It’s food, it’s wine, it’s culture, and most importantly, it’s the passion of people. Celebrated Argentinian steakhouse Gaucho has recently opened a flagship restaurant in Edinburgh, bringing some South American flare to the Scottish capital’s cuisine quarter.
A cultural icon, the status of the gaucho evolved over hundreds of years from displaced outlaw to defender of freedom. Now a symbol of bravery, honour and independence, the gaucho means a good deed or an act of heroism, courage or heartfelt generosity.
A cultural blend of Mediterranean and indigenous cooking, Argentine fare has a distinctly European heritage. Early explorers brought with them cattle, poultry, and vegetables, snubbing local ingredients in favour of provisions from home.
Even the quintessentially Argentine dish, the empanada, was a gift from Spain: a beef and vegetable filled pastry, baked in the oven and eaten as a snack or starter for any meal.
But the expansive landscape of the country holds delights of its own – the rich grasses of the Pampas are ideal for grazing cattle, that provide Argentina’s most famous contribution to world cuisine; beef.
Guests at Gaucho are guided through the menu via the Gaucho beef board – a selection of signature prime cuts, including lomo, ancho, and cuadril, brought to their table by a highly trained, dedicated host with a well curated selection of Argentinian wines and cocktails on offer to complement the steaks.
And whilst the cut of the steak and how well done the steaks are served is entirely up to the customer, there’s only one way to cook it, and that is grilling it over an open flame – in this case a replica of an asado, which is a traditional family-style barbeque.
The restaurant is involved with over 60 farms back in Argentina, where the cattle is still selected in the traditional way – by gauchos on horseback.
And for all Gaucho’s is a restaurant chain (the Edinburgh location being the 16th one in the UK) it does have it’s on individuality, with a Scottish influence on some dishes like haggis ampanadas, as well as whiskey-based sauces to accompany the steaks.
It’s not all about the food though, as on top of space for 120 diners, and a private dining area, Gaucho Edinburgh will also have a designated bar area which includes outside seating, as well as boasting an always up-to-date cocktail list, 80 different kinds of whiskey, and 200 Argentinian wines.
For more information please visit their website here.
