Sunday, 19 January 2014

Gaucho - DIFC, Dubai


Even though the place is the polar opposite to the original Argentinan ‘gaucho’, it is still somehow different to other steak houses. I took the time to read up on the place and read the following: The beef is taken only from Angus cattle (which are born and raised in Argentina), a shorter and stockier breed, meaning smaller, more flavourful cuts. The intricacies involved in rearing and slaughtering cattle, preserving and transporting the meat, and preparing and serving of steak, perhaps explain why Dubai is in love with this seemingly simple dish: dining on good steak is to dine on a flavourful, complex back story… and O my did I later find out how true this was..

After whizzing our way up in the panoramic lift from the car park, we were greet by the chilled beats and cool interior of Gaucho.. decked out with a black and white colour scheme, accompanied with similar cow-hind chairs, and high ceilings (decorated with chandeliers of course – it is Dubai after all!) this was definitely the restaurant to be at on a Thursday night. My attention was also drawn to the glowing chamber behind the staircase, lined with fine Argentinian wine.The restaurant was positively rammed and buzzing with conversation, however on this one occasion I was happy to be seated outside, where the atmosphere was a little more laid back and it was possible to indulge in conversation with my friends and family (my dad was not a fan of the loud, remixy tunes that hummed away inside!). The terrace presented a different sort of atmosphere.. still with music however it was somewhat muted and the place seemed slightly magical. Streaming with small candles and soft lighting, the terrace was surrounded by leaves, blocking Gaucho from the outside world.



Shortly after being seated, our hostess Claudia, promptly arrived to talk us through the menu (both wine and food). Each hostess tells you about the meats (and shows you the selection too on large brown chopping boards), and which wines complement what best (all wines are imported from Argentina except from the bubbly). After a lot of ‘umm-ing and ah-ing’ we chose our selection of starters – Tuna Tiradito, seared scallops and crab linguini. And WOW – not only were they presented perfectly, they tasted exquisite. My choice, the tuna tiradito, literally melted in my mouth. They had got the element combination/ratio just right!

For the next course we went our separate ways, with two people opting for fish and my dad and I going for the famous Argentinian steak! I must say the tuna looked divine, perfectly pink coated in sesame, and dressed in a delicious combination of orange, ginger and cardamom. However when my steak arrived, I knew I had made the right decision. Rare – just the way I like it – was a perfect portion of steak, complimented with mushroom sauce, sweet potato wedges and almond broccoli. The steak was great – maybe not the best ever, but a serious contender. The winner of the meal was definitely the sweet potato wedges.. something I will now endeavor to re-create at home and eat everyday for the rest of my life (they were that good!!). Twice cooked with lemon and honey, and served with lemon confit, honey and capers, these wedges were unlike anything I had ever tried. Crispy on the outside but impossibly soft in the middle, they were an ideal addition to my tasty steak!




After all this, sadly there was no more room left at the inn and pudding was given a miss – something I will definitely save room for next time (however Im not quite sure if I would be comfortable sacrificing something to enable this!)…

Gaucho really does offer an all-round dining experience with tasty food, incredible décor, great atmosphere and service as slick as the interior – it definitely did the job and I will be returning (hopefully soon!)

Try the round buns - they come warm, doughy with a tangy cheesy taste! 

 http://www.gauchorestaurants.co.uk/restaurants/restaurant.php?id=dubai 

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