Restaurants / Bristol
Asado – restaurant review
There were queues out of the door at Bristol’s newest burger restaurant on Friday night and it wasn’t only because the burgers here on the opening weekend were all a fiver.
Asado on Colston Street is a restaurant with a serious pedigree and has crashed straight into the premier league of Bristol’s burgers.
It’s the brainchild of owner and chef Lucien Gordon, who has returned to Bristol after a stint at the renowned Patty & Bun, which has nine restaurants across London.
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An oak-fired asado grill can be glimpsed in the kitchen downstairs, with Gordon aiming to couple West Country produce with South American influences including chimichurri, and chunky guacamole and chipotle mayo.
Strangely rough table surfaces present a slightly uncomfortable eating experience in what used to be Rosemarino and before that Bocanova. But it’s the only misstep.
The Asado and El Don burgers
When the burgers arrived, it was clear to see that the wait for those queuing outside would be worthwhile.
The burgers are made from a blend of cuts of beef from organic Devon farm Higher Hacknell and served in a seeded brioche bun.
The Asado burger (£7.50) had cheddar cheese, chimichurri sauce, confit garlic mayo, pickled red onions, lettuce and tomato; while in the El Don (£8.50) the chimichurri gave way for pancetta, barbecued onions and confit garlic mayo.
As with all the best burgers, they were impossible to eat without making a mess. Each bite was packed with an assortment of interesting flavours, with the juicy burger cooked pink.
The pick of the sides were courgette fritters with spicy lime mayo (£4), while among the beers on tap and in bottles and cans are selections from Bristol breweries Moor and Wiper & True, with cider from Cornish Orchard, a small selection of spirits and cocktails, and a short wine list all available by the glass, carafe or bottle.
The banoffee pie glass was unavailable on Friday evening, but the peanut butter brownie (£4.50) was a more than acceptable replacement, drizzled with caramel sauce and served with a salted caramel ice cream.
We are not short of places for a damn fine burger in Bristol, but the arrival of Asado has raised the bar a little higher.
Asado, 90 Colston Street, Bristol, BS1 5BB
0117 927 9276
Read Bristol’s first truly independent food and drink guide, EatDrink24/7, online here
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