Briquets Charcoal Chicken Open for Business

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.