Choosing a restaurant destination for some northern hemisphere guests is hard, when the time is limited and the cultural divide is wide. I think a sense of culture and place is important to any dining experience in another country and at this point some colleagues recommend Red Ochre Grill. I repost with the view that I don't necessarily believe a cultural dining experience is made from an attempt to create a singular Australian cuisine. I am leaning toward
Gaucho's Argentinean Restaurant. Gaucho's is a piece of the cultural puzzle that goes into the Australian dining vernacular. Culturally diverse and generally accurate of the original migrate experience, yet deeply Australian in its ease and laid back style as well as the distinct providence of its produce. I have inhibitions about dining with several people I hardly know particularly the impending translation issues: I foresee much talk about pandas and strange marsupials.
For entree or Primer Plato the table endeavoured to try the oyster in the house style Ostras del Diablo (1/2 Doz. $19.9) which were not overly impressive despite the potential in the ingredients. The fresh Coffin Bay oysters were far more refreshing and satisfying than the value added alternative (1/2 doz. $16.9). The waitress was cool and cunning - almost mischievous sadly it was lost on our guests or so they acted. The sharing extended to a modified platter of beef, pork and fennel chorizo sausage served with fried polenta and a rocket and dried tomato salad, on this occasion our platter was embellished with large char grilled prawns and sectioned squid. The sausage was a hit and I loved the crisp, richly textured polenta. The prawns were a big letdown, dry and floury as though not fresh or overcooked or both!
I hijacked the wine list and made an intentional choice with our guests in mind, I mean to blow their head off with big bold shiraz from the Barossa Valley - Glaetzer, Bishop. (I reckon '06)
My mains choice was the Cordero, chimmi churri marinated lamb loin chops served on s-mash with chorizo and wilted spinach and pan juices ($36.9).
The rest of the table ordered from the 'Carnis' menu which sit near the $40 mark. The Vaquita Cordobesa, 350gm grass fed yearling fillet ($41.9) and the Bife de Chorizo, a 450gm grass fed bone in porterhouse ($39.5) were the two popular orders. Both cuts are aged and dry aged for 4 weeks respectively. All requests were made for medium cooking. I cringe a little when I hear any request for such large cuts of meat cooked beyond medium rare. There is significant damage done to meat on a grill whilst waiting for a medium steak to cook, of course there is a resting time and thankfully none of the meat ordered on this night showed the signs of premature plating - pooling blood or 'juice'.
Our guests went big on size and flavour to which I say ‘Well Done!’ The fillet with Shiraz and peppercorn sauce and the Porterhouse on the bone with a blue cheese sauce. Both extremely large and cooked to the order, yet their display would not speak this truth. They appeared almost black from the char grill that it is unavoidable on a medium steak of that size. The char grill can be a blessing and a curse to the flavour of meat, try not to order beyond Medium rare and you will discover more to the beef
However, the lamb had terrific flavour with the sweet, rich aroma that fills your head. The dish was lacking some balance away from the rich and pungent lamb; the wilted spinach barely carried its own against the powerful marinade. I looked to my glass to balance my meal as I found no match on the plate and took to guzzling the Bishop. As no one else seemed interested in the vino I was allowed to revel in the quality lamb and wine.
The preparation and consumption of such serious cuts of meat is as much about perception as about what is going on around it, Gaucho's do a very good job of keeping the cut of meat the star and the supporting roles are kept as such. Gaucho's would struggle without the supporting players like sauces, wine, linen, providence and cheery, diligent service. An Argentinean restaurant seems a relatively simple idea: "Grill some steak and slap it on a plate". A simple idea is only as good as its execution, Gaucho's seem committed to the produce as being central to their ideal. The providence of each cut is labelled clearly on the menu as well as the type and length of aging which is no mean feat when fluctuating trade can reap havoc on the bottom line. Gaucho’s is as much about professionalism as it is about the meat, go once in your life and enjoy the whole package not just the choice cuts.
Giles
