In case you don’t know Gaucho is one of the main players in the London steak circuit alongside the likes of The Hawksmoor, Goodman and a whole host of grill shops joining the band wagon from those selling rare breed Gallician cuts to those serving butchers favourites. Gaucho Broadgate has been around since 2005 and stylistically, just like their other 12 London venues it makes a modern statement. There is a good sized glass enclosed bar, alfresco terrace & a plush 150-seat restaurant on the lower ground floor. It serves Argentine beef which is dry aged onsite with fine wines and cocktails. Being City based, expect fat cats in suits, unashamedly I was one for the afternoon. 
They have function rooms too.
Everything is adorned with cow hide fabrics and designer furnishings.
I’ve been here a few times before and when the waitress asked if I’d like to know about the steak board I ALWAYS say yes! The visual feast never gets boring. The presentation tells you what cut is available, and the best to cooking time in accordance to its fat content.
From the left, there is the rump, fillet, rib-eye and sirloin.
I always say first impressions count so the bread has always got to be good. My favourite is the Pao de Queijo – the ball shaped cheese bread that is profoundly superb and I always ask for a third helping! The potato bread and sour dough are good too, all of which can be used to mop up the herby chimichurri.
It’s crisp on the outside with a dense chewy inside. You can really taste that tangy, nutty sweet cheese.
Ancho rib-eye – it’s marbled throughout, full-bodied in flavour and is juicy till the last drop. They come in 225g medallions at £19.95, 300g for £26.95, 400g for £32.95 and what you see below is a 500g at £40.20.
The steak is well rested when it comes to the table, all the well done bits on the edge carry good flavour too, but the centre is where the action is at. I always order mid-rare – no condiments are needed.
Lomo fillet – the leaner and the most tender from the beast but the downside is that it’s delicate in flavour. 225g Medallions come at £30.45, 300g for £36.95 which you can see below. They even come in at 400g for £47.95 and a whopping 500g at £60.40.
Rare is the order of the day. I’m not entirely sure why people do this, as in my experience it just doesn’t eat well. That’s the same for well done. Pointless really.
Here come the sides –
Humita Saltena £4.95 – a deeply flavoured sweetcorn/mozarella mix further enhanced by the corn husk its cooked in. 
Spinach with garlic and lemon £4.95. It’s a staple.
Fat chips hand-cut and twice cooked. They could have been much crispier but not bad overall.
Whole roasted cauliflower cheese with parmesan cream £9.95. It could have done with a whole lot less cooking, the poor vegetable had no bite or structure left. 
I was admiring the spirits at the bar on the way out and the bartender collared us to share a tasting of this beautiful gin, freshly delivered on the day. It would be an obligation to do so!
The verdict:
When did I go? Sept 2016
The damage: Expect to pay £70 – £80 per head with a bottle of plonk.
The good: Steak restaurants should always be about the meat and I think Gaucho have got it right with theirs. It’s grilled to give it that perfect mahogany exterior and rested so all the juices settle into the protein before serving. The result is a juicy steak with a deep beefy flavour. Good work indeed.
The bad: The sides were touch and go like the soggy £9.95 cauliflower but all is forgiven as that rib-eye was divine.
Rating: 3.5/5
Would I go again? Yes
Address: 5 Finsbury Avenue, London EC2M 2PG
Phone: 020 7256 6877
http://gauchorestaurants.com
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