ASH a Night Out in Review

The hubs may be away on business but I was lucky enough to secure a babysitter and enjoy myself for a girls night out! There is a group of about ten or so ladies that tries to get together at least once a month. We are a mixed group so some are hanging out all the time but some of us only get to see each other this one night out. It is sort of perfect for our busy lifestyles with kids and work and such. I mean not that we are old but none of us are headed out for ragers every weekend like we used too. I think the biggest event we talked about was a play date or ballet class for the littles. We all lead very exciting lives, hehehe. For dinner this month we chose a new place ASH. It takes the place of where Cumin used to be in Hyde Park (not a big loss there) owned and run by the same people. 

Borrowed this from the Cincinnati.com

 It was a perfect night to go, the place wasn't very busy so our group of 8 should have been easy to accommodate. I started my night with a dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives (sorry no pic). I will say they forgot the dirty part of the martini but where happy to bring me a little cup of the olive juice to season my own drink. Not a great start but this momma of three was very happy to be out with some good friends. 

The atmosphere was a bit dark inside. You could tell that they really just slapped some paint on the old Cumin and called it something new. I've also never been fond of the big wall going thru the center splitting the whole place? Also the chalk board signs are very in right now. So the place was perfectly trendy. I mean even the name ASH...The menu was mostly burgers, or anything you could cook on a grill. I am not fond of paying $15 for a burger but I get it if it is a phenomenal burger, and their choices looked pretty awesome. Luckily with so many people we all got a variety of items.

The Wedge Salad:

Crispy Iceberg + Artisan Blue 

+ Cornbread Crouton + Bacon Vinaigrette 

+ Grape Tomato + Pickled Asparagus

This was nothing to write home about. A pretty average salad, but it's a wedge so what did you expect. I will say that the cornbread croutons were pretty awesome and something new and delicious. I could eat those all by themselves. 

Warm Mushroom:

Shaved Brussel Sprouts + Goat Cheese 

+ Spiced Pistachios + Wild Mushrooms

+ Smoked Garlic + Sherry

This was actually my favorite thing that was ordered and I didn't even order it! I only got one bit but that one bit was delicious. For this alone and a beer on tap I would go back. 

Short Ribs + Fries (poutine)

Ricotta + Fresh Mozzarella 

+ Bacon Gravy + Herbs

This was pretty delicious as well. They also have homemade ketchup and whole grain mustard for dipping. All this poutine needed was a pouched egg on top! Now if I had to compare it to Senate's poutine this is a loser, the fries just weren't crispy enough to hold up. Was it good, yes, was it a home run, no. Would I order a fat plate of yummy goodness again, probably. Maybe I can ask for the fries to be well done? Maybe I am a fry snob?

City Chicken

Pork Tenderloin + Sweet Onion 

+ Pilsner Gravy + Burnt Lemon

Some one explain to me why they call this "City Chicken*"? It's not chicken and that was confusing and it was not delicious. It wasn't bad it just wasn't anything to write home about. *updated with link to what city chicken really is, I guess this is a thing...HA the more you know :)

Burger Seven

Short Ribs + Candied Bacon + Fonduta + 

Truffled Egg + Arugula

This is where our story gets interesting. All my lovely friends like there burger cooked a little bit more than usual, a med well to well kind of group. Which is fine, I think at a fine dinning restaurant you should be able to order anything well and still have it be delicious. Well my lovely friend to my right ordered her burger medium well and well it was pink. I am sorry but medium well should not be pink (maybe at the very center a thin sliver) but not the whole thing. So she obviously sent it back because she just didn't feel comfortably eating it. Totally an exceptable thing to do, but sadly the waitress right away gave her the stink eye. Then sadly the kitchen decided to refire the whole order. This means they expected to cook a medium well burger quickly and get it out to her before we were all done eating?! I honestly think they should have just warmed it in the oven or dare I say microwave it real quick? Yes that may have taken away from some of the delciousness and juiciness but at least it would have gotten to her faster. So needless to say she did not end up eating dinner but watched the rest of us enjoy our meals. big sad face :( They tried to make it right and just missed the mark, I think it was more the waitress then anything else. We are a pretty fun group of girls and think that maybe there was a better way to go about it? 

But all in all everyone elses food came out ok. Everyone enjoyed there food, no one was blown away and dying to come back, number four was a hit. The whole place and menu felt a little bit like maybe they were trying too hard? They have only been open for a month or so, maybe they are still finding their footing? So for now I am not running back, but I am sure when summer hits since this happens to be a quick walk from my home that I will be back to try it at least one more time. I mean come on a $15 burger has got to be delicious!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin