North Fork Restaurant Review: Dining at noah’s in Greenport

Driving out to noah’s in Greenport is therapeutic. I love the seemingly endless vistas of open land, the gorgeous vineyards with their equally stunning tasting rooms. Greenport is a quaint, bustling village and in the summer it’s teeming with tourists and locals, all enjoying the area’s beauty—and, of course, the food.

Walking into noah’s is like taking a breath of fresh air. Cool, calming, nautical colors surround you, and the dining room has decidedly urban-chic feel. My dining companion and I were seated near the window—a prime spot for people watching in the summer months. First up, what to drink? I opted for the classic Dark and Stormy, my new favorite. I call it “grown-up ginger ale.” The ginger-spiked rum, ginger beer and fresh lime woke my taste buds right up, and they awaited my next move. My dining companion chose an Italian Pinot Grigio from Tommasi Le Rosse, which she found to be light, crisp and delicious.

One of my favorite things about noah’s is that the majority of the menu consists of small plates, similar to tapas. This makes for an excellent way to try many items on the menu without overindulging. Chef Noah Schwartz has carefully created each plate, choosing select locally grown and sourced ingredients.

The dinner menu is divided into four parts: tastes, raw bar, small plates and full plates. We started with a taste of the Bacon Cheddar Gougeres, which are puffs of French pastry mixed with cheddar cheese and bacon—a mouth-watering prospect. Warm and smoky from the bacon, with the sharp tang of cheddar, these gougeres were spectacular. We also sampled the peel-and-eat shrimp, which were large, perfectly cooked, and so fresh I hardly needed the lemon aioli and cocktail sauce for dipping. The Crab Stuffed Deviled Eggs are a classic reinvented—noah’s version is perfect for a seaside eatery.

The Crispy Tasmanian Red Crab Tacos were a revelation—crisp, just-fried tacos shells are filled with tender, succulent red crabmeat tossed with fresh cucumbers, spicy jalapeño and earthy cilantro. The richness of the taco shell is the perfect compliment to the fresh crab mixture. A must-try when you visit noah’s.

Since we are in the tail end of asparagus season, we couldn’t pass up noah’s Grilled Spring Asparagus Salad. The grilled asparagus is placed atop lettuce and joined by fried shallots and drizzled with tangy bacon vinaigrette. The asparagus spears are topped with a gorgeous poached egg (sourced from a local farm) and when you break the yolk the creamy center blankets the entire dish, making for a decadent and delicious dish.

The local beet salad could not be passed on, with spicy arugula, segments of juicy, sweet blood orange with aged local goat cheese and some crunchy, nutty hazelnuts. It’s a favorite dish at noah’s, and it’s easy to see why.

The Spring Vegetable Risotto is loaded with fresh, locally grown vegetables like mushrooms, peas and asparagus, framed by a delightful sweet pea purée. The risotto was cooked to perfection, creamy with a little bite. The flavors of all those fresh vegetables will make you close your eyes to savor each scrumptious spoonful.

The House Smoked Organic Salmon Pasta is melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Chunks of tender smoked salmon are paired with English peas, seasoned with fresh dill and served with orecchiette pasta in a smooth horseradish crème fraîche. Meanwhile, Chef Noah’s Local Seafood Ciopinno is a classic dish elevated to a whole new level. The dish is a meal in itself, loaded with sea scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels and fish all cooked in the most delicious lobster broth flavored with oven-roasted tomatoes. The depth of flavor in the broth was mind-blowing, each bite exploding in your mouth. The ciopinno comes with charred bread to soak up all that delicious broth.

For dessert we tried the Flourless Chocolate Cake and the Profiteroles with Vanilla Gelato blanketed in chocolate syrup. Both were decadent, sweet and a perfect way to end a feast at noah’s.

Be sure to put noah’s on your list when you visit Greenport. Chef Noah’s dishes are inventive, fun and, by exploring the local bounty surrounding him, Noah has created a cuisine that is unique to Greenport.

noah’s, 136 Front Street, Greenport,
631-477-6720, chefnoahs.com