Bouncing Back

When the flood hit last year, Lyons was both pulled together and scattered. With the town lacking electricity, gas and many of its roads, neighbors helped each other to safety before being evacuated (or digging in to weather the storm).

The same good people pulled local businesses back from the devastation when the skies cleared. Now, as winter ends, many have reopened and are ready for business. Fortunately for Lyons Fork restaurant, they had little water damage in the basement, and none at all in the dining room or kitchen. So when they got back on their feet in March, Lyons Fork hit the ground running.

This little restaurant changed owners and concept just a few years ago, making a mark on the local dining scene by offering high quality food and drinks with a cutting edge. Right now you can go for dinner Thursday through Monday, or brunch on Sunday. They aren’t taking reservations yet, so you might have to wait a while to get a table in their modestly sized dining room (the back patio hasn’t reopened). But the meal will reward you for such a wait, which is easily passed over a drink at the bar or a game of chess (which is what my son did on a recent Sunday morning).

The menu at Lyons Fork is concise, allowing the kitchen to focus fully on each artfully made dish—whether it be the sirloin burger or the pan roasted duck breast or the eggs Benedict Florentine. Among the several dishes that we sampled, there was much to love.

The eggs Florentine was delicious, and the large meal was served with a hearty portion of tasty home fries on the side. I especially liked the green puree spinach sauce in lieu of a more traditional hollandaise.

However, I didn’t feel the same enthusiasm for the lox plate. A dry English muffin, a few halved grape tomatoes, a small mound of cream cheese and a few slices of lox does not inspire – especially at a price tag of $10. But the duck quesadilla—wonderfully rich and flavorful—made the mundane salmon fare a distant memory. Sharp cheddar and spicy-sweet mango salsa complimented the unctuousness of the duck, making each bite delicious.

The Fork salad was a colorful mélange of fruit, vegetables, nuts and cheese, with a tangy shallot dressing. We also really enjoyed the potato leek soup with pesto bruschetta. Made with large hunks of bread, the bruschetta’s flavor was a nice counterpoint to the thick puree soup.

There is no easy way to fix a town that suffered as Lyons did last September. But by bringing commerce back, showing solidarity, and bringing the town its own brand of friendliness, the repairs can continue. Fortunately for us, the Lyon’s Fork is an easy place to start.

Bottom line: Help Lyons get back on its feet and enjoy a good meal while doing so.
Rating: Four stars