As my husband, Sean, and I walked into Brinkley’s Chop House, the hostess smilingly asked if it was a special occasion. It was — our anniversary — and as she ushered us to our table, she produced a card with a Happy Anniversary message, our names, handwritten and an offer for complimentary champagne.
It happened so quickly that it seemed magical. And it couldn’t have been a better start to our evening at Brinkley’s, an upscale steak, chops and seafood house located in SRP Ballpark in North Augusta.
I’ve been drooling over Brinkley’s gorgeous butcher boards on Instagram for months now, but for us, it’s definitely a special occasion type of place. In short, it’s pricey. (As an example, the starters alone range from $13 to $27.) While the interior feels casual — several people were wearing shorts or sundresses — it’s richly furnished in deep muted colors, glossy woods and hints of Tiffany blue. Then, of course, there’s that view onto SRP Park’s concourse and the brilliant green ballfield beyond.
I’d already mapped out my meal, which had featured prominently on my Instagram feed of late — the prime filet flight, four filets, each with a different topping, such as pimento cheese with bacon jam or a wild mushroom au poivre. That, plus a salad, would have been my perfect meal. But when I asked about the flight, our server pulled a sad face. “It’s already sold out,” she said. Mind you, it was only 6:30 p.m. But she explained that because of the specific cut of filet, only a few are available each night.
I briefly considered the butcher board; next to us, a table of six men from Fort Gordon were happily sharing three butcher boards heaped high with cuts of steak and seafood. There are seven options, and our server explained that the boards get larger as you go down the page. It was perhaps too rich for us that night, but a great option for sharing with a larger party.
So, I decided to customize my own meal. Along with a huge array of starters and those butcher boards, Brinkley’s menu includes salads and soups, sides like creamed corn or spinach and Parmesan truffle fries or mac and cheese, steaks and signature steaks, and entrees featuring chicken, duck, lamb, salmon, scallops, a burger and more.
My husband and I both decided to order one of the regular steaks, the 14 oz. prime ribeye, which is served with a parmesan potato croquette and poached asparagus. We wanted to try a side of risotto, so we added that. And to create our own custom land and sea meal, we ordered the salmon and crab crudo to start.
The crudo arrived just as my husband stepped outside to take a call. So, I snuck a bite, using one of the spicy potato chips to scoop a bit of the diced salmon in a creamy pink miso dressing. When our server checked on us, I was honest: While the dish was described as featuring pickled ginger and scallions, it didn’t pack the flavor I was expecting.
She immediately offered to swap the appetizer for something with a little more snap: “Can I bring you the scallop ceviche?” she offered. And when she insisted, both the service and the dish were divine. The diced scallops were beautifully bright with a citrus flavor, served alongside a sweet mango sauce and sweet red peppers that lent a gentle heat, all accented with sharp red onion and creamy avocado (we did avoid the jalapenos that also came with the dish!).
Our bread came next, foretelling the entrees soon to come. The soft white loaf had a nice crust and was served with a fresh pesto and a sweet honey butter.
Then, our steaks. They were beautifully charred on the outside; our server explained that all the steaks at Brinkley’s are finished in a 1,700-degree oven. As I cut into it, it was so tender and a perfectly pink medium rare. It was also full and meaty, with a wonderful salty crust from that char.
The bacon and sweet pea risotto with mint, lemon and parmesan was delicious — possibly too minty for those who don’t like mint, but make sure to try a bite of it with one of the lardons of bacon. But we realized belatedly that we didn’t need to order an additional side. Often, at steakhouses, the sides that come with a steak order seem to be afterthoughts, but here, the potato croquette was generously sized, with a crisp brown exterior and a creamy and fluffy interior, perhaps flavored with a bit of sour cream? And the buttery asparagus were three fat blades — still slightly crisp, just the way I like it.
We’d already dined sumptuously, but an anniversary isn’t complete without dessert. Brinkley’s menu wouldn’t be complete without a dessert board, either — featuring one of each of its classic desserts, for a total of six, at $60, which I laughingly suggested. But after seriously considering the banana split and the pecan pie, we decided to stick to just one to share — the Basque cheesecake.
It’s different from our American-style cheesecakes as there’s no graham-cracker or other cookie-type crust. It’s just pure cream cheese whipped with heavy cream, sugar and eggs, baked in a pan to create its own crust and with a deep caramelized top. The flavor of Brinkley’s version is further accented with a sweet topping of Frangelico blackberries and lightly sweet mascarpone.
Dessert arrived with those complimentary glasses of a light and crisp champagne. As we left the restaurant to enjoy a walk along the river side of North Augusta, the bubbles were still with me. The stars were out, a nearly full moon hung over the trees, and a few deer dashed into the woods ahead of us. It truly was a magical evening.
Make Your Reservation
Brinkley’s Chop House
1033 Center St., North Augusta
brinkleyschophouse.com
Cost: Entrees range from $20 to $45; steaks range from $47 to $150; and shareable butcher boards range from $255 to $425
