Gaucho

Taking over the former Carnevino space in LHT Tower, Gaucho has inexplicably opted for low nightclub-style lighting, rounded leather booths, gaudy cowhide chairs and pumping techno remakes of terrible 1990s songs (think Haddaway’s “What Is Love”) in the main dining area—all which makes it feel outdated and inappropriate for what is otherwise an upscale Argentinian steakhouse. The wine tasting room, by contrast, is better decorated and more appropriately lit for its purpose.

Overall, the food at Gaucho is worth the trip. On our visit, we started with the beef and pork empanadas, in which a surprisingly thin pastry balanced out a fairly salty filling with aplomb. In the former, the filling was composed of beef, red pepper, onion and ají molido—a mild, ground red pepper used to spice many Argentinian dishes; in the latter, pulled pork and spiced apple chutney.

For our main course, the 500g spiral-cut tira de ancho (a rib-eye cut of grass-fed beef, best shared for two) arrived at a precise medium-rare with wonderful marbling and texture, while the herbs and vinegar in the delectable chimichurri sauce helped cut through the fat.

As for side dishes, a humble tomato salad provided a light respite from the heavier meat, with a variety of red and green tomatoes tossed with capers, lemon zest, chives and olive oil. The potato purée with black truffle butter was a bit of a let-down, however; it’s chock-full of truffles, but the texture of the mashed potato is chalky and off the mark.

Arriving at dessert, the dulce de leche fondant concluded our meal on a sweet note and, though it was a bit too rich after a heavy meat-focused meal, provided an interesting twist on the standard chocolate fondant found on many a Hong Kong dessert menu.

Gaucho has a fantastic list of wines from various regions of Argentina, from Salta in the north to Patagonia in the south. Aside from full bottles, wines are available by the 150ml glass and 250ml pot. Most wines are reasonably priced, with many under $500 per bottle.

Generally, service is polite and attentive without being intrusive. At the start of the meal, the waiter helpfully introduces the difference between the three main cuts—lomo (fillet), ancho (rib-eye) and chorizo (sirloin)—with examples on a meat board.

Gaucho offers good value for money, particularly considering the quality of the steaks and the affordability of the Argentinian wines.