Long-awaited visit to Pitchfork a great evening in fine dining, wines | Local Flavor

My friend Lisa and I were excited to wine and dine on a recent Friday night at Pitchfork, the long-awaited restaurant that has gotten such a favorable buzz since it launched its full menu in July.

The new restaurant, part of the new Corner Provisions entertainment, dining and business complex in Bath, had been in soft-opening mode for months, and we had been waiting to check out its surf and turf. For our maiden voyage to Pitchfork, Lisa, who doesn't eat red meat, focused on the surf, while I was happy to indulge in some turf.

I made sure to have a dinner reservation, a good plan since Pitchfork was hopping at 7:30 p.m. The parking lot was full so we took advantage of the free valet service, which was very convenient.

Lisa and I love a good glass of wine, so it was fun to start our evening off sampling some vintages from Eden wine bar's self-serve wine dispensers, housed within Pitchfork.

Among a choice of 36 wines, you can sample 1, 3 (a half-glass) or 6 ounces (a full-glass), using an Eden tap card. I sampled an ounce of Trimbach Gewurtzraminer from France ($3), followed by 3 ounces of Belle Glos pinot noir ($8.50), anticipating my steak dinner. Lisa sampled another pinot noir and then ended up going back several times for one-ounce servings of a Mosel wine — the Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Riesling.

Our high-top table was situated right next to the spiffy wine machines and we enjoyed the novelty of wine on tap. Guests also can order a glass or bottle of wine from Eden's extensive list.

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Pitchfork a high-priced, special-occasion spot

Take note: Pitchfork is a fine-dining restaurant in a beautifully casual atmosphere, with a high price point. With that said, the amazing food lived up to expectations. This is the kind of restaurant that I consider a truly special-occasion place.

Our friendly server Dustin explained the wine system to us and then got us started on appetizers and a salad.

I ordered a grilled romaine wedge half salad with a delightful medley of roasted corn, pickled red onions, toasted pepitas, cotija and cilantro buttermilk ranch. This was a huge half salad that can easily be shared. Since Lisa doesn't eat most cheeses, I ended up taking half of it home.

She ordered a crudite board ($18) with fresh vegetables, homemade hummus, an olive mix and gluten-free naan, which cost an extra $2. A charcuterie board ($30) mistakenly came from the kitchen, which our server had us keep while he went to get the correct order.

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That meant I got to sample artisanal cheese, cured meats and salami, mustard and compote, while Lisa focused on the pickled vegetables, olives, fruit and gluten-free naan from the charcuterie board. The crudite board was colorful and delightful with its mix of vegetables, which included a very pretty watermelon radish sliced to look like flower petals.

We lingered over our charcuterie and salad for quite a while, making this leisurely dinner a real event.

Pitchfork's steaks from Farmer's Rail

Dining out on steak is a rare treat for me, made even more special since Pitchfork's proteins come from restaurant co-owner Mel and Jeff Brunty's Farmer's Rail Artisanal Meats and Butcher Shop, whose original location is right down the street in Bath. I've enjoyed a delicious burger at The Farmer's Rail in Cuyahoga Falls and hope to one day try a steak at its full restaurant in Hudson, where you choose your own Butcher Block steak from a case to be cooked.

Visiting the new Pitchfork, I got to finally try a Farmer's Rail steak, which comes from the owners' Brunty Farms in Ashland. I ordered a 6-ounce prime filet ($40) for my entree, foregoing an a la carte, shareable side dish after the plentiful salad and charcuterie I'd enjoyed.

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Pitchfork's steaks are cooked in the downstairs kitchen on an open-fire grill, where guests in the small, lounge-like dining room can watch the kitchen action.

My medium-rare steak was a tender, juicy perfection, topped with an exquisite mushroom demi-glace that knocked my socks off. The demi-glace, I told Lisa, was "rich and opulent."

I enjoyed 2 ounces of Cune Rioja Tempranillo blend ($3) from Spain with my entree.

Later, executive chef Mary Clarke Morris shared with us how she prepares the demi-glace. First, she roasts beef bones with tomato paste and then puts them in a big pot with various botanicals, fills the pot with water and boils it slightly before turning the heat down, leaving little bubbles that continue heating overnight. She then takes the bones out, strains the sauce and reduces it again.

"It's just a constant reduction," she said.

Halibut entree with Asian influence

Lisa happily dined on halibut with sweet cucumber pico, ginger, sesame sauce and chilled rice noodles ($45). She gave me a taste of her very pretty dish, whose Asian flavors combined with the light halibut and refreshing rice noodles were tantalizing.

After our long dinner and talk with Morris, we ended up closing the place down. It was fun to make dinner the whole event of the evening for our first visit to Pitchfork. Our bill at this high-end restaurant came to $174.25 before tax, tip, and, unfortunately, a 3 percent credit card fee.

This meal was truly a rare treat.

In the future, I'm also looking forward to trying the lunch menu, which features the Farmer's Rail Burger ($19) as well as four other sandwiches, including a shrimp roll ($20). Another option at Pitchfork is just to relax on a Saturday afternoon with a glass of wine and share a hot or cold appetizer, from confit wings ($21) to tuna tartare ($28).

Arts and restaurant writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow the Beacon Journal on TikTok @akronbeaconjournal for more dining content.

Details

Restaurant: Pitchfork

Address: 1070 Ghent Road, Bath Township

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, closed Sunday

Information: 330-754-2551 or visitcornerprovisions.com/pitchfork

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Surf, turf are delectable dinner among friends at Pitchfork in Bath