How A Chef Tests A New Barbecue Restaurant Using The Menu

Rich Parente, chef/owner of Clock Tower Grill in Brewster, New York, shared his thoughts on the best order for testing out a new barbecue spot.

"My personal go-to order is brisket — if that's good then usually everything else is going to be a winner, too," said Parente in an exclusive interview with Chowhound.

One of the reasons for his passionate recommendation of this particular cut might be that its fattiness allows it to easily take on the flavor of whatever wood it's cooked with.

A flavorful brisket could mean that a barbecue restaurant adheres to a quality smoking process, which might be a sign that the rest of the restaurant's menu will be pretty good, too.

Brisket is also one of the barbecue meats that takes the longest to cook, so it will likely be one of the most tender and flavorful options on the menu.