REVIEW: Gaucho Steakhouse on Newcastle's Market Street

Ask me what my favourite food is and my default answer will always be a steak.

So, when I heard that Gaucho was opening in Newcastle I was excited to give it a go. Would it beat Miller and Carter as my go-to chain for a quality steak?

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I visited Gaucho on a Thursday night after work in the first week after the venue opened.

Upon arrival the restaurant is impressive. Around £1.6m has been invested in getting the former Virgin Money site into the Gaucho venue. Dark tones and warm lights create a cosy atmosphere.

Inside Gaucho. (Image: PR)

We were welcomed and shown to the bar where we ordered cocktails before being shown to our table. I ordered the El Nino and my friend Alice ordered the Frutado on the recommendation of the bar staff. Both were refreshing and tasty.

After a short wait while we enjoyed our drinks we were shown to our table in the raised area of the restaurant. The wait staff were attentive and knowledgeable on the menu.

Having tucked into a bread basket in the form of a small sourdough baguette and pan de bono – a Colombian cheese bread – we decided to order.

Our waiter arrived at the table and asked if we would like to see the steaks on offer. Having said yes (because why not) he returned to the table with a slate displaying six of the steaks available and talked us through them in detail, including the percentage of marbling and impact on flavour.

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After ordering our starters arrived a short time later. We decided to share a portion of the Seared Diver Scallops (£19) and Burrata (£14.50). The scallops were beautifully cooked and, in a taste, spiced dressing while the burrata was creamy and refreshing.

Our starters. Scallops and Burrata. (Image: DANIEL HORDON)

Then it was time for the main event – the steak.

I chose the Ancho Ribeye 400g (£42.50) and Alice chose the ‘Churassaco de Chorizo’ 300g (£35) – a spiral cut sirloin topped with herbs – both cooked medium rare.

The presentation was impressive and both steaks looked incredible on the plate.

We also decided, rather foolishly with eyes way bigger than our bellies, to get four sides between us. We opted for the Sauteed Broccoli (£6), Mashed Potato (£6), Truffle Mac and Cheese (£7.50), and Chips (£6). All came on separate plates/dishes which made sharing easy.

Time for mains. (Image: DANIEL HORDON)

Both of the steaks tasted incredible. Gaucho brags about its Argentine beef from the Pampas region (yes, the same place as the grass which everyone has in a vase these days owes its name to) which it claims to be the “best beef in the world”.

I have to say the steak was one of the best I’ve ever had. Both of our cuts were cooked to perfection, packed with flavour and were so tender you didn’t need a saw-resembling steak knife to cut it. The sides were all tasty and seasoned perfectly – so much so that I only noted the lack of a salt or pepper shaker on the table after we’d finished eating.

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Having finished off our steaks we were annoyed at ourselves for not being able to finish all of our sides. Two sides between us would have been ample, or maybe three if I’d chosen a smaller cut of meat.

Not wanting to miss out on a dessert we waited a while to digest out mains before ordering. I went for the Salted Dulce De Leche Cheesecake (£9.50) and Alice ordered the Sticky Apple & Date Pudding (£7.50).

And room for dessert... just! (Image: DANIEL HORDON)

Just as steak is my go-to favourite food, my go-to dessert is a cheesecake and the Gaucho one did not disappoint. Alice struggled to finish her pudding but the staff were more than happy to wrap it up for her to take home.

Having finished our mammoth meal we left being incredibly impressed. The venue, staff and food were all spot on and we couldn’t find a fault bar the expensive price.