Now open in Mission Hills, Fort Oak is off to a promising start. The genre-redefining restaurant by the team behind TRUST and Hundred Proof offers fusion-inspired dishes crafted with locally sourced ingredients.

Located in The Fort, a mixed-use residential and commercial project by renowned architect Jonathan Segal, the space is divided into self-contained areas including a sun-dappled main dining room, outdoor patio, private dining area with a raw-edge wood table, a U-shaped bar in a historically preserved stand-alone building, and a chef’s counter, where guests can warm themselves by the wood-burning fire and watch cooks in action.

“The defined spaces mean guests can have five different experiences here, and that means a lot to me,” says Executive Chef Brad Wise.

Whereas Trust is all about hearty plates, Fort Oak is serving up a farm fresh menu with more seafood options (including a raw bar). ​​​​​​

Fort Oak’s dinner menu is dominated by a selection of smaller plates meant to be shared, including creative dishes like charred little gems—a warm salad with wood fire-kissed greens, razor-thin slices of housemade bresaola (cured eye of round), parmesan frica, and a soft-boiled egg.

Fort Oak’s dinner menu is dominated by a selection of smaller plates meant to be shared, including creative dishes like charred little gems—a warm salad with wood fire-kissed greens, razor-thin slices of housemade bresaola (cured eye of round), parmesan frica, and a soft-boiled egg.

A zippy black garlic vinaigrette created by Executive Sous Chef Mark Schmitt provides the finishing touch.

Fancy cheese has a way of getting noticed, and Fort Oak’s burrata is no exception. Wise describes it as a “composed cheese plate” with arugula, apple butter, roasted sunchokes, fortified wine, and a drizzle of Elderflower honey spiced up with chile flower, cumin, and a splash of vinegar.

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Entrées tend to center around generous portions of protein.

I was drawn to the local duck, which is sourced from GoneStraw Farms. The base of the dish is a cassoulet-style bolognese with confit duck legs and fresh tepary beans from Rio Del Ray farm in Valley Center.

The already flavorful dish is kicked up a notch with scratch-made vadouvan, a smoky-sweet French curry. On top lies a tender duck breast topped with pickled cippolini onions, fried sage, and crispy Italian-style croutons.

Early standouts from the brunch menu include the signature benedict (with scratch-made corn beef, cabbage, and potatoes); a hefty dry-aged burger with fried egg aioli and truffle onion jam; and crispy mulas with chile verde and jalapeños pickled in red and rice wine vinegar with mustard seeds—one of 50 different pickling liquids in the restaurant’s arsenal.

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Fort Oak’s chicken fried quail and French toast is a true achievement that demonstrates the culinary team’s chops.

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