Chancery Lane, Friday 19th September 2014
Gaucho is renowned for being one of the capital’s leading high-end Argentinian steak brands and it certainly lived up to its excellent reputation when TLE visited the Chancery Lane restaurant on Friday.
In a convenient central location on the corner of Chancery Lane and Fleet Street the smart, unfussy exterior gives way to the unmistakably ‘Gaucho’ interior of dark moody lighting, sumptuous décor and a five star hostess greeting. From the moment we arrived we knew we were in for a treat.
With 11 branches across London as well as international kitchens in Dubai and Buenos Aires (Sucre), Gaucho Chancery is every inch the high end establishment you would expect from this brand. With seating for around a hundred, there is an intimate feel which would lend itself both to a first date or a business lunch.
We started with a cocktail, a [San Luca] for me and an [Uva Blanca] for Mrs TLE, both expertly made and suitably strong which we enjoyed whilst Suzy, our attentive waitress, showed us the different cuts of beef and gave us advice on the best way to enjoy the various cuts.
For our first course we opted for seafood choosing the sea bream ceviche (piquant with a perfect marriage of coriander and chilli) and the pan fried scallops which were executed to perfection and served with smoked pancetta. Suzy was happy to recommend a delicious Sauvignon blanc with the seafood starters and it turned out to be a perfect complement to our food.
For our main course it was always going to be steak (when in Gaucho), the question was, which one? Mrs TLE, who likes to have her ‘steak and eat it’, opted for medallions of the rump, fillet and rib-eye, an excellent option for those who struggle to decide. I ordered the Churrasco de lomo. Along with sides of vegetables and the most exquisite chips I’ve ever tried, all I can say is when eating at Gaucho, remember not to leave your appetite at home!
Aside from the world class steak, another thing Gaucho does extremely well is wine. Their list is exclusively Argentinian and the list offers a huge breadth of variety and quality including fine and rare wines along with lots of affordable and infinitely drinkable options. For us it was the Louis Bosca a Malbec Mendoza, which matched the robustness of the meat as well as showcasing typical Mendoza fruitiness, making it accessible as well complimentary.
We didn’t think we had it in us for dessert, but when Suzy showed us the options we managed to ‘find some room’, selecting the poached pears, walnut sponge and yoghurt mousse (for the lady who can never make up her mind) and the special – a three chocolate dessert for me which, along with a glass of delicious dessert wine, really finished us off.
If you have been pondering whether to go to Gaucho, then ponder no longer, you will not be disappointed. The faultless level of service offered ensures you dine on what I would call ‘bespoke gastronomy’. The menu is flexible and the choice of wine is plentiful, leaving you to construct a meal made in heaven.
The restaurant can be found at 125 Chancery Ln, London WC2A 1PU or visit www.gauchorestaurants.co.uk