Gaucho @ St Mary’s Street, Manchester

By Emma Davies

Upon arrival at the Argentinian steak restaurant, I already had high expectations.

Many friends had recommended that, as an avid steak lover, I had to try the food but they had failed to mention the exquisite building and impeccable service.

On arrival we were greeted at the door by a very smartly dressed, friendly hostess who took us through to a black and white stunning room, which was sleek and sophisticated. Quirky cow print added personality to the dark chandelier lit room.

We took the opportunity to look over the huge list of unique cocktails.

COCKTAILS WITH A KICK: Gaucho have a huge list of cocktails to choose from

As a lover of the Brazilian classic Caipirinha, I decided to try their take on the bitter and sweet version, served with orange, grapefruit, lime, lemon and clementine mixed with cachaca. It turned out a wonderful but  more subtle version of my favourite drink.

A drink that I would recommend to anyone who likes sweet cocktails,  is the Carino, a mix of zubrowka bison grass vodka, shaken with fresh strawberry and passion fruit purée, finished off with a sugar rim: absolutely divine.

Gaucho has been nominated for the best wine list for the Manchester food and drink festival, and this doesn't surprise me with its array of the finest Argentinian wines.

For those of you who need help choosing, the sommelier will happily recommend a wine to match your meal.

Our waitress for the evening, Jane Lawrence, was incredibly knowledgeable about the food, and the service we received from her was exceptional.

Prior to ordering, Jane presented the different cuts of meat, explaining what they were and how they should be cooked to make the most of the flavour.

This was a wonderfully unique touch, but possibly not for the squeamish, it added something extra to the experience and I appreciated the education of their food.

Throughout the meal I watched as the manager, Peter Ebburt, attended to each table to check that they had everything they needed and were completely satisfied, making each table feel special. A nice touch.

Our starters were full of flavour and came in generous portions. I enjoyed the salmon ceviche, cured in citrus juices, while my plus one started his meal with the chorizo Sausage, roasted romero pepper, balsamic and olive oils.

I decided to choose the tastiest cut of meat, the full bodied rib-eye marbled throughout. As usual, my eyes ruled my stomach: I choose a 400g cut which looked a lot bigger than expected, but succulent and full of flavour as promised; perfectly complimented with a peppercorn sauce.

While my plus one went for the more tender sirloin marinated in garlic, parsley and olive oil for 48 hours to give it a subtle, yet delicious flavour.

A side that I must share was the special for the night, sweet potato and chorizo. What a wonderful flavoursome mix for a side dish, although along with a 400g steak, very filling.

Ashamedly, we both chose the smallest sounding deserts; by this point we were full to burst.

GAUCHO: A cow print finish gives the bar a super modern look

We shared the dark intense chocolate and hazelnut truffles, which tasted heavenly. A perfect way to finish off a sinful meal, along with an ice cream dessert, consisting of chocolate, possibly the best caramel ice cream I have ever tasted and malbec sorbet, unusually nice but overshadowed by its creamy neighbours.

So after a rich, tasty and very satisfying meal, with unbelievable service and sweet, seductive cocktails in the decadent surroundings, I felt that this would be the perfect place for a romantic date or a dinner to impress colleagues.

Nothing about Gaucho is cheap but it is worth every penny.