There's a smart Barcelona vibe to this Dublin 4 favourite. The designer cool ivory and caramel interior is laid out in a well spaced mix of tables and comfortable banquettes with ceilings high enough to keep peak time buzz to pleasant levels.
The open kitchen tucked away at one end of the restaurant contains the super sized stainless steel firepit that gives the Asador its name, modelled on the rustic asados of local meats cooked over vine cuttings in the Castilla-Leon region.
Suspended over a glowing bed of lumpwood charcoal, the asador is the perfect cooking medium for the steaks that take pride of place, proving a huge draw to the business community surrounding the Baggot Street bridge area, alongside crowd-pleasing sides like creamed spinach and triple cooked chips.
Mediterranean style runs through the menu with Moroccan spiced chicken kebabs, couscous and grilled vegetable accompaniments. Good starters include a salad of honey-glazed figs, Young Buck blue cheese and walnuts, and a showy signature dish of smoked beef tartare centred with truffle egg yolk and brought to the table under a smoke-filled glass dome.
The grilled seafood or meat platters for two featured on evening menus should satisfy hefty appetites and have prices to match, and wild boar steak is there for the adventurous. New to the lineup is the all day weekend lunch with steak and eggs or smoked haddock Benedict for brunch lovers.
Although friendly, the service may be a little too laid back at times, but Asador is worth a visit for the beef tartare alone and, while other meat choices can be disappointing, the venue continues to please those who come for the steak, especially groups of businessmen who also enjoy the ambience.
