Photos by David Korchin & Joni Rentz
PawPaw is defined as a temperate fruit tree, native to eastern North America, but in Greenport, it’s meaning is being redefined by Chef Taylor Knapp’s new pop-up restaurant, PawPaw. His passion for food and foraging is making its mark and redefining dining on the North Fork.
It’s an event, a dining experience, that takes place just once a week with a communal table set to accommodate 16 guests. The menu is American and beyond inventive with items changing weekly adjusting to what can be sourced and foraged from the local farms, waters, woods, beaches and lakes.
Our dinner was held Monday, March 16th, the end of winter, taking inventive cooking to a whole new level. “I love this time of year. When there are so few things available it really pushes me creatively” Taylor said while pots of his Spice Bush tea simmered on the burners. Root vegetables that had been pickled or stored in root cellars, fruits dried or turned into jams, jellies and preserves, all mixed with the unexpected, making each dish so unique, yummy and memorable.
Go with a trusting palette and empty stomach. With 16 items on our menu I had little room left for the Beach Plum Jelly Donut I had been savoring since the first item, Carrot Salami, was served. Next time I’ll pace myself.
Located at Bruce and Son in Greenport. Reservations are a must.
PawPaw Pop Up | 208 Main St | Greenport