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
