Publisher’s Note: About once a year, Executive Chef Edward DeFelice invites my wife, daughter, and I to sample appetizers and entrees. I always feel special at Brinkley’s Chop House—like I’ve had a meal at the finest restaurant in New York City. An added bonus is that leftovers travel well home… and in my belly for a few days.
The following are questions posed to Ed and thoughts on our experience.
ABD Question: Is there a theme to the new menu for the Fall at BCH?
BCH Answer: This season’s menu at BCH is focused on premium sourcing and execution. For example, we have moved away from our traditional salmon fillet to the ultra-premium Ora King salmon, which is known as the wagyu of the sea. We have made a similar change with our pork chop. Instead of serving the traditional Berkshire pork chop, we have pivoted to a Kurobuta pork chop from Japan, which is widely considered the wagyu of the pork. At BCH, we specialize in bringing premium proteins to the center stage, and this menu is designed to highlight that fact.
What are specific meals you are/have added to the menu?
This is a whole menu change; only a few dishes have remained the same. The bulk of the menu features new platings, ingredient combinations, and flavor profiles.
ABD: Our waiter Donavan was a delight and made our dining experience fun and even educational. He did an amazing job of explaining the uniqueness of all three of the new dishes that we enjoyed. (I learned later that Ed produces a 35-page guide that he uses as a training tool for all servers to help them identify flavors and potential allergens to their customers.
Here is Edward’s description of each entrée followed by my tasty tidbits of information you might find interesting.
ENTREES
Ora King Salmon
The absolute highest grade of farmed salmon in the world, often called the “Wagyu of the sea” due to its incredible intramuscular fat and marbling. It is incredibly rich, buttery, and clean-tasting. Ora King salmon is essentially the Wagyu beef of the seafood world. This is the perfect salmon for BCH. It isn’t a separate wild species, but rather a highly specialized, trademarked breed of King salmon (Chinook) raised by New Zealand King Salmon in the pristine waters of Marlborough Sounds. King salmon itself is already rare, making up less than 1% of the world’s total salmon population, and Ora King represents the absolute pinnacle of that fraction. The defining characteristic of Ōra King is its striking intramuscular fat. As you can see in the vibrant white striping throughout the fillet, it has a remarkably high oil content. This translates to an incredibly buttery, luxurious mouthfeel and a clean, elegant flavor profile that completely lacks the harsh, fishy aftertaste found in lower-grade Atlantic salmon. The brand relies on a meticulously managed, sustainable breeding program that has been refined over decades. Every single fish is individually tagged with a unique barcode for 100% traceability. They are raised in low-density sea pens (roughly 98% water to 2% fish) to mimic natural wild swimming conditions, which develop their clean muscle structure and uniform marbling. It is consistently rated as “Best Choice” for sustainability by Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch, making it as environmentally responsible as it is premium on the plate. This dish is designed to accentuate the rich fattiness of the salmon.
The dish itself is a beautiful, incredibly refreshing entrée. The Ora King salmon is pan-roasted and served over a bed of chilled, nutty buckwheat soba noodles. It’s packed with texture and flavor from miso-roasted tomatoes, crisp sugar snap peas, bok choy, and fresh cucumber. We finish it with an aromatic toss of fresh basil, cilantro, and scallions, and then add a fantastic crunch with toasted peanuts and crispy wonton strips. It’s the perfect balance of a rich, warm piece of fish and a cool, vibrant, crunchy noodle salad.
ABD tidbits: I’m a big fan of salmon, both from restaurants and supermarkets. I could taste the difference in quality and loved every juicy, buttery, sweet, flaky bite. I’d never had the Chef’s pasta before and enjoyed the difference between the warmth of the salmon on top of a flavorful mix of chilled pasta, nuts, and veggies in what tasted like an Asian flavor—sinfully sweet.
My wife typically does not like fish because it tastes too “fishy” (Isn’t that why it’s called fish?) She enjoyed it. My daughter Lyndee NEVER eats fish. This was her favorite dish of the three.
Kurobata Pork Chop
This dish is an absolute powerhouse of flavor and contrast. It takes the deeply comforting, high-umami profiles of Korean barbecue and flips the script on texture by swapping out standard white rice for a nutty, toothsome heirloom grain. Visually and structurally, it balances sweet, funk, heat, and sharp acidity with flawless precision. The pork has a sweet-and-smoky charred glaze (Kalbi), balanced by the spicy, tangy punch of the fermented kimchi rice. The salad brings a bright, saline, and citrusy contrast, while the rich egg yolk creates a luxurious sauce over the entire plate. Kurobuta pork is a heritage breed often called the “Wagyu of pork.” It features extensive intramuscular marbling, meaning it is incredibly juicy, tender, and deeply flavorful compared to standard white pork. Kalbi is a traditional Korean marinade typically used for short ribs. It features a base of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and frequently pear juice (which naturally tenderizes the meat). It caramelizes beautifully on the grill. The Kimchi Fried Rice is made using black rice (historically called “forbidden rice” because only Chinese emperors were permitted to eat it due to its health benefits and low crop yield). It has a nutty flavor and great chew, stir-fried here with spicy, tangy fermented kimchi. The Scallion-Wakame Salad features thinly shredded green onions (scallions) tossed with tender wakame (a subtle, sweet sea vegetable/seaweed) in a light sesame-citrus dressing. It provides a sharp, clean bite to cut through the heavy richness of the meat and rice. To balance that heat, we top it with a crisp scallion and wakame seaweed salad and a fried egg. When you break that runny yolk into the black rice and the pork, it creates a rich, amazing sauce for the whole dish.
ABD tidbits: Simply put, this is THE juiciest cut of meat I’ve ever enjoyed. It’s amazing to me how the seasoning in pork and the way it is prepared can fool our taste buds.
I’d never tasted the Kalbi glaze before nor enjoyed Kimchi fried rice. This is absolutely either a meal for two or a wonderful leftover meal for the next day.
Lobster Risotto
We start with premium Carnaroli rice, which is the gold standard for Italian risotto because it creates a perfectly velvety texture while keeping a great bite. It’s slow-simmered in a rich shellfish stock and finished with fresh, sweet English peas and a saffron mascarpone cheese that gives the dish a beautiful golden color and a light, creamy finish. We top it with succulent, butter-poached lobster, delicate pea tendrils, and toasted crushed hazelnuts for a fantastic, smoky crunch. It’s rich, elegant, and beautifully balanced.
ABD tidbits: As delicious as the Ora King Salmon and Kurobata Pork Chop were — the Lobster Risotto was my favorite dish. I admit it—I’m a lazy diner. I never order Lobster at a restaurant because it is too much work. What an incredible surprise it was to me that the lobster pieces were so tender, delicious, and frequent! I’m a big risotto fan. Restaurants usually serve pasta, potatoes, or rice as a side dish or as a “bed” beneath the main event. This risotto was the best I’ve ever tasted. I enjoyed it so much that when I had leftovers, I enjoyed it as a side dish. Lobster as a side dish. The thought of it makes my mouth water!
Is it time to book the restaurant/back room for holiday events?
With the summer winding down, now is the time to be planning your personal and professional holiday events. Here at Brinkley’s Restaurant Group, we cater to all your event planning needs at any budget. We offer on-site and off-site catering options through both of our concepts: Brinkley’s Chop House and Brink’s Tavern. At BCH, we have the ability to create an upscale and intimate setting for celebrating both the holidays and the end of another successful year of business for you and your staff. At BT, we offer a more casual experience that can be held on our covered patio or within the different sections of the restaurant itself. At both restaurants, we have the ability to create completely customized dining options, and customers are not just limited to each restaurant’s respective menus. A quick call to our Catering Director, Mickie DeFelice, initiates the process of creating your most memorable holiday dining experience. Whether it is within the walls of our establishments or if it is conveniently delivered and set up at the location of your choice, we specialize in delivering on all your catering needs at any budget. At Brinkley’s Restaurant Group, what sets us apart from our competitors is our teams’ experience in executing flawless offsite and onsite dining experiences.
This fall, my wife and I will also be dining out at Brinks Tavern and posting our next restaurant review.
Visit www.brinkleyschophouse.com and www.brinkstavern.com for the latest Fall menu and information on catering to your office or event.
