Gaucho Newcastle has been carving out a fine reputation for itself since opening earlier this year to great acclaim.
The glitzy launch event welcomed the likes of Alan Shearer and Lee Westwood and raised the curtain on the region’s first ‘carbon neutral’ steak restaurant, offering high-quality sustainable steaks and premium Argentine wines.
Serving up only the most prime cuts, Gaucho Newcastle also occupies a prime slice of real estate on the corner of the city’s Market Street. The area is undergoing a sizzling spell of regeneration with the Pilgrim Place redevelopment in full swing and news of Newcastle’s first 5-star hotel.
Gaucho will sit at the heart of the pedestrianisation project and is a real headline addition, perfect for destination dining, weekday lunches, romantic evenings and afterwork events.
Inside, dark warm tones and ambient lighting create a supremely stylish interior, while Argentinian wall murals and pampas grass hint at the restaurant’s Argentinian roots.
With a warm Geordie welcome on arrival, we were superbly looked after all afternoon by Manager David Taylor and waiter, Craig. All staff were very well educated on Gaucho’s offerings, with recommendations aplenty and a real credit to their craft.
We were first invited to sample a cocktail at the bar before adjourning to one of the restaurant’s highly prized corner booths.
This proved the perfect place to kick back with a sumptuous bottle of Malbec. Gaucho has one of the most extensive offerings of Argentinian wines we’ve ever seen (in addition to other world favourites) and this place is sure to be a hit with wine lovers as well as foodies. Fortunately, we’d be enjoying both.
Of course, it’s the steaks that assume centre stage, but we also kicked off with an excellent couple of starters. My son Jack enjoyed the sauteed prawns in a tomato broth – singing with olive oil, chilli and garlic.
The empanadas really caught my eye – delightful little pockets of joy filled with a tongue-tingling blend of spiced ground beef and vegetables, encased in a perfectly, flaky pastry.
My preferred cut of steak was fillet – or ‘lomo’ as it’s known in Spanish. Cooked exceptionally well, lean and tender with a delicate flavour, this was paired with a side of sauteed greens and a signature peppercorn sauce.
Jack chose the rib eye, delicately marbled throughout for a rich, full-bodied flavour which was accompanied by handcut chips and spinach infused with garlic and lemon.
Of course, supreme flavour was a given, but this was a meal in line with forward-thinking sustainability principles as well. All of the beef used is ‘carbon-neutral’ while the restaurant runs on 100% renewable energy and is committed to a zero food-to-landfill policy.
This classy restaurant is raising the ‘steaks’ in Newcastle’s hospitality scene.
For more information and table reservations, visit gauchorestaurants.com/restaurants/newcastle