Ascua

The Verdict

Ascua is a brand spanking new restaurant which offers up a whole lot of Spanish sophistication to the people of the Perth CBD and this New Year's Eve they're throwing one hell of a six-course degustation. Kicking off at 7pm the chef will take you on a delicious journey celebrating modern Spanish cuisine made with the freshest Australian produce and paired with sommelier-matched wines. Tickets are $150 per person plus $80 if you want to add wine, book here. 

Cosy and romantic, a wood-fired grill (also known as a barbacoa) takes pride of place in the open kitchen, which is fitting because Ascua means embers in Spanish.

The a la carte menu features some of the finest local produce and is broken up into starters, items from the wood-fired grill, shares, mains, sides and sweets.

From the beef rump cap with grilled mushrooms and wood-fired baby peppers to the whole spatchcock with lemon thyme and chilli, ordering from the wood-fired menu is a must. But if you’re in need of an iron injection straight to the stomach, the 40-day dry aged beef tomahawk is for you—you get to customise your order by choosing how much steak you can devour by the 100 gram, then select a delicious sauce (we like the sound of the salsa verde). 

Other menu highlights include the heritage tomato with goats curd, olive crumb, pine seeds and oregano, the seared Spanish mackerel with squid ink paella and the patatas bravas-style fried potatoes. You’ll want to order everything, so be careful not to fill up on the free Spanish olives, carrot salad, freshly baked artisan bread and sparkling water that will be plonked on your table upon arrival.

Let the sommelier guide you through the stunning wine menu which features plenty of local drops as you watch the chefs work their magic on the wood-fire grill in the open kitchen. And once you’ve found room in your stomach for dessert, the crème Catalan and spiced poached pear with vanilla rice pudding and raisin and muscatel ice cream are must tries. You’ll be rolling home, but you’ll be happy and that’s all that matters!

Perth, you can stop looking for your next date night destination, we’ve found it all thanks to Ascua!

Image credit: Emma Bryant