Food review: Fiesta Del Asado, Solihull

Most foodies in Birmingham will have heard of Fiesta Del Asado, the Argentinian steak restaurant on the Hagley Road. What many people don't know however is that Fiesta Del Asado has a new little sister; Fiesta Del Asado in Solihull.

On the main High Street in Shirley, this Fiesta Del Asado has a markedly different look and feel. Whilst both restaurants retain a masculine, dark wood interior, this site also has large windows and plenty of indoor foliage. 

The Solihull restaurant also has a slightly different menu, with an after school family platter available for two adults and two children to share between 3pm and 5.30pm.

The space itself is also more varied and more accommodating to different group sizes and different types of diners. For example, the cosy window nooks are great for smaller or more intimate groups.

Onto the meal itself; we arrived and propped up the bar for a little while whilst we rounded up everyone's Christmas and New Year. I opted for a gin and tonic since I'm not doing Dry January. Just in case you were wondering why, it's because I don't go out much over Christmas anyway, so there seems little sense in it for me personally.

It will become apparent that I'm also not partaking in Veganuary. I'm gluten free already and lactose intolerant, although I try to pretend I'm not (cheese anyone?) and the thought of giving it all up for leaves and berries is not an appealing one. However, stranger things have happened so perhaps one day I'll give it a shot. Until then, I'm still on the meat bandwagon.

I digress. We made our way to a table with velvet covered bench seating on the balcony area. The interior is very spacious and wide open, unlike the nooks and crannies that can be found at the sister site.

We started off by ordering Padron peppers and olives, both of which had a kick. I tried not to eat too many as I knew what was coming next; steak.

I ordered the Marucha Flat Iron, a 20oz flat iron steak taken from the feather muscle, chuck and blade. I seem to remember hearing that this was a flavourful cut. We also ordered fries, pepper and squash asados and potato criolla to share.

My dining companion Paul Fulford also ordered steak and Helen from Positive Fridays ordered the Chicken Parilla. 

My steak was very big and very tasty, seasoned with a rub that I am dying to get the recipe for. I ordered this medium rare, as recommended, which worked well with this particular cut. It was by far and away the best steak I have eaten in a very long time, probably since having dined at the original Fiesta. As much as I love to eat steak, too often I find that I'm disappointed or that the piece I've been served is too tough even when served medium.

The chicken also went down well, and looked very well seasoned. 

All of the accompaniments were delicious and I tried to steer myself away from the chips, as delicious as they were.

We ordered a main course each and skipped the starters and desserts. I would recommend this tactic if you're thinking of dining here and want to make the most of the delicious steaks on offer. As a gluten free diner, this makes a lot of sense as many of the starters and desserts are not suitable for a gluten free diet, with the exception of the chicken wings, padron peppers, olives and sausage.

The quality of the food is always exceptional at Fiesta Del Asado. As tempting as it is to go elsewhere and compromise on price, it always results in a compromise on taste.

A meal at Fiesta Del Asado is always special and never disappoints. For committed carnivores, the steak is always high quality and flavoursome, cooked just right to respect the cut and flavour of each steak. There are of course, other options on the menu, but when they do steak so well, it seems a shame to skip the star of the show.

*With thanks to Fiesta Del Asado for the complimentary meal. 

Food Review: Fiesta del Asado

Fiesta del Asado is a rare jewel in the city. The upmarket steak house is part of the Birmingham-based Lasan Group, the name behind Nosh + Quaff, Raja Monkey, Izza Pizza and of course Lasan.

The Argentinian steak house, the first to open in Birmingham, has a loyal following and is well known for its steak, all of which is seasoned with their house dry rub and served with fresh chimichurri.

Dining on a Monday night, I was surprised to see that the restaurant was still busy with groups of work colleagues and the occasional couple.

Taking a seat at the front of the restaurant, in the bay window, I started off with a full-bodied glass of Rioja to whet my appetite.

Wanting to save ourselves for mains, my companion ordered a few nibbles including the Jamon iberico de bellota (£6.89) and pimientos del padron (£2.99). The peppers come pan-fried and salted, whilst the jamon came neatly laid out on the plate and is from free-range, acorn fed animals that have been cured for three years minimum.

Onto the main event; the steak. There are so many places to eat steak in the city now, but Fiesta del Asado was indeed an early player on the scene. There's plenty of choice from the smallest steak, the 8oz bavette to the largest, the 20oz marucha sin hueso, taken from the feather muscle, chuck and blade. 

There is even a hearty 40oz steak for sharing, the bife de costilla which comes in at £55.99. 

I opted for the 10oz sirloin as I prefer a leaner cut, whilst my companion opted for a very modest 8oz bavette.  I also added a fried egg, as is traditional, and we ordered a side of fries. 

As I was choosing my steak, the waitress was incredibly helpful when it came to understanding my preferences, and advising based on size and cut. This level of knowledge is something that truly marks an eatery out as specialist, and it's safe to say that the staff here were well versed in cut and cooking.  

What can I tell you about the steak? Well for starters, let's talk about the seasoning. Yes, the steak itself may look plain, but it is in fact full of flavour. Remember that rub I mentioned earlier? Although I couldn't say what's in it, let's just say that it is beyond doubt, one of the tastiest, most flavoursome steaks I have ever eaten. Add to this the fresh chimichurri and that delightful oozing egg, and there is plenty more than just steak going on here.

I would advise ordering a side each at least, as the steak's do come with salad and a little roasted vegetable, but if you have a larger appetite it's well worth adding on the very reasonably prices extras. 

The fries also deserve a special mention, for their delightful seasoning of salt and parsley. These crispy fries were very moreish, and we couldn't stop nibbling on these even after the steak was just a memory.

For desserts, alas there is not much by way of gluten free, so I opted for a double espresso.

What makes Fiesta del Asado stand out? For me it's the service, attentive staff, and unforgettably seasoned steak. Next time, I'm coming back for the bad boy itself, the 40oz bife de costilla, and I may not need any help.

*My meal at Fiesta del Asado was complimentary.