The best deserves a little patience, and so it is with Argentinian beef, reputed to be the best in the world. Incomparably tender and richly flavoured – even if only sprinkled with salt – Argentinian steak is the result of time, nurture and the lush pastures of the pampas.
Argentinian cattle have evolved over the centuries from a mix of different breeds introduced to Argentina including Aberdeen Angus stock. The herds roam freely over hundreds of miles of open grasslands, becoming stronger and leaner as they grow, their diet of grass rather than oatmeal or artificial feeds increasing the nutritional value of the meat.
The herds are tended by the iconic gauchos – the Argentinian cowboys, nomadic, tough men, riding all day and sleeping on the grasslands alongside the herds at night. The gaucho was romanticised in José Hernández’ epic poem, Martín Fierro, which tells the story of the gaucho’s significant contribution to Argentinian history:
“…he spends the sleepless night with no more protection than the sky and no other friend than his blade” (José Hernández)
The open, healthy lifestyle of the cattle means that they are much less prone to disease; these are strong cattle, who are allowed to grow and thrive naturally, allowed to take time to reach maturity, just as nature intended. And the flavour of the meat from these naturally-reared cattle is the flavour of the wild grasslands, of the clear spring waters, of the open air and sunshine of Argentina.
Patience in obtaining the best cuts of the meat also makes a difference to the texture and flavour of Argentinian meat. Argentinian steak is cut differently from how it is cut in other countries, and the way this is done follows the natural way that the fibres of the muscles in the meat grow – it simply follows logical sense. For example, the lomo – an entire tenderloin. Or the tapa de asado – the rib cap. Following the natural texture of the meat as it is cut means that the steak that you eat has an even texture throughout and is incredibly tender.
All this means that an Argentinian steak needs no fuss, no complexity to prepare: just searing over the hot stones of a parilla and maybe a sprinkling of salt is enough. At the parilla, the steak sits slightly aside from the direct heat of the flames. Instead of a rushed heating process, the meat slowly gathers the heat, absorbing the smokiness of the charcoals over which the stones are placed.
Through our excellent suppliers in Argentina, selected for their quality of production and service and their social and ethical commitments to their local communities, we know our meat is of the best standard, and fully traceable.
The Argentinian beef that is served at Gauchos comes straight from the pampas, of young steers of crossed Aberdeen Angus stock that have feasted on lush, rich grass , reared in the traditional way. Cut perfectly, this unbelievably tender meat is transported at precisely the right temperature to retain its tenderness, the four to six weeks it takes for it to travel from pampas to place perfect for optimum aging.
Lovely restuarant the best steak I have ever tasted. Quite pricey but worth it. You have to order veg and sides separately.
A nice place to eat a good steak! The staff is very kind. Would recommend it to everybody who loves a steak, make sure you book a table in advance, because it can be really busy.
I had passed this place many times but thought it looked too expensive but I was wrong, the quality and size of the steaks is worth every penny, I had the Rib Eye with hand cut big chips and mushrooms it was served and cooked to perfection with a hot basalt block to allow you to sear any underdone pieces, this was good as the steak was 40-50 mm thick and covered half my plate, simply steak perfection.
Really good service and very tasty food. This was my second time visiting. I recommend you try their speciality which is the Argentinian Fillet. They also have a very nice selection of wines.
Amazing steaks and great advice from staff. As someone who loves their steak Blue it was great to be advised which steaks were the best to have cooked that way. When the meal arrived it was the best steak ever. All the staff went out their way to be helpful and brought steaks over we were interested in explaining exactly how they would cook it. Absolutely amazing meal would go back again in a heartbeat
