The American
GAUCHO I
SLOANE AVENUE
t was a cold, windy and rainy night when Maxine Howe and I wined and dined at Gaucho on Sloane Avenue. Entering the recently refurbished restaurant with its black and white cowhide interior of this Argentine chain is an experience in itself. It was as if we stepped back into Buenos Aires 1930 and I almost expected some handsome Gaucho to swing me onto a dance floor to do a tango. Having lived in Argentina for four years, I am prejudiced when it comes to their beef. Several times I had the pleasure of visiting a friend’s estancia (ranch) and observing the Gauchos as they worked. The cattle roamed the green pampas oblivious to everything including a rather nervous me on my Argentine pony and several ostriches disdainfully strutting among them. Evenings we’d sit around a huge open fire and watch our host as he helped barbecue
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beef that was so delicious I can still recall the taste. My favourite cut was churrasco lomo, a piece of melt in the mouth filet cooked medium rare while my husband preferred the Bife Ancho (rib eye) burnt black on the outside and blood rare inside. Afterwards, our friend would put a record on his ancient record player and teach me to dance the tango. And so it was that memories lingered in my mind as I sipped a glass of Bianchi “Las Paredes” Argentine sparkling wine (£5.45) and studied the menu. Of course, we had to have Empanadas, traditional savoury pastries (£4.50 for two), and a Chorizo sausage (£7.50). I preferred the ground beef empanada to the corn, pepper and basil and might suggest they have a plain cheese minus the ham on the menu as well. There are three sizes of beef. 225g, 300g, and 400g. Unless you
by Virginia E. Schultz
have a massive appetite I’d stick to the middle one. Max, at my suggestion, had the Bife De Lomo (filet) 300g and me the Bife de Ancho (Rib Eye)300g. For months I’ve been ordering rib eye in various restaurants which were good but that’s about it. But now think beef grown on natural grasslands, hung properly and then shipped to the UK in perfect condition and well, what can I say? I was back in Argentina on that estancia and listening to a Gaucho playing soft tango music on his guitar while I dining under the stars with good friends. Max’s filet was also excellent, cooked rare as she preferred. Not that either piece of meat was inexpensive. Her filet was £28 and my rib eye £17.50… but my memories were at least free. I might add, I had rather more beef than I could chew and yes, I confess, I asked for a doggie bag