Asador Bastian
5/5
I know that giving this a perfect score feels like an obvious choice when a place is named the #1 steak restaurant in North America 2025, but it also means you expect a lot... and in the case of this fabulously charming restaurant it lives up to the moniker. I see why getting a reservation here is next to impossible, and so when you can get one you take it immediately. Everything from the space and ambiance, to the exceptional level of the service (ask for Christine if you go, she was FANTASTIC) was meticulously curated to ensure we had the absolute best experience possible. Always trust a place that brings out a tray of samples to show off what the offerings are (never has a tray of meat cuts and seafood looked so portrait worthy). Being a party of 6 meant we got to try A LOT of options, and let me tell you that I would 100% burn a hole in my credit card again for this. Like my previous review for Bartolo, this Basque style steakhouse means you're getting a lot of Spanish flavors (saffron aioli, yes please), and an extensive wine list that had more Tempranillo options than my wine loving taste buds knew what to do with (shoutout to Christian our somm, very knowledgeable!). Treat yoself, apologize to your wallet later, but definitely give this place a try. On to the good stuff:
Carpaccio of Bluefin Tuna: 5/5 - Tuna perfection exists, and it is this carpaccio. Soft, buttery layers of bluefin tuna in a bright, citrus dressing, and capers, this offer the perfect starter. From texture, to flavor this presents a wonderful amount of savory and brightness in each bite. Get this and get a spoonful early, it goes fast!
Black Truffle Beef Tartare: 5/5 - Truffle has a place and time, this tartare is in fact both of those things. As if tartare wasn't delicious enough as it is, this one then goes several steps beyond to include salt cured foie gras (heavenly) and delicate black truffle shavings to finish reminding you that tartare, is in fact, that girl. Where other places might want to make the truffle the star of the dish, this one recognizes that it is simply an accessory to elevate the flavor of the tartare. The beef was impossibly tender, beautifully seasoned, and served with possibly some of the best grilled country bread I've ever had the joy of encountering. That crunchy, crispy crust gave way to a pillowy soft interior, beautiful crumb, excellent vessel for scooping said tartare into one's mouth. Am I salivating just thinking about it? Maybe... leave me be.
Whiskey Prawns: 5/5 - Had I not been informed that these were prawns I would have thought they were lobsters, they're massive! Split down the middle, grilled to perfection, the texture on these was firm, juicy, and absolutely delightful. Every other prawn wishes! Beautifully seasoned, this is seafood at its finest.
Spider Crab Arroz Cremoso: 5/5 - I have found a dish to add to my last meal on Earth menu because good sweet kitchen gods! Risotto's Basque cousin entered the chat to woo and charm you with the perfect balance of texture and flavor. Creamy, crabby, this dish very clearly reminds you that you are here to enjoy seafood in all its glory. The texture is velvety, the rice cooked perfectly to provide just enough textural contrast and prevent the whole thing from entering mushy foods territory. This is essentially a warm hug on a dish that will have you ready to fight your table for the last bite. We got the whole portion for the table, though in all fairness I could have put it away myself because it was just that good.
Octopus Fideua: 5/5 - I have had octopus this perfect once before... in Spain. No notes, perfectly cooked, which charred ends, a firm exterior, soft, pillowy center. None of that gummy nonsense here. Served with saffron aioli (I'd like to eat this by the spoonful honestly). Served with fideos in black ink sauce that was the perfect counterpart. Even the non-octopus lovers at the table had a bite of this and said "oh wow." So that should be enough, but in case it's not, ORDER THE OCTOPUS.
Akaushi Steak: 5/5 - If previous reviews are to be believed, I've had steak in a lot of restaurants. All of those steaks are officially knocked down a peg when compared to this. The description on the menu says "buttery, sweet, decadent" and that is an understatement. We got this medium-rare, which provided the perfect seared exterior, beautiful soft, pink center, each bite a mix of the two textures, and a flavor that really did lean on a slightly sweet (not sugary, just not overtly savory) note. If butter had a steak equivalent, it is this particular one. I'm not normally a carnivore, and usually enjoy steak with some kind of sauce accompaniment. This is did not require a sauce, I did not miss a sauce, I did not want a sauce. Sauce begone!
Tajima Steak: 5/5 - Ordered rare, this particular type of beef was probably the best beef I have ever had, anywhere, ever. If the Akaushi was the butter version of steak, then this one was the whipped Kerrygold version. It basically melted on the tongue. Like biting into silk velvet, the flavor was exceptionally beefy (this is the only way I can describe it). This is the blueprint for beef, full stop.
Bone Marrow Potato Puree: 5/5 - The last time I had mashed potatoes this soft and smooth I made them myself until my arm basically fell off. I have since sworn off torturing myself to such a degree. However... I will happily pay for someone else to work out their arms and present what is the smoothest potato puree conceivable. Buttery, rich, decidedly savory with a slight hint of sweetness for balance you think they're pretty much perfect. But THEN they scoop out the liquid gold that is bone marrow and drizzle it all over, mix it up in front of you so that they can watch you salivate until they proclaim they are sufficiently mixed and leave you to Hunger Games the rest of the table for a spoonful. We got two orders, no one died, everyone was happy.
Charcoal Grilled Beets: 5/5 - I debated reviewing this dish because I do not enjoy beets. I didn't want to ding the overall rating over a dish I knew I wasn't going to love. That being said, I did try it in order to give it a fair shot (she's adventurous like that) and honestly? Yeah, I get it now. Served with radicchio and horseradish to balance what could otherwise be an overly sweet dish, this was a surprisingly lovely dish. If you like beets then you'll love it, if, like me, you normally don't, still give this a try, you'll be pleasantly surprised methinks.
Burnt Basque Cheesecake: 5/5 - This was a tough one to rate because my immediate comparison is the Manchego Basque Cheesecake from Bartolo (see prior review). However, upon further thought, I've decided to review it as a separate dessert altogether. Where Bartolo's was innovative, this went the traditional route, and did it very well! Texturally it is exactly what you expect and want from this style of cheesecake, dense on first try, then melting onto the tongue. Flavor wise this was on the less sweet side with a beautiful hint of orange to brighten it up. If traditional Burnt Basque Cheesecake is your thing, then this is the one.
Golden Chocolate Hazelnut Cake: 5/5 - You know how chocolate lava cakes had a chokehold on dessert menus everywhere for a while? Well this came in to tell it to retire, permanently. A rich, velvety, chocolate cake gives way to a molten hazelnut core that becomes the best kind of sauce. There is nothing about this dessert that doesn't work.
Raspberry Mil Hojas: 5/5 - The star of the dessert trio, this was both different and delicious. I love me a mil hoja situation, but then this showed up and was like "girl I gotchu." If ever there was a dessert that brought together fruit and pastry in perfect harmony, this is it. The delicate crunch of the pastry, the mousse like quality of the cream filling, and then raspberries to bring in that tangy, zesty quality that provides sharpness and brightens everything up. A spoonful of this next to a spoonful of that chocolate concoction and I would have passed away right there and then and been perfectly content with my life.
Espresso Martini: 4/5... 5/5 - Y'all this one was difficult. I almost didn't review it because the score was perfect until we got here, and for the quality of everything (and the price tag) this place really does deliver perfection. But when we were told that these are made with cold brew my heart sank. LUCKILY, Christine finagled it so that they were made with real espresso (seriously I wish Christine a lifetime of joy). Upon initial sip, these were balanced, equal parts of that smooth bitterness and the sweetness of the coffee liqueur. However, these elevated to a perfect score when we expressed some lemon and orange over top and when I tell you I will be ordering lemon and orange peels for my espresso martinis moving forward I am not lying. While not on the podium of the official espresso martini ranking, the citrus expression definitely put them into the top 10. The ranking remains: Quartino, Rose Mary, Le Petit Marcel, Bavette's, Miru.
