Tatianna Cuervo loves her dad’s cooking, especially when he grills. So one day, she told him he should open his own restaurant.
And that’s how Asados Firewood Grill began.
Orlando Cuervo was busy enough with his business, Orlando’s Painting & Wallpapering, based out of the family’s home on Lewis Street in Dracut, where the family moved 10 years ago.
As Angela Cuervo, Orlando’s wife, says, “Orlando always loved grilling in the backyard. And Tatianna said to him, ‘Dad, why don’t you open something and start selling it?’ And because she’s daddy’s little girl, he started thinking about it.”
While looking for a spot around Dracut, they noticed that Brox Farm, at 1276 Broadway Road, had some space it wasn’t using to the side of the farm stand. They spoke to the owners and worked out an agreement.
“They agreed and here we are,” Angela says.
Dracut Economic Development held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Asados Firewood Grill on June 17.
Asados is an outdoor restaurant, consisting of a trailer where business is transacted, grills and 10 picnic tables, each with an umbrella. It provides takeout and curbside pickup, so even if it’s raining, you can get your barbecue fix. The Cuervos are also working with Brox Farm to move the restaurant inside the farm stand in the cold weather, since Brox closes after the autumn season.
Asados features grilled steak, chicken and chorizo, carne asada, corn on the cob and two sauces Angela whipped up – a traditional chimichurri and a house sauce.
If you want to work off your meal, there’s a cornhole setup. Asados also has a fire pit with chairs around it. The tables were all built by Orlando and friends.
Although Tatianna – and her brother Thomas, 10 -- wanted their dad to show off his culinary talents, Orlando actually had a secondary reason for opening Asados Woodfire Grill.
“My husband wanted to show them what it is to have responsibilities and not just be on your phone all day,” Angela says. “He wanted them to know that if you want to be successful, you have to work for it.”
And they do. Tatianna helps with various duties, while Thomas is the official corn-shucker. Angela is a registered nurse by vocation, but she is working full time at Asados these days.
Early reviews on social media are excellent, with the sauces eliciting the most positive comments.
“We’ve had no complaints,” Angela says. “We get families, young couples, older people. Everyone loves it.”
Asados Firewood Grill is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 8 p.m., and is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.