Gaucho, Gate Village 05 DIFC
Brunch Reviews | In Unspecified on May 23rd, 2016
300-400 AED
Unspecified
As underwhelming entrances to restaurants go…Gaucho certainly had to be up there as we hopped out of our cab wondering if the driver was playing some kind of mean joke on us, or the underground carpark we had been dropped off at was indeed the right place? It turns out we had nothing to fear as moments later we stepped into a plush air conditioned capsule which was laden in black leather. The waiting hostess escorted us into a lift and we soon emerged into a glimmering stockade of fine wine bottles, chrome, spotless glass and the famed black and white cowhide which is synonymous with the brand and it's quest for contemporary glamour and opulence...
On this visit we chose to dine on the terrace as it had a less formal feel to the pristinely coiffured dining room, which seemed rather sparse due to our super-early arrival and the duplex styled high ceilings which made the already expansive space feel absolutely enormous.
THE FOOD
Having chosen our seats, our ebullient waiter Clifford beamed over and explained that there was no menu here, and that he would explain everything to us…We were mesmerized as he reeled off course after course with the enthusiasm of a newbie but the knowledge of a veteran. By the time he had finished explaining we could not wait for the first dish to arrive, and so before we ate his arm, Clifford rushed off and returned with a selection of flavourful but dangerously filling Latin Breads and my favourite accompaniment to absolutely everything Chimichurri.
The next dish to arrive was a long white triple domed platter, encased in each was a separate dish of the SEAFOOD SAMPLER of a Tuna ceviche with a lovely hint of sesame oil, seabass tiraditos which in contrast were fresh and lemony, and a shrimp chiccharron which was meaty and tangy like a Buffalo Wild Wing. The sampler did its job and we immediately ordered a plate of 4 more Shrimp Chiccharon before the next course was due to arrive.
Up next was the HOT SAMPLER, served on attractive black slate and embellished with braised beef short ribs, spicy beef chorizo and beef empanadas which contained a blend of smoky-sweet ground beef with onions, peppers and chili. The mains followed in fairly quick succession and a man sized hunk of 3 cuts of meat to share made their way to our table on a single plate of succulent Argentinian heaven. Contained on the plate was the TIRA DE ANCHO - a Spiral cut ribeye, delicately marbled & slow grilled with Chimichurri, the BIFE DE LOMO - a lean & tender Fillet with a delicate flavour, and the PICAÑA - the cuadril or lean rump steak, served thin.
Tip of the day: If you don't specify, your steak will be cooked a punto (medium). To get it pink on the inside ask for jugoso (medium rare). Vuelta y vuelta or poco cocido means rare, and well done is bien cocido.
The steaks were very ably accompanied by sharing bowls of Chips, a mixed tomato salad, and a Humita, which tuned out to be a tasty sweet corn purée with mozzarella and basil wrapped in a corn husk. There are alternative non-beef options which can be selected from the a la carte menu, but we came here for the meat so will have to leave that for others to pass comment.
For desserts, although full to the brim on delicious cowboy steaks, we rode on to the Dessert sampler and the "captivatingly" named Bananna and Coconut Mess, a Chocolate brownie, and a Baked Salted Caramel Cheesecake that simply melted in the mouth.
THE DRINK
We started with a crisp, dry glass of Duberval brut (sparkling Rose also available) before switching across to our mainstays of the afternoon, the Argento Sauvignon Blanc and Argento Merlot. Both wines are from the largest wine producing region in Mendoza, Argentina (naturally) and formed a formidable partnership with our steaks, as if it were a marriage made in South American heaven.
In order to comprehensively assess the proficiency of the bar staff, we also felt morally obliged to sample each of the 3 cocktails on offer, starting with the classic Mojito, the refreshing albeit slightly tame watermelon Martini, and what in our opinion should form the start to everyone's Friday…the Bloody Mary complete with lashings of tobasco and Worcestershire sauce.
THE OTHER STUFF
The music selection on entry was a clear indicator of the type of afternoon we were about to enjoy. The distinctly mature but equally funky vibe was symbolized by songs such as Fantasy by Earth Wind and Fire, Pharell - Happy (Neus Rmix) and some chilled out reggae by Damian Marley. A live singer takes over the reins half way through brunch and crooned the crowd with her smooth vocals and acoustic guitar. A particularly impressive cover of Chaka Khan's "Aint Nobody" lives long in the memory.
The Brunch itself is not an overly raucous affair, and nor would you want it to be. The star of the show is undoubtedly Argentina's greatest export (Sorry Diego!). So with classy surroundings, ebullient members of staff and meat as flavoursome as this, it is easy to see why the average intake of beef in Argentina is around 70kg per person per year!
This classy Argentinian brunch is a fantastic way to sample a raft of tasty steak joint favourites from the menu at a "slice" of the regular price so suit up, saddle up, and get ready to VAMOS!
Every Friday from 12pm to 3.30pm.
ASADO-320AED
Including soft drinks
SIGNATURE-395AED
Including soft drinks, selected house beverages
VIRTUOSO-495AED
Including sparkling wine & selected house beverages
To Book call +971 (0)4 4227898 or click here to book with Eat App
On this visit we chose to dine on the terrace as it had a less formal feel to the pristinely coiffured dining room, which seemed rather sparse due to our super-early arrival and the duplex styled high ceilings which made the already expansive space feel absolutely enormous.
THE FOOD
Having chosen our seats, our ebullient waiter Clifford beamed over and explained that there was no menu here, and that he would explain everything to us…We were mesmerized as he reeled off course after course with the enthusiasm of a newbie but the knowledge of a veteran. By the time he had finished explaining we could not wait for the first dish to arrive, and so before we ate his arm, Clifford rushed off and returned with a selection of flavourful but dangerously filling Latin Breads and my favourite accompaniment to absolutely everything Chimichurri.
The next dish to arrive was a long white triple domed platter, encased in each was a separate dish of the SEAFOOD SAMPLER of a Tuna ceviche with a lovely hint of sesame oil, seabass tiraditos which in contrast were fresh and lemony, and a shrimp chiccharron which was meaty and tangy like a Buffalo Wild Wing. The sampler did its job and we immediately ordered a plate of 4 more Shrimp Chiccharon before the next course was due to arrive.
Up next was the HOT SAMPLER, served on attractive black slate and embellished with braised beef short ribs, spicy beef chorizo and beef empanadas which contained a blend of smoky-sweet ground beef with onions, peppers and chili. The mains followed in fairly quick succession and a man sized hunk of 3 cuts of meat to share made their way to our table on a single plate of succulent Argentinian heaven. Contained on the plate was the TIRA DE ANCHO - a Spiral cut ribeye, delicately marbled & slow grilled with Chimichurri, the BIFE DE LOMO - a lean & tender Fillet with a delicate flavour, and the PICAÑA - the cuadril or lean rump steak, served thin.
Tip of the day: If you don't specify, your steak will be cooked a punto (medium). To get it pink on the inside ask for jugoso (medium rare). Vuelta y vuelta or poco cocido means rare, and well done is bien cocido.
The steaks were very ably accompanied by sharing bowls of Chips, a mixed tomato salad, and a Humita, which tuned out to be a tasty sweet corn purée with mozzarella and basil wrapped in a corn husk. There are alternative non-beef options which can be selected from the a la carte menu, but we came here for the meat so will have to leave that for others to pass comment.
For desserts, although full to the brim on delicious cowboy steaks, we rode on to the Dessert sampler and the "captivatingly" named Bananna and Coconut Mess, a Chocolate brownie, and a Baked Salted Caramel Cheesecake that simply melted in the mouth.
THE DRINK
We started with a crisp, dry glass of Duberval brut (sparkling Rose also available) before switching across to our mainstays of the afternoon, the Argento Sauvignon Blanc and Argento Merlot. Both wines are from the largest wine producing region in Mendoza, Argentina (naturally) and formed a formidable partnership with our steaks, as if it were a marriage made in South American heaven.
In order to comprehensively assess the proficiency of the bar staff, we also felt morally obliged to sample each of the 3 cocktails on offer, starting with the classic Mojito, the refreshing albeit slightly tame watermelon Martini, and what in our opinion should form the start to everyone's Friday…the Bloody Mary complete with lashings of tobasco and Worcestershire sauce.
THE OTHER STUFF
The music selection on entry was a clear indicator of the type of afternoon we were about to enjoy. The distinctly mature but equally funky vibe was symbolized by songs such as Fantasy by Earth Wind and Fire, Pharell - Happy (Neus Rmix) and some chilled out reggae by Damian Marley. A live singer takes over the reins half way through brunch and crooned the crowd with her smooth vocals and acoustic guitar. A particularly impressive cover of Chaka Khan's "Aint Nobody" lives long in the memory.
The Brunch itself is not an overly raucous affair, and nor would you want it to be. The star of the show is undoubtedly Argentina's greatest export (Sorry Diego!). So with classy surroundings, ebullient members of staff and meat as flavoursome as this, it is easy to see why the average intake of beef in Argentina is around 70kg per person per year!
This classy Argentinian brunch is a fantastic way to sample a raft of tasty steak joint favourites from the menu at a "slice" of the regular price so suit up, saddle up, and get ready to VAMOS!
Every Friday from 12pm to 3.30pm.
ASADO-320AED
Including soft drinks
SIGNATURE-395AED
Including soft drinks, selected house beverages
VIRTUOSO-495AED
Including sparkling wine & selected house beverages
To Book call +971 (0)4 4227898 or click here to book with Eat App
