Briquets Charcoal Chicken Open for Business
Owner Martin Morales and his business partner Juan Ramos bring 30 years of restaurant experience to Aberdeen.
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The old saying "you're cooking with gas" could apply to Aberdeen restaurateur Martin Morales, although he much prefers charcoal.
Morales Monday opened the doors to Aberdeen's newest eatery Briquets Charcoal Chicken, answering the questions Patch asked in February: who, when, what and how—as in, how does it taste?
Morales and business partner Juan Ramos together bring 30 years of restaurant experience to Aberdeen where they hope to fan the flames with a mix of Latin-inspired comfort food.
Morales's wife and executive chef Jennifer Ott described it as a fusion of Latin-American and American comfort food, "with a lot of good seasoning," she said. "We're incorporating those elements into our side dishes [as well]."
Ott brings five years of professional chef experience to the table, now offering Briquets' prime dish—rotisserie charcoal chicken. The process of spinning chicken over charcoal actually melts the fat right off the fowl, "so what you get is nice juicy meat, and a thin crispy skin. Very savory," Morales said.
For a side, customers can choose from among comfort food classics including: fruit salad, cole slaw, vegetable salad, collard greens, mash potatoes, fries, sweet potatoes, among other choices.
Morales specifically touted the option of fresh, quailty fruit as a side to go with a quarter chicken.
If chicken doesn't roost in your hen house, try one of Briquets three burgers or the daily soup that, in Ott's words, "might remind you of home."
The new restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., serving lunch and dinner in the Beards Hill Shopping Plaza.
Have you tried Briquets? Share your review in the comments section below.
Mindy Hapsis
3:22 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
Savory, fall-off-the-bone chicken. It was perfectly seasoned and had crazy good crispy skin. The house sauce is A-mazing. I've never tasted anything like it! May I also add that it smells divine in there and it is SUPER clean which is something I always look for in any place I frequent. I may not be a food critic but I DO know what GOOD food is.
Charlie Hand
9:05 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
The thing about chicken is, it's really good. Any seasoning has to be subtle or else it obscures the natural flavor of good chicken. Briquets goes overboard with the seasoning (curry, I'd say). Their seasoning battles with the flavor of the chicken, and wins. The exact same seasoning is in the fried rice. I wonder how many of their dishes are going to taste exactly the same. The fries weren't seasoned with curry.
Amanda Hines
2:50 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013
This place is great! We had the rotisserie chicken and the seasoning was amazing. Also amazing was the macaroni and cheese! Seriously yummy. Nothing tasted like restaurant food - it tasted like the best Sunday family dinner you've ever had! The sauces they gave to accompany the chicken were great, too. Definitely different from anything else in the area. We will be eating here several times a month, it's that good. Also, it's a family-run small business, and we should all make it a point to support the small businesses in our area. Martin and Jennifer are so enthusiastic about their food, and now we are too! Try it, you won't leave disappointed.
Richard Voelker
9:39 am on Thursday, April 11, 2013
I have been coming to this restaurant since day 3 of opening. I am never disappointed! I have tried all there sides (mashed potatoes and there 5 cheese mac and cheese are the best!), as well as several of there entrees. The Management/Owners Martin and Jennifer are some of the nicest people I have met. On occasion there is a few minutes wait but I feel it is worth every minute! There office deals are a great dinner for a family of 4-10 people. There chicken is cooked fresh every day, with just enough to get them through the day. The seasonings can be a little much if you aren't accustomed to bold flavors, but don't let that discourage you it all works well together. I have never had a dry piece of chicken, or a bland sandwich. There daily lunch specials change every week, and can really save you some money. Everything is cooked and prepared right in front of you so you see what you are getting before you order. Overall I give this establishment 4.5/5, they are still working on getting some kinks worked out of how they run the place but definitely the best chicken around!