Asao

A jewel in the desert. A beatiful Hacienda looking hotel/​restaurante/​Bistro/​terrace inmerse in the most unlikely place… along the US border metal fence. I got there while working in Tecate and Unilocaling. Their meat dishes were outstanding. Flavorful and soft. I tried the marinated cabreria (butterflied file mignon) and the coffee infused rib eye. A chared corn cream or soup also impressed my palate. The house wine, a young 2014 Baja meritage of Cabernet Savignon, Merlot and Syrah was very nice with clear cellar potentential.

We saw a show on crossing south about Asao and its Resort, Santuario Diegueno. This review is for both because they both are a wonderful combination on the same grounds. After seeing the show, we started our research. We are so glad we did.
The location is just inside the town of Tecate. A few blocks inside the border and your there. First thing you notice is they have a large parking lot with a 24 hour security guard monitoring the lot. It is well maintained with gardeners trimming the trees the day we arrived.
The resort is done in classic Mexican style with art work throughout. Amazing carvings and Statues along with some gorgeous mosaic tile art like none I have seen. The place has vaulted ceilings everywhere. The rooms were absolutely perfect. They have two television stations that are English. One of the stations is HBO. We came to get a well deserved relaxing weekend so not having news was fine. We enjoyed watching about three full length movies on our three day stay. Most of our time was spent by the pool, gym, restaurant, and bar. Each room has a huge bathroom with separate tub and shower. The private outside patio even has art work framed into the wall. The grounds are all meticulously maintained.
The pool was all to us the entire three days. Absolutely perfect with lots of areas to spend the day. They have shade areas too.
The bartender we spoke to was Ceaser. He was very knowledgable about the menu. They have a extensive wine collection and any kind of cocktail you can imagine. They have American music playing at a reasonable level that was perfect for conversations. There you can order from the full menu if that is your desire.
Asao dining room is a high end experience. White table clothes, a large flower arrangement in the center of the main dining room. The food was incredible. Each night we tried new and unique things. Their salads are gorgeous and we split one so to have room for desert. My wife and I always order different items so we can taste more of their offerings. Seafood lasagne was delicious and unique. They offer many one of a kind dishes that make this dinning experience unique. Asao has a extensive menu so everyone can have their favorite. Steaks, Lamb, Shrimp, Seafood, etc, etc. Sorry for the lack of dinner photos but when the plates landed in front of us, photography was the last thing on our minds. They also make all their own breads and pastries. Very good tasting baked goods.
Service throughout both Asao and Santuario Diegueno were 5 stars. Cannot wait till next time. Being so close to home, makes this escape perfect for anyone in San Diego needing a close getaway without the hassle of flying.

Al principio tenía un menú muy bueno, luego empezó a añadir cosas que uno puede conseguir en cualquier parte.
Son cordiales y atentos.

This is an amazing restaurant in the Mexian town of Tecate. It is worth a visit just to have dinner or lunch here. Asao itself opens at noon, although there is a more informal restaurant on site that opens in the morning. Everything from cocktails to dessert is outstanding.
My husband had the Cadillac margarita, we shared the quesadilla appetizer and the pork back soup/​crème, and he had the fish over risotto, and the crème brûlée for dessert.
I had a margarita tamarindo, and the duck confit. I ended with their chocolate mousse dessert. What a fantastic meal, with outstanding service. There’s parking at the hotel, so you don’t have to worry about your car while indulging in a meal from heaven. The prices are quite reasonable compared to a comparable restaurant in the US.

A great jewel of a restaurant in Tecate, Baja California. We took the autopista rápida from Tijuana and we arrived within 35 minutes from the San Ysidro border.
Our goal was to eat at Amores restaurant but due to the construction and the lack of street signs we chose to go to Asao and what a great culinary surprise we got.
Asao is part of Santuario Diegueño and it is at end part of Tecate. Asao means «comer”(ear) in Kumai.
The place is beautiful with a great view and full of greens everywhere. The service by Jesus Caballero was incredible giving us a great explanation of the dishes.
Tecate is known for their beer and their bread. The meal starts with a basket of bread and I ordered a artesanal pale ale from Tecate.
We order the lengua (tongue) with salsa verde as an appetizer. The meat was very tender and the salsa was very tasty.
I ordered the Shrimp plate with mole de Jamaica with a spinach salad with fruit and corn bread. The shrimp were breaded with jamaica, sesame seeds, and nuts. My friend ordered the steak tampiqueña style with an enchilada and beans.
Then we both ordered dessert, I had the crepes with cajeta and my friend had an incredible combination of foam with sweet beans with buñuelos. It was a great experience.

It’s been nearly a year since two friends and I drove down to Tecate to dine at Asao. Although I didn’t review it at the time, since I see very few reviews here, I thought I would review it now. I just checked the current menu, and it was very similar to the menu from last year.
We drove from San Diego to the border at Tecate via Highway 94. The road winds a bit, but is not at all dangerous. We parked at a pay lot on the U.S. side, walked across the border, and found a cab immediately.(When we had made the reservation, the receptionist had said the hotel in which Asao is housed would send a van to pick us up, but when we crossed the border, our cell phones did not work.) The restaurant (and hotel) are very close to the border, and we could have driven directly there.
The grounds at the restaurant and hotel are gorgeous, and the interior of the restaurant has an elegant Mexican décor, large flower arrangments, and picture windows with terrific views.
We were met by a very friendly gentleman who led us to our table and presented us with the classy menu. Our waiter took our drink orders right away. Choosing from the menu of appetizers, salads, soups, and main courses was difficult. However, there was no rush. I decided to have a caesar salad and lamb medallions. One of my friends selected the tortilla soup and the seafood lasagna. The other chose ceviche and duck confit in tamarind sauce.
Two of us sipped margaritas – I forget which «type», but they were so good we had another round. The designated driver nursed one beer throughout the evening. The first courses were all very succesful. I don’t know why I stuck with simplicity (a caesar salad), but it was exquisite – crisp romaine spears, slightly spicy caesar dressing with the right hint of anchovy, and freshly grated parmesan (or maybe it was Mexican queso cotija?), I’ll have the ceviche next time, as the combination of fish and shellfish was very fresh, and the marinade was zesty. The tortilla soup was a winner, too. The actual broth was poured at the table from a small pitcher onto thin, crisp tortilla strips, small chunks of chicken (I think), and topped with avocado slices.
As was the case with the first courses, we traded bites of our main courses. The seafood lasagna was layered with noodles, octopus and shrimp, and a delightful sauce with subtle Mexican spice. The duck in tamarind sauce was a nice portion, and the duck confit was tender and very flavorful; the tamarind sauce was uniquely tangy. My lamb medallions were a little more well done than I normally prefer, but they were tender, juicy, and herbaceous. More importantly, they tasted like LAMB! (I hate it when I order lamb and it tastes like some generic meat.)
We had eaten (and drunk) our fill, but, when presented with the dessert menu, we could not resist sharing a dessert – the crème brûlée. It was unusual in a good way – innovative, one could say.
The service throughout was very considerate yet not overbearing. There was a huge wedding party taking place in another area, so the waitstaff was probably quite busy. Nevertheless, we were treated very graciously. I can’t wait to go back! But remember, you need your passport. Mine recently expired, and I am awaiting the new one. Provecho!

Lo mejor de Tecate sin Duda! Todo complete Centeno de conventions, hotel restaurants el lunar de vacationed y negocio es es aqui

Was the recipient of a prize that included a four course meal with a bottle of wine at Asao, located at the Santuario Diegueno Boutique Hotel in Tecate. WOW! What a treat.
I had assumed they must do a Prix Fixe menu, but no, we were just to pick, one appetizer each, one soup or salad each, one entrée each, and one dessert each. We were provided a bottle of their red house wine… mystery wine! But, luckily, mystery or not, it was tasty!
First, the service was impeccable. Our waiter was attentive, helpful and made us feel special. This was just like eating at any other 5 star restaurant I have been to and it felt like we were VIPs.
Appetizers: lamb burritos & seafood quesadillas. Yum and Yum. We loved the lamb burritos. The lamb was tender and flavorful and that was our favorite of the two. The quesadillas were fine, but cheese and seafood… what were we thinking? heh
Soups: I had the corn, he had the tortilla. Mine was delicious and his was tasty and beautiful and HUGE. It not only came in the bowl, but also extra broth came in a pitcher on the side along with a mild soft cheese and chicharones. Thumbs UP!
Entrees: We both had steaks. I had the tenderloin tampequena and he ad the rib eye with a spice rub and a coffee sauce on the side. Both were good… I used the coffee sauce since he ins’t a coffee can and it was soooo tasty. GET THAT ONE! Only thing is both of our steaks were cooked a little more than we liked, so I think when ordering order less done than you would normally.
Dessert: We were stuffed, but I could not resist the crème brûlée and I am so happy I didn’t skip it. It was the best crème brûlée I can remember having! it was an Orange Rosemary and it was fabulous from the flavors to the texture. EAT THIS! the husbnad just had a scoop of vanilla and a scoop of a berry sorbet. Can’t go wrong there.
Overall, this meal was AWESOME. If we had paid for it, it would have come out at about $ 100 total and it would be well worth it, but at home, it probably would have cost twice that. Between the food and the service, Asao is an amazing value and worth a visit.
(food photos to come!)