally appointed to
perform nuptials, holy unions or commitment ceremonies.
But the closest we got to matrimony was a large bachelorette
party Our gracious server surprised us by comping our drinks and
thanked us for being such good sports, but the group of girls
was well-behaved. The girls' unexpected presence in the small
space put a different spin on our hopes for a low-key Saturday
afternoon meal, but they also provided some good laughs.
It might be easy to envision The North Fork's chapel service
as a joke, but the proprietors take it quite seriously.
Ceremonies are personalized and couples encouraged to have
input. A variety of faiths can be acknowledged for every
service. The chapel itself is tastefully decorated, and in the
summer months you can get married in the restaurant's charming,
cozy backyard.
As if food, beer and marriage weren't enough, The North Fork
Brewery also offers catering. Whether you're throwing a casual
get together or a high-end affair, the folks at North Fork can
your budget is too tight for the all-out job, order platters of
food for pick up or delivery.
The next time you make the trek to the top of Mount Baker,
plan a stopover at the North Fork Brewery. Famished, parched or
both, it has plenty to please The
Fine Print: I dine on my own dime. The opinions herein are mine
alone, not The Bellingham Herald's. Agree? Disagree? Please drop
me a line at StaceeSledge@hotmail.com. Home
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