Quick: What comes to mind when you think "pork chop?" Tough? Chewy? Dry? That's often my experience as well. But the pork chop I enjoyed recently at Central Bistro and Bar [2]has given me a new set of adjectives: savory, succulent, tender—I could go on. Truly, this was one of the best servings of pork I've ever encountered.

Curious how so much juice and flavor could be coaxed from a simple chop, I asked then-executive chef Lance Barto to reveal his secret. (Although Barto left the restaurant earlier this month, his dish remains). The meat is brined overnight in a mix of coriander, juniper, black pepper, and salt. Then, the chop is cooked slow and low using the sous vide [3] method. When the meat is done, it's finished simply with salt, pepper, and a mustard jus. Because the cut is so flavorful on its own, it doesn't need a cloying sauce to accompany or mask it.

FYI: Gerard Strong, who worked as Barto's sous, has taken over the executive chef role.

1691 Central St., 303-477-4582