New Ownership, Menu at The Fork at Agate Bay Will Float Your Boat
Nestled at the fork between the Y and North Shore roads near Lake Whatcom sits The Fork at Agate Bay restaurant. New owners David Kas and Paul Lawrence bought the place last June. Built in 1946, the building’s original hardwood floors have been beautifully preserved along with the built-in fridges from when the building served as a grocery store. The atmosphere is a relaxed but stylish boat-house chic. Rowing decor fills the space in a tasteful way. The pièce de resistance hangs from the ceiling: a 62-foot racing shell from the 1960s, donated by perennial national champion Western Washington University’s rowing team. Twinkling lights are strung throughout the dining room and flow into the bar area to create an elegant ambiance.
Chef Nora Kas, David’s wife, oversees the menu, which rotates every season (look for the new spring menu at the end of March). The two have an extensive restaurant history—Nora has been a personal chef and David is a 30-year mixologist—and their experience shows. Nora’s work in the kitchen is exquisite. For starters, try my favorite, the Arancine ($11)—a fried sphere of risotto, sausage, and Parmesan cheese served with a red pepper remoulade—from the small plates menu. For an entree, go for the Bouillabaisse ($32). It’s Nora’s favorite, and includes fresh, local white finfish; Penn Cove mussels; clams from Taylor Shellfish Farms in Bow; and gulf prawns in a saffron-tomato broth. (David, with a sly grin, said the dish was one of the reasons he married her.) For dessert, indulge in the Tiramisu ($8), served in a decorative jar garnished with mint sprigs and fresh raspberries.
Look for David, a master mixologist, behind the bar. All bitters are house-made for each specific drink. Garnishes are fresh and local, from in-house dehydrated orange peels to Washington-grown Bada Bing cherries to fresh Sicilian olives. Try the refreshing Geneva Sour ($12), made with white rum, fresh-pressed lemon, amaretto & Chambord, and house orange bitters. If you’re in the mood for something stronger, order The Fork Old Fashioned ($12), made with Sazerac rye, Manderine Napoleon, house Old Fashioned mix, and house Old Fashioned bitters, garnished with none other than a tiny fork piercing a Bada Bing cherry.
Whether you’re looking for a quick appetizer, an upscale meal, dessert to nibble on, or a classy drink, The Fork at Agate Bay is a must-go. Breakfast and lunch are served on weekends, dinner only on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays beginning at 4 p.m. Happy hour is daily, in the bar only, from 4–6 p.m. The restaurant is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
2530 North Shore Rd., Bellingham
360.733.1126 | theforkatagatebay.com
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