Report: Asador Summer Harvest Dinner Series

by Andrew Chalk

Remember Asador? It arrived on the scene as unexpected as rain in June when Marriott decided in 2011 that the Dallas Renaissance Hotel (aka the lipstick building) needed a destination restaurant. David Trubenbach was brought in from Florida to be execuchef and Chef Dean James Max became a consultant to a restaurant where the menu changed virtually daily to reflect weekly market changes. The liquid poison of choice was tequilla, of which a wall of over 60 was assembled.

Traffic picked up and lots of special dinners and events were held. Then it was announced that David Trubenbach was moving back to Florida to take a new position with Marriott and a new chef would be appointed. After that we heard… nothing. Asador went dark. Apparently the fire had gone out.  

Wind forward to June 2014 and Asador has something to crow about again. They are doing it through three summer harvest dinners staged about a month apart. The first one was last week and I was invited as a media guest. As as an early admirer of their farm-to-fire approach to cooking, I was excited to finally try the food of new execuchef, Brad Phillips.

Asador Executive Chef Brad Phillips works on the Texas quail

They fed us five courses (plus an hors d’oeuvre) for our $60 pre-fixe. It was a bargain for this meal and six wines!

As guests gathered and detoxified themselves from the effects of the Dallas Friday evening traffic we sipped on La Guita fino sherry and bit into bruschetta topped with Dallas Mozzarella Co. goat cheese, prosciutto and smoked olive salsa.

The meal is served family style at one long table. Chef Phillips gave a description of each dish and Beverage and Food Supervisor, Tyler Lott, talked about the paired wine. We got to know our neighbors (an eclectic bunch) while we ate.

Local peach Glazed Texas Quail with jicama salad, avocado, herb dressing

Gulf Shrimp and Blue Crab Stuffed Agnolotti with gulf oyster cream and Tassione greens

The seared Gulf red snapper with fennel purée, heirloom beet chips and carrot cumin sauce arrives family style for our section of the table

The heirloom beet chips prior to service. An almost Chihulyesque bowl of contortion. I wish we could email you the snap these had when bit into

Whole Roasted Texas Tenderloin, sweet potato hash, summer vegetables

Dessert of Valrhona dark chocolate and espresso ice cream was served with Fonseca Ruby Port

By the end I was convinced that, with the new crew, Asador is back. A new ballroom and parking is going in right now so the Marriott organization thinks that lipstick is a good investment. Now they just have to avoid going dark again when a chef leaves or a bird flies into the lobby from outside.

The next two dinners are listed below. I have a suspicion that the cocktail dinner will be very special given Asador’s focus on its tequila bar.

WHEN: Harvest Dinner paired with Beer – July 11, 2014 at 6:30 p.m.

Harvest Dinner paired with Cocktails – August 8, 2014 at 6:30 p.m.

COST: $60 (plus t&t) per person for individual harvest dinner, includes one dinner with pairings