A two-course meal and cocktail pairing on a Friday night – say hello to ‘Cocktails & Steak with Mates’ at Gaucho restaurant in Newcastle.
~ Advertorial ~
Steak. Cocktails. Mates. Surely, the best combination for kick-starting your weekend in style?
Argentinian steakhouse, Gaucho, has unveiled a new menu that combines a delicious two-course meal with a selection of cocktails. All you need to bring is your favourite foodie friend!
The restaurant, located on Market Street in Newcastle city centre, is set within a Grade II listed building and boasts a swanky interior that feels extra special. And after trying its fabulous brunch fiesta menu a few months ago, I returned last week to indulge in this latest dining experience. Here’s how it went…
The starters
The Cocktails & Steak with Mates menu features a choice of three starters and I recommend ordering a different one to your dining buddy so you can share them between you.
Our salmon tacos were crunchy delights crammed with zingy mango salsa and avocado. They were light yet full of flavour, and the perfect contrast to all the meat we were about to devour!
We also had mini beef empanadas – golden pastries crammed with a rich beef filling. These tender little parcels were served with a tangy salsa golf on the side, which is a traditional Argentine sauce blending mayo with ketchup and seasoning.
As for the beetroot and smashed avocado tostadas laced with lime and olive oil, these sounded just as tempting, but will have to wait until my next visit!
The steaks
Now, onto the main event. Our steaks arrived on a sharing board perched on a stand in the middle of our table, bringing all the succulent goodness closer to our senses.
We each got three 100 gram portions of steak cooked to our liking (medium for us both) and the beef was already cut into strips, meaning we could dig our forks in straight away and fight over handpick our selected chunks of meat.
My favourite was the ancho – a slow-grilled ribeye steak. It was so juicy. The churrasco cuadril (rump) and chorizo (sirloin) were just as tasty and melt in the mouth, and I loved being able to mix and match with every mouthful.
We also had two portions of bottomless chips and mini saucepans of chimichurri sauce, which we doused over our beef. This was more delicate than a peppercorn sauce (which is usually my go-to whenever I eat steak) and it beautifully complemented the meat.
Overall, we both really enjoyed the sharing platter and the portions were spot on.
The cocktails
As part of the Cocktails & Steak menu, you can indulge in three cocktails, all perfectly chosen to carry your tastebuds through each stage of the meal.
For the welcome cocktail, pick between two of Gaucho’s finest. The Yerba Maté Jasmine Fizz is a traditional Argentine botanical drink which is super light and refreshing. By contrast, the Kiwi Gimlet is a more potent mix of Roku gin, kiwi cordial and a citrus blend.
To accompany my starter, I plumped for the Margarita dappled with chimichurri salt on the outside of the tumbler – this gave my tongue a little fiery kick with every sip! Across the table, my dining partner enjoyed the smooth Malbec el Cheuco infused with vodka, Campari, Amaro Montenegro, mandarin, gomme, and Malbec espuma. Both widely different drinks but sublime.
The Alfajores is described as the liquid version of the classic Argentine cookie of the same name, and it more than satisfied my sweet tooth at the end of our meal. Consisting of cognac, whisky, coconut water, shortbread biscuit milk, and dulce de leche and dark chocolate liqueurs, this dessert cocktail is a sugar rush in a glass.
Your next mate date?
Steak is typically thought of as a romantic date night meal, but Gaucho is putting steak back on the menu for nights out with your besties, too.
Considering the cost of cocktails alone these days, this menu is really good value when you tot up your three drinks, starter dish and sharing board of prime cuts of beef.
And when you’re dining in such elegant surroundings, this only adds to the experience. A très sophisticated start to the weekend if I do say so myself!
The Cocktails & Steak with Mates menu is available every Friday from 5pm and is priced at £65 per person.
To find out more and book a table, visit: gauchorestaurants.com/restaurants/newcastle.
