As fall cools off our wonderfully warm summer weather, you might start craving warm, cozy food. Savory meats on hot plates or skewers. Soups. Perhaps a fancy burger with a side of warm au jus. You might be craving Asado. With a full menu of steady Argentine-inspired delights and a rotating lineup of specials to keep things seasonal and fresh, Asado is here to impress this fall.

"Fall is one of our favorite seasons food wise," says Joel Mertens, Executive Chef at X Group Restaurants, which includes Asado, Masa, and Engine House No. 9. "In a restaurant known for how we cook meat, fall gives us a chance to create warm heavier dishes that may not appeal as much in the summer and spring. Braised meats, bigger steaks, and using darker earthier flavors."

Asado uses its special menu to capture the flavors of each season and present them to diners. The specials menu rotates out every two weeks and feature both brand new items and some return hits. Every two weeks, the specials menu highlights new appetizers, salads, entrees, and desserts.

A new specials menu just came out on September 26. For the next two weeks, you can enjoy two new appetizers: Polenta con Chorizo Empanada and Stuffed Grey Squash. There are three new entrees: a Prawn Wedge Salad, a Mesquite Grilled Lamb Rack, and a Grilled Half Chicken. Perhaps most importantly of all, there is a new dessert to try out-a Malbec Poached Seckle Pear Tart.

"We tend to try to use new items every time we roll out new specials," says Mertens. "One of the best parts about being a chef is being able to create. This gives our team a chance to create and take pride in coming up with something that people like. There are times though, that we may rotate through some items that have sold well in the past."

The chef team at X Group Restaurants is made up of Mertens as well as a Chef de Cuisine at each of the three restaurants: Tasso Zambaras at Asado, Bryan Newberry at Masa, and Antoine Washington at E-9. Mertens and the chefs des cuisine work together to come up with new, fresh ideas, especially taking into account seasonal availability. The week before a specials menu comes out, the team does a tasting and performs any final tweaks.

"When sourcing ingredients we have to look at a lot of things," says Mertens. "What's available, what's in season, and what we can have on our menu that is able to provide a value to our guests. Produce especially is something that, when available, is local."