Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Gaucho (2nd review)

I have been writing my reviews for a while and not really sure how many readers take me seriously, and so was a bit surprised when I got contacted by the manager of Gaucho, requesting me to come to the restaurant again because I did not have a very good experience on the food last time. And I have always want to try their tasting menu so decided to give it another go this week.

The sommelier provided me a sparkling from Mendoza to start off, which is quite nice. And with the first course of the menu, Tuna Ceviche, the wine also paired well with the tuna flavors, which is also fresh, tender, and seasoned interestingly with sesame oil. The guacamole on the bottom further gave a richness to the dish, making it a good start for our dinner.

Next came the Scallops Succotash. Frankly the texture of the scallops is a bit too rubbery and disappointing. The roasted fresh corn, chili, smoked paprika and fresh lime however was good, with sweetness, spiciness and acidity adding to the flavors of the scallops to give an extra dimension.  

The third course is Beef Empanadas, which is like a baked dumpling with hand diced beef, red peppers, Spanish onion and aji molido as fillings. The two pieces are quite big in portion so for the ladies it might be a bit too much, however the taste is good and both of us like it very much.

The fourth course is Tira de Ancho, a spiral cut, slow grilled with chimichurri which is a sauce, and served with humita and chips. The meat is really tender and juicy, perfectly grilled to my request of medium. Compared with the meat we had last time, this one is far better and truly demonstrated their excellence. The humita is a native American dish from pre-Hispanic times, with mashed corn and pumpkin, which is unique and interesting.

Then we have the Lomo Medallions, a tender filet grilled to medium rare for me, and served with flat mushroom cooked in garlic and thyme. Again the meat is just wonderful on taste and texture, impeccably grilled to the right level. Accompanying by a Cabernet/Malbec blend from Mendoza, it is the perfect complement to the meat.

Next is a Palate Cleanser, which is a lemon mint sorbet of nice acidity to clean up the fat and intense meaty flavors for me to enjoy the dessert.

The first dessert is a Dessert Sampler, containing three signature desserts from the restaurant. I don't know exactly what those are, but one should be a chocolate cake with vanilla ice-cream and crispy caramel toppings, the other being a toffee fudge with banana slices and the last a salted dulce de leche and hazelnut cheesecake. Very sweet and really a treat for someone who like dessert, but would be a bit too sweet for most local people. 

Last is a Selection of Cheese, served with Malbec chutney and oat cakes. The cheese are all very good, and there is a blue cheese that even for me who is not a big fan of cheese can easily enjoy. The chutney provides a fresh fruity flavor and with the oat cakes to accompany like a cracker, it is a wonderful conclusion to the meal.

Apart from the food, the service is also very good. My wife is on diet and so she requested the sauce to be on the sides whenever possible, and changing also the dessert to a simple fruit platter. The friendly staff listened attentively and worked to our satisfaction, plus also giving good recommendation on wine, checking with us on the food, and sharing her experience in HK which makes the whole meal even more pleasant.

With two glasses of wine, a bottle of water, a cup of coffee and the each of us taking the tasting menu, the total bill was $2152, which is fairly reasonable. Just remember to pre-order the tasting menu when you reserve your table, as that is only available through advance booking.

My overall rating is 73/100.