Robert's review of Gaucho Piccadilly

The first thing you will do when you arrive at the Goucho in Swallow St is thank the staff for ensuring you have not stumbled into a guest or drinks laden member of staff in a blind state of panic, lighting doesn't get much lower, which doesn't much matter in the evening but at lunchtime on a bright summers day poses a real challenge.

The courteous welcome at the door is entirely typical of the service you will get throughout your time at the Goucho, staff are attractive, pretty knowlegeable, friendly and attentive.

The bar area is cool and…dark,serving a mixture of cool cocktails, beers, wine by the glass but not, shock horror, sherry!! My companion and very good friend Mr Jones, said “Why would it, Argentina doesn't make sherry?” Me, I think that's taking things a bit literally, if vodka and gin are available then…

The menu is a very silly size and shape, two feet tall and conertined like a fan. The dining room is up stairs via a lovely, dark, stair case.

We were shown to a table right next to the grill, which we didn't like and which they were happy to change without fuss.
Uncooked meat was brought to the table for us to admire, we chose 300grams of Argentinian ribeye medium rare, rare was discouraged. We had a meat charcuterie and a couple of Argentian pasties for starters. I wasn't keen on the pasties, a bit non descript, pasties have there place but not I think in a restaurant that aspires to offer a fine culinary experience.
The wine, a pinot noir, was offered to us in the same size and style of glass as we had enjoyed the rose, in my view 99% of red wine, good or bad, should be shown off in a large glass, we asked and they were happy, after a brief lecture on why a pinot noir strictly speaking didn't need it, to oblige.

The food, when it arrived, was I am afraid average. The steak, which is after all the main event, we both agreed, did not burst with flavour, nor was it very tender, plus no steak knives. The salad was over dressed and too salty. The chips/french fries were good.

Its not cheap, you can spend less at a several places in town and get much better quality steak and chips.

A final word on the clientelle and the music: the former mostly youngish and well dressed, the latter too loud but as very possibly the oldest person in the room I would say that.