In 2023, chef Doug Psaltis and his team transformed the former Flair House, an 1883 townhouse in Chicago’s River North, into Asador Bastian, a restaurant that draws from classic Chicago chophouses with Basque influence.
Psaltis describes the space as “elegant brutality,” where meticulously curated craftsmanship defines the 35-seat bar and 55-seat, reservation-only dining room. Details include bespoke steak knives, olive green leather banquettes by local artisan Horween Leather, and 1930s Murano glass chandeliers, all set against presentations of whole meat and fish cooked over charcoal.
The fusion of Chicago chophouse tradition and asador-style cooking from San Sebastián, Spain, stems from Psaltis’ travels in search of the world’s best beef. He found it in Spain’s northern Basque region and built the restaurant around bringing that experience stateside, centered on one of its most celebrated cuts: the txuletón, a thick-cut, marbled rib steak grilled on the bone.
“I’ve always been fascinated with old time restaurants and what they’re all about,” says Psaltis, who studied Chicago’s dining history and found that the city’s “chophouses are one of the most famous styles in the world… To use that history and add some of the flourishes of Galician cuisine is a great marriage.”
Psaltis worked with chef Christian Eckmann to bring the vision to life. A Chicago native, Eckmann drew on his experience at Arzak in San Sebastián to reflect the restaurant’s dual influences. The pastry program is led by Psaltis’s wife and business partner, Hsing Chen, whose background includes The French Laundry, Country, and corporate Jean-Georges Restaurants. She brings two decades of experience to both savory and sweet offerings, from croquettes and brioche buns to desserts such as Basque cheesecake and pantxineta, a puff pastry filled with custard cream and topped with slivered almonds.
