This past Wednesday, I decided to put my belly to the test and try Asado Burgers located on Passatge de Lluís Pellicer, Barcelona.
After seeing this restaurant grace some of the “Top Burger Places to Visit in Barcelona” lists with images of perfectly glossy looking brioche buns supporting two thick and juicy patties covered in melted orange cheddar and caramelized pulled beef, I knew I had to clear my schedule and go on a spontaneous burger adventure.
Located in the heart of Diagonal, Asado Burgers feels like a hidden gem in such a touristy neighborhood. I was pleasantly surprised when I turned onto the side street of Lluís Pellicer to discover so many other smaller restaurants of different varieties hidden in such an intimate location. It felt like you were walking down a red light district for restaurants and the neon sign of Asado was your North Star to fast-food pleasure.
Asado is a traditional barbacoa technique in most parts of South America, a BBQ experience that transcends grilling hot dogs and steaks. Smoking and cooking the meat is an art sometimes difficult to replicate in a restaurant setting, yet somehow, we have this concept that mixes both American burger culture with South American BBQ techniques to make a monstrosity of a burger.
Upon seeing the tropical décor and earth tone furnishings, you can already feel and see the laid-back atmosphere of locals who just finished a day’s work. They may have been serving fast food, but no one was rushing out of the joint. This was a “pretty” chill spot to meet up with friends or have a date night.
Normally I am not a fan of the traditional Spanish tapas, croquettes or croquetas, but when I saw on the menu that they are filled with the signature El Don pulled meat, I ordered the full plate. They even offer their own bottled sparkling water and craft beer from the famous brew pub Garage Beer Club, a beer brand known for its strong IPAs.
The El Don was everything I imagined from the image above, pulled meat and cheese dripping onto your fingertips. The pulled meat itself is slightly sweet so there is no need to add any additional condiments; the burger is already fully loaded. You can also add a side of fries or coleslaw for an extra three euros.
You have the option of choosing a double or single patty, but between the croquettes and fries, the single is more than enough. (Unless you are some food beast whose eyes are bigger than their stomach then this place is perfect for you.)
Since we were so stuffed from the croquettes alone, we decided to split the fries. The fries were crispy without feeling dry or greasy with the perfect amount of salt. Normally I am flexing my American patriotism by asking for ketchup, but I enjoyed these fries plain as day.
Even though I could not stretch my waistband anymore, I almost considered ordering their passion fruit cheesecake for dessert. As tempting as it was, I figured I would save that for another time because I was definitely coming back in the future to try their fries with more smoked meat and beer flavoured cheese, “Las Patatas Fritas Con Salsa De Queso IPA y EL Don Ahumado”.
