Asado Urban Grill
Happy Friday to those with regular schedules! For those that work through the weekend like me, keep trucking and make that paper.
About a month ago, I was invited to try out a new restaurant at the newly renovated Renaissance Hotel at O'Hare. Did you know they spent 6.5 million dollars on the renovation? With Executive Chef Tony Roldan heading the kitchen, my party was able to experience the "business unusual" atmosphere that they pride themselves on. Asado Urban Grill is the new restaurant that includes a new bar, R Bar, that resides on the first floor next to their lobby.
Check out all of the goodies we ate:
This was a very special experience as we were gifted with this savory amuse bouche to wet our palates. It was crafted with the precision of what you would expect at a fine dining restaurant. We were graced by a wonderful bartender/server who made one of my guests this special green drink. This was his specialty and favorite so naturally we had to try it.
Our favorite of the appetizers were most certainly the mushroom ravioli. Complex flavors and surprisingly light, it's perfect for the warmer weather. The mushroom filling was wrapped in a delicate outer shell, pairing perfectly to the tomato basil coulis laid on top. The crab cakes was also a winner and you must eat it with the asado aioli that comes with it. If you want to pick the safer options, go with the ceviche and calamari. Seafood played a large part in our appetizer choices. Can you tell?
We picked a number of entrees which included the short ribs, braised duck tacos, and ribeye. Our recommendation favors heavily to the braised duck tacos. The meat goes through an extensive process to become the juicy and soft meat that is laid inside soft taco shells and served to you. Between the short ribs and the ribeye, my vote goes to the latter. Perhaps because I like being able to taste the earthy tones to my meat and the ribeye shone in that respect. The sides that come with the short ribs and ribeye are similar so make sure you keep an eye out for the right dish if your table has an order of each.
Dessert time came with some very hard choices. This resulted in ordering three different desserts. Within the choices of bread pudding, creme brulee, and berries with creme fraiche, my vote goes to the berries and creme fraiche. Why? We were told a beautiful story by one of our hosts about how he used to eat this at his grandmother's place and the dish reminded him fondly of that time. Desserts with a back story just get to me. Who doesn't love a good heartwarming story?
If you're looking to splurge on a night out with friends, this may be the place for you. If you have a flight later in the night, this is close enough to the airport that you can grab an early dinner and still make your flight. Worried about parking? Just bring your ticket up to the desk for validation and you'll be set to go. This is a great halfway point if you are meeting up friends that live in the suburbs and you live in the city. Set a reservation and they even have private rooms if you have a group.
Favorites of the Post
Food Favorite: Mushroom Ravioli
OutfitFavorite: (Not pictured) Pure White Ultraboosts
Memory Favorite: Laughs and stories shared with friends over a fancy meal
If you ever decided to try it, let me know. I'd love to know what you think.
Until the next venture!
With love,
Van