REVIEW: Gaucho, Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia

Opting for the Charlotte Street branch we had no idea what to expect inside. We arrived, I managed to walk in to the glass door – second time this week. Down the glammed up staircase, you then have to wonder if you’re still in a restaurant, or in some sort of club that Katie Price designed. There is a lot of cowhide in here. A little too much for me. It’s very glam and the very busy staff, or at least some of them communicate via those little headsets which means getting attention can be difficult. Bread course was much better than I had expected. Warm loafs and rolls, with a bowl of sea salt, cracked pepper and a lovely oily herb mixture – a second bowl wasn’t refused.

If ceviche is on a menu, order it – It’s one of the most satisfying things to eat. Ceviche may sound simple on paper, but I can assure you is rather tricky to execute well. Here we went for the black scallop ceviche. Thin slices of scallops, pitch black squid ink, celery, red onion, chili and lime. It certainly wasn’t the worst ceviche I’ve eaten and there is lots of room for improvement here. They got a little carried away with the squid ink and the scallops struggled to cut through it all with its fresh flavour of the sea. The potent onion, chili and lime mix on the other hand was rather lovely. If I had my own way I’d had forgotten the squid ink altogether and opted for something that looked and tasted much more refined.

Much more refined of a dish was this pan seared scallops with a watercress puree, smoked pancetta and confit red peppers. The scallops themselves were marvellous mouthfuls. Cooked perfectly, cut through like butter and not overshadowed from anything else on the plate, meaning you could really taste that flavour of the sea they oozed out. They were particularly well browned in the pan too which meant for a nice meaty edge to them. Watercress puree was pleasant enough but really to tame to add anything but some moisture and the crispy pancetta and sweet pepper went very nicely. It looked lovely on the plate too and I’d happily eat this again.

Here it is, the steak. Looking succulent and juicy. It’s why you’re reading this review, so how was it you ask? It was very good. I may have got a little carried away with the ordering of 400g, but I blame our waiter for that, he’s very convincing. If I order steak it’s always normally rib-eye. Referred to as bife de ancho in Argentina I believe and was a very well marbled piece of meat. Have it cooked medium-rare and it will arrive near perfect. It’s not easy to cut through, but don’t let that put you off – this is after all a hefty, very meaty piece of beef. Once in the mouth it breaks down very quickly and feels as if it simply melts way. Full of flavour, and a nice hit of smokiness from the grill was made even better once dipped in to that home made bearnaise sauce. A side of tomato salad and special of the day, asparagus with hollandaise sauce was a lovely, if not a slightly healthier option than the chips I’d normally order.

Another ridiculously huge slab of meat, was the tira de ancho. Spiral cut rib-eye, slow grilled and topped with a chimichurri dressing. As a piece of meat it was a very different offering to the bife de ancho. Again cooked perfectly but much more more meaty, takes a little longer to break down in the mouth but what it does bring is more flavour. Its rich flavour just seemed more locked in, smokiness more absorbed into the meat and the chimichurri sauce makes for one hell of a difference. I’d have loved to have seen a little more of that sauce though, a small pot of it for drizzling over would be nice. Side of mushroom sauce had flavour, but arrived cold. Order a side of the potato saltenas topped with a spicy tomato sauce and aioli. Completely unhealthy but every bit enjoyable.

By this point I had to discretely undo a button, wishing my suit was elasticated.  Sadly I think I may just have to start exercising instead – sauna, hot tub, steam room all counts, right? With buttons undone we brought ourselves back to the meal with a quick pick me up, an espresso martini – it was stunning. Expertly well made, looked far too good to drink and slid down the throat like gold most probably would if I could drink it. We were recommended the dulche de leche cheesecake, and it didn’t disappoint. A glass of sweet wine unexpectedly appeared with it, and by this point all the cowhide and metal poles around the room seemed like a good idea. Cheesecake managed to keep me seated and its thick, but light texture and lovely sweet caramel notes were a delight.

Thankfully no matter how full, you always somehow have room for a never ending supply of desserts. Sticky toffee pudding, orange puree, poached kumquats and a scoop of ice cream. It was very rich, full of flavour and the poached kumquats were a lovely pairing. The ice cream on the other hand tasted cheap and the orange puree was not of the right consistency. A bit of a mixed bag of a dessert.

Very full and a little drunk we stumbled out, back past the acid tripping cowhide walls, leaving us with a scarring image in the back of our minds. The food here at Gaucho was nothing like I expected. Some parts good, other parts excellent but also a few little confusions along the way. The main noticeable thing at Gaucho, which can’t be overlooked is its pricing. Once you start adding on sides and a bottle of wine prices can quickly soar. The steak here is undoubtedly good but because of that you really notice any shortfalls with other courses. Would I come back, most definitely – I’ll just need to make sure my wallets full and I’m wearing my matching cowhide suit suit next time – just to blend in.

7/10