Healthy appetite: Gaucho’s small dishes allow you to make most of big brunch selection
Slick service allows diners to enjoy best of Argentinian steaks in Hong Kong
FARE
Argentinian steakhouse brunch.
AMBIENCE
A slick, cool, monochromatic space in the heart of Central - black and white leather furnishings with chrome details, as seen at other Gaucho incarnations around the globe.
WHO TO BRING
Hungry business clients or friends.
COST
HK$450 per person including free-flow virgin cocktails and HK$650 for free-flow Champagne or a choice of cocktails, spirits or beers.
TURN-ONS
The highlight first and foremost is the service. The waiters were knowledgeable and attentive without being intrusive, and our glasses were at no point empty. The dishes are small - ideal for an all-you-can-eat brunch, allowing you to sample almost everything. The bell pepper and oregano frittata was a good start, with delicate flavours that complemented our first glass of bubbly. Next, and given that this was Gaucho, we ordered the steak and eggs. Despite its diminutive 100g size, the medium-rare steak was packed with flavour. The oven-baked chorizo, which comes in its own little cast iron skillet with a plum tomato, egg and mushroom, was a favourite - we ordered a couple of these simple, hearty dishes.
TURN-OFFS
The menu largely comprises items you can get elsewhere: the eggs Benedict and royale were no better or worse than we’ve had in a multitude of places; the smashed avocado on toast was just that, with no twists to make it more interesting. There’s also little to satisfy the sweet of tooth: we tried the blueberry pancakes, but these were cold and flat, with just a few fresh berries and no cream or other accompaniment to lend any lift or fluff. The menu lists granola and yoghurt, which only serves to highlight the dearth of sweet or fruit options.
DRINKS
Veuve Clicquot is the liquid staple of the Gaucho brunch, and they’re generous with it.
