By Maggie Matsko
Photos by Tracy A. Toler Photography.
When Cody Thrasher opened Cody’s Restaurant in 2016, he had one goal in mind: to modify the way people think about Appalachian cuisine. “I think the best way to describe my mindset is to use this example: what is the difference between an egg roll, burrito or the West Virginia pepperoni roll? The answer is that all are starch with meat, cheese or vegetable filling,” he says. “This way of viewing food allows me to revamp cuisines based on local ingredients. The goal is less to change and more to open the community to new experiences, flavor contrasts and dishes that are beloved worldwide.”
The inspiration for Thrasher’s dishes comes from his love of travel. He has visited Thailand, Egypt, Israel, the British Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Laos and Turkey, and during these solo adventures, he has met a lot of people along the way who send him spices and glazes from around the world. “Thirty-five percent of our items are special order items, and when I say special order, I mean things like kaffir lime leaves from Thailand, red chili kimchi sauces from Korea and different types of soy sauce from Japan,” he says. “Some items I can get stateside, but others are provided from individuals in foreign lands.”
Thanks to Thrasher’s international travels, his restaurant offers an ever-
changing menu that keeps his patrons on their toes. “I change the menu based on phases of seasons since it is essential for our style of cooking,” he says. “It’s just another step we take to present the best possible product.”
While Thrasher is committed to incorporating exotic flavors into his dishes, he is also dedicated to using locally sourced ingredients, and he purchases his produce from Green Acres Farm & Greenhouses, LLC in Rock Cave, WV. Every plate created from this combination of exotic and local components aims to have a balance of sweet, salty and sour. Guests can indulge their taste buds with a lunch menu that offers Baked Lobster Mac, Tokyo Seaweed Salad and the Buff Fellow Wrap. In the evenings, patrons can get adventurous with their palates, thanks to options like Turkish Lamb, Seafood Risotto and the popular Udon Street Noodle. Thrasher has also created a brunch menu that makes Sunday the best day of the week with choices like Chicken Fried Steak Benny, White Truffle Hash and the Ahi Bowl. This fine-dining establishment also boasts a unique seasonal cocktail menu with signature beverages like the Peach Sazerac, Black Vieux Carré and Impossible Year.
Since his menus are full of flair and his knowledge for flavor is vast, it’s hard to believe Thrasher is a self-taught chef. He found his calling while working at a local pizza and hoagie shop at the age of 15 and forged his culinary path from there.
“During that time, I learned that a line cook salary was hard to live on, so I started immersing myself in the front of house operations by both serving and bartending,” he says. “Because I like interacting with people, that helped give me front of house experience as well as an intense passion for food and learning. You can’t grow one without the other.”
Thrasher decided to go into business for himself in 2012 and opened a food truck called Hash Browns and New Grounds. The bright red truck, which is still in operation, changes its menu daily and serves the Morgantown community as well as farmer’s markets in the area. The food truck allowed Thrasher to further his creative endeavors and gave him the success to expand his business while putting down roots. “I opened Cody’s Restaurant three years ago, and I thought Bridgeport was the perfect location since the growth here was so positive,” he says. “I like trying new things, and opening this restaurant provided me an outlet to learn, cook and share with others.”
Cody’s Restaurant, located at 20 Shaner Drive in Bridgeport, is open seven days a week. The hours of operation are Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4-10 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Korean BBQ Skewer
- 4 chicken filets
- 8-10 wooden skewers,
- presoaked in water or juice
- Sesame Aioli Sauce
- Korean BBQ Sauce
- Gas or charcoal grill
Cut the chicken into bite-sized portions, and skewer the pieces, leaving a thin margin of separation between each chunk. Place the skewers in a container and add the Korean BBQ Sauce. Marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Start the grill, and place each skewer on the direct flame. Look for a hard char—it will flame up due to the sesame oil’s low smoke point, so watch it closely. If the skewer looks like it burned quickly, that’s good. Remove it from the grill and put it back in the marinade. Continue this process four to five times, and watch the carbon reabsorb the marinade and caramelize.
Place the skewers on the coolest side of the grill to receive residual heat, ensuring the meat is cooked through. Drizzle with the Sesame Aioli Sauce and serve.
Sesame Aioli Sauce
- 2 c Japanese mayo
- ½ c black sesame oil
- 1 tbsp Korean kimchi red pepper base
- 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- ½ c brown sugar
- 2½ c buttermilk
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp paprika
Whisk the ingredients together and chill for 30 minutes or overnight. Set aside for later.
Korean BBQ Sauce
- 1 c brown sugar
- ½ c hoisin sauce
- ¼ c fish sauce
- 3 c barbecue sauce
- ½ c aged soy
- ½ c sweet soy
- 1⁄8 c double black soy
- 2 c toasted sesame oil
- 1½ c mirin or rice vinegar
Whisk the ingredients together and set aside.
Japanese Udon Noodles
- 1 package udon noodles, thawed
- 1 small daikon radish
- 1 medium lotus root or carrot
- 1 small purple cabbage
- ¼ c sesame seeds
- Scallions for garnish
- Corn, vegetable or peanut oil
For the stir fry, slice the vegetables thinly and set aside.
Combine all of the sauce ingredients into a squeeze bottle and shake well. Always shake before using because the ingredients will separate.
In a smoking hot wok, add the vegetables and rapidly move them around the sides. After the vegetables begin to soften, score in a quarter cup of the sauce. Continue to rotate vegetables for 30-45 seconds. Next, add the pliable noodles to the dish and vigorously mix together.
Plate and garnish with sesame seeds, bonito flakes and scallions.
Noodle Sauce
- ½ c black vinegar
- 1 c mirin
- ½ c sesame oil
- 2 c low-sodium soy
- 1 c sweet soy
- ¼ c double black soy
- ¼ c fish sauce
For the sauce, combine these ingredients, whisk together and set aside.
Poppy Encrusted Ahi Saku Tuna
- 1 tuna steak or any sushi grade fish
- ½ c poppy seeds
- Sweet Soy Drizzle
- Seaweed salad
Roll the fish in the poppy seeds.
In a smoking hot pan, sear each side of the tuna seven to nine seconds or until preferred doneness.
Remove the tuna from the hot pan and slice into quarter-inch-thick pieces.
Plate with seaweed salad and Sweet Soy Drizzle.
Sweet Soy Drizzle
- 1 c sugar
- 1 c low-sodium soy sauce
Combine ingredients and boil until sugar is dissolved. Let cool.
Lobster and Prawn Risotto
- Lobster, prawn or any seafood that is not in a shell
- 4 c aborrio or high gluten rice
- 1 qt vegetable or chicken stock
- ¼ c red cabbage, minced
- 2 scallions, cut thin
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- ¼ c parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated
- ½ lb unsalted butter
- Kosher salt to taste
- Bebeir or dried Turkish pepper for garnish
Cook the seafood to your individual liking.
To prepare the risotto, bring the stock to a rapid simmer, then drop the temperature. Heat the oil and melt the butter together in a wide shallow pan on medium heat—avoid browning the butter. The minced garlic and shallot can be added here for a boost in flavor.
Add the rice, and evenly cover the grains with the oil/butter mixture in the pan. Casually mix until 60-70 percent of the grain itself is translucent. Add one ladle of broth to the pan, stir and leave until the broth is roughly 80 percent absorbed. Continue this process until all of the stock is absorbed and/or the rice is fully cooked.
When finished, remove from heat.
Fold in the fish sauce, cheese, spices and vegetables. Let it rest for three or four minutes, then serve.
