Silver Fork

Decades ago, locals trouped into the Mark Skinner Library centrally located in Manchester, Vermont.  There they found thousands of books to edify and delight, books that prompted imaginations to take flight and travel to far flung destinations.  

 

Since 2020, the Mark Skinner Library has been home to the Silver Fork restaurant.  Now its food serves a related purpose, to delight and transport diners to far flung destinations, destinations that have been central in the lives of owners Melody and Mark French, who met while working in a restaurant in Kansas City.   Creole Shrimp Mofongo recalls decades spent in Puerto Rico.  The  Maryland crab cake celebrates Mark’s Maryland upbringing and the scrumptious  Wienerschnitzel recalls the German heritage of an influential chef and friend.  

 

This personal approach to food reflects the Frenchs’ approach to dining out.  Melody oversees reservations--not online but over the phone.  For years she handled all of them herself, but recently she shares reservations with an assistant.  She’s there to greet and seat diners, she is the restaurant sommelier, and she stops by each table to talk.  Sometimes these talks result in a quick tour of the kitchen, where Mark is on the line, having a hand in each dish that goes out.

 

The space of the restaurant cocoons diners, wrapping them in a golden glow.  The interior embraces curving shapes and a broad palette of colors that harmonize with the mid-century style tables and chairs.  The main part of the restaurant was built in 1960; the upper older part goes back to the 1880s. The current award-winning look was designed by the couple’s sister in law, the late Lu French.  The vaulted ceiling and large windows give a quiet grandeur to the space, making it worth a visit just to hang out.

 

The elegant, inviting surroundings are in keeping with  the food.  My friend Kendra and I appreciated the varied and at times surprising menu.  I loved the steak tartar because of its simple treatment of stellar ingredients--the briny capers, the luscious beef, the quail’s egg.  A mobius-like  homemade Melba toast provides a crisp counterpoint. Not simple, but also delicious was the duck eggroll--Kendra’s favorite starter--perfectly crisp, the umami of the seaweed offsetting the sweet peanut butter sauce.  

 

If you like violet pastilles, The Silver Fork has a perfect cocktail for you to accompany starters--the Siren Song.  It’s a pretty drink, topped with Wolfpeach Mermaid Dust (whatever the heck that is), but of the two cocktails we tried, I was drawn to the thrumming bassline of the bourbon in Winter’s Here--complemented by Amaro Nonino, cherry syrup--made frothy by egg white.

 

Our main courses reflected Chef Mark’s varied experiences.  He was a chef in Puerto Rico for decades, at one point overseeing 12-15 sous chefs from around the world before running a smaller restaurant that started out with 40 seats.  When Melody and Mark first opened the Silver Fork, it operated at a small space with 6 tables--in the spot where Dina’s Bakery recently was.  There Mark served Creole Shrimp Mofongo--featuring mashed yuca, sauteed shrimp, green peppers and other spices--served in a Pilón (the mortar, traditionally used in making the dish).  Kendra had recalled having it at the previous location; she was transported, basking in its complex flavors and textures again.

 

I ordered the Wienerschnitzel--the best I’ve ever had.  Mark explained later that a key is the veal being pounded thin, which when fried creates a wonderful airy crispness.  The potato salad is served warm, not hot, which brings a cello-like mellowness to the potatoes, the bacon, the hint of onions (I think) and a line of sweet vinegary goodness running underneath. 

 

Had we been normal diners, we probably would have stopped eating here--both of us radiantly satisfied.  But the Silver Fork is known for its desserts: we ordered the two 30 minute choices.  We had been eating and talking, so dessert flowed seamlessly.  The Caribbean Bread Pudding Souffle had Chef Mark’s characteristic blend of textures and flavors, the bread crispy on the surface, delicate and light underneath, with subtle notes of banana, coconut and raisins.  As good as that was, if forced, Kendra and I would choose the Kanefh (Kan-NAF-eh).  I mean, if you even know what it is, where else are you going to get it in Vermont?  The cinnamon anise syrup and shredded filo dough provide a thick, honey-like base for farmer’s cheese and ground pistachios--the sweetness balanced perfectly by the goat cheese ice cream.

 

Any good story must come to a close.  The bill arrived, cleverly tucked in the pages of a vintage Hardy Boy book, straight from my childhood bookshelf.  Like characters in a beloved novel, Kendra and I tumbled out the doors and into the wintry night, our tale at the Mark Skinner Library brought to a happy end.

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P.S.  Yes, the restaurant is worthy of my friend's devotion in booking regular reservations--but are short term reservations possible?  Melody says yes--especially if you are flexible and can come during the week.  Also she suggests getting on the waitlist--even on Friday or Saturday night.  The restaurant gets cancelations, so a last-minute request may lead to a wonderful experience.