The Fork. It conjures images of food. It will also conjure images of white table linens, muted lighting and soft moss colored walls.
Go ahead and take the drive to North Whatcom Lake. Enjoy the scenery, the winding road, the smell of green. At journey’s end, you will find a restaurant with touches of perfection. Solid wood floors, comfortable seating. 2 bars: 1 for imbibing and 1 for the wood fire cooking. And your server will be very nice and subtle in her attention to your needs. The table is kept clean – no tea bag pouches, no dirty dishes, never an empty coffee cup. The Fork serves Stumptown Direct Trade Coffee. My breakfast partner rated it a 7 out of 10. He gave Moka Joe a 9+ and Starbuck’s a 5. You decide. I drank Mighty Leaf chamomile tea and was very pleased; an 8 to Spice Hut‘s 10.
Obviously, we went for breakfast. I ordered the Smoked Salmon & Baked Egg Sando in red onion, cucumber, tomatoes and yogurt dill sauce. It came gyro style and was delicious. Tom ordered the Daily Omelet with house potatoes and toast. The omelet had Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, baby spinach and manchego cheese. I was allowed a small taste – he thoroughly enjoyed it. What stood out with our meal were the flavor bursts. My salad had some stewed tomatoes and the sun-dried tomatoes in the omelet were very tasty. Tom’s omelet included ample whole gently-baked garlic cloves.
In fact, Tom very much liked The Fork and said we would be back. He doesn’t say that about very many places at all. It makes perfect sense once you know the restaurant’s he has worked/trained in. He had humored me this morning by agreeing to play guinea pig with me, but later noted that the wine list included his favorite Pinot Noir (Argyle) by the glass, which demonstrated good taste as well as economic wisdom. Needless to say I was relieved the experience didn’t dissappoint. Tom did come away with a few mosquito bites… a wet morning on the north side of the lake, doors wide open for the fresh morning air. Or perhaps it was because of the fresh fruit berry compote he enjoyed.
Some other breakfast offerings at The Fork at Agate Bay are Biscuits & Country Gravy with 2 eggs, house potatoes; Georgia’s Peach-Stuffed French Toast with Russell’s Chantilly Cream. There’s more – including a large tray of morning breads/muffins/pastries. Visit and find out.
Stand-outs on the lunch menu are Curried Marcona Almonds, Nectarine & Strawberry Salad with organic greens, candied walnuts, manchego and balsamic vinaigrette. There is a Grilled Jerk Chicken Sandwich and a Wood-Fired Portobello Sandwich. The Fork makes what they call ‘Firebreads’: Sausage & Apple and “Mario & Luigi” (pepperoni or cheese).
What I would like to try for dinner on my next visit: Dungeoness Crab Cake-Potato Napolean, Nectarine & Strawberry Salad, and Cedar Plank Wild Salmon (sunchoke potato puree, wild mushroom & asparagus succotash with black pepper butter).
Breakfast 8-2pm, lunch 10-2pm and dinner 5:30 til closing.
See also “the Fork at Agate Bay“. Find it at the fork of Y and North Shore Roads in Bellingham.  733-1126