Gaucho, is a cowboy from the South American pampas, or as many Londoners and other big city residents know i, it’s an Argentinean group of restaurants.

Gaucho has now celebrated 30 years since opening its first restaurant in Piccadilly, which brought fine Argentinean steak and Malbec wines to London.

But Gaucho for me brings my beginner years as a mystery diner, it was my first fine dining visit. I still remember the excitement of scoring a review with a 3 digit budget, back then the allowance covered everything from drinks at the bar, to the higher priced cuts and even a third starter and hot drinks.

Post-pandemic, landing a great reservation is a lost art—thanks to a wave of rookie mystery diners and their IT pals churning out booking bots like it’s a hobby.

But my memory of Gaucho stays the same, it’s the service, with more than 10 mystery dinners behind, the visits were always a walk in the park for me.

And quick reports thanks to well prepped dishes, quality ingredients with very scarce issues  swiftly rectified by fine customer service.

Years have passed and it seems it hasn’t changed a bit. Although, it’s my first time at the Broadgate Circle branch. It’s still the same attentive service I remember.

This Gaucho is located in a beautiful glass construction with anunderground dining area and a large open space that allows plenty of light in.

The tables are well spaced, no cramping and elbow fighting with neighbouring diners, a sin too many restaurants are guilty of.

Gaucho does brunch a bit differently, it’s bottomless zebra drinking while the food comes from a la carte. Zebra is growing at the moment with customers criss crossing alcoholic drinks with virgin cocktails.

So Gaucho offers a selection of 4 alcoholic cocktails, to suit all tastes. Mescal Margarita is our favourite, served over ice with an elegant speckled strip of spices on the tumbler. On the tongue it tastes clarified with that tang to it, polished with a smoked notes of mescal.

There is also a fruity long easy drinking Pineapple Paloma, very tropical with strong pineapple concentrate but it’s missing a bit of mezcal kick.

For dishes we are invited to try a selection of Gaucho’s signatures. Beef empanada of course is one of them. Popular throughout Latin America and Spain it’s a bit like a Cornish pastry but better, don’t tell Cornwall.

Depending on the region it has a selection of fillings from tuna, to beef, chorizo and cheese, in Gaucho’s case it’s beef with corn and a few veggies including pepper. The moreish filling is cased in a perfectly fried pastry, crispy on the outside with little bubbles all around and satisfyingly soft on the inside.

The empanada comes with a tasty red pepper dip, not that you need it as it’s perfect as it is. But we keep the dip for our veggies as its too good to let it go.

Equally impressive is prawn chicharron, thin coated crispy jumbo prawns with aji Amarillo, a Peruvian yellow pepper. If you haven’t tried this little yellow solanaceae gem,it’s a real treat with a distinct spicy yet fruity notes.

The prawn chicharron is well put together, a little creamy sauce, savoury from the pickled onions and fresh tender prawns with that satisfying snap.

For mains it’s the steaks of course flame grilled to medium rare as requested. The meat at Gaucho is pasture fed and you can really tell the difference in the flavour. Tender sirloin and ribeye paired with bottomless chimichurri.

It still remains one of my favorite chimis out there, vibrantly green from the fresh herbs and virgin olive oil it adds a delicate herbal touch to the meat. Although, my friend, prefers a more spicy version, she tells me.

As part of the bottomless brunch Gaucho also gives bottomless fries, they were our only complaint, a little overcooked for us.

For those who typically pair wine with meat, cocktails make an equally great match — every one we taste enhances the meal perfectly.

Kiwi Breeze is particularly good. Normally, I’m cautious of no alcohol cocktails due to no booze to offset the sweet syrups and mixers. Or they tend to be too lemonade like, but this actually has a palate. Layers of flavour, someone went out of their way and designed an actual cocktail. It’s a little sour with a floral aroma and natural hints of kiwi.

For desserts, Gaucho recently revamped their menu including their signature dulce de leche cheesecake, making it even better, I didn’t think that was possible. Richer in golden caramel colour it’s now bigger and deeper in dulce de leche notes.

I love the little puffs on top, at first thinking they were same cheesecake, they are a creamier version of it. For something sweet but lighter consider passion fruit millefleur, perfect for summer months, it’s refreshingly tropical with paper thin pastry and a little tangy passion fruit cream.

Gaucho continues to impress with exceptional food, and with the new menu, regulars can enjoy a fresh spin on the classics. The à la carte option is a great choice for those visiting for bottomless brunch, as it offers a wider variety of dishes, without the limitations of a set menu.

Gaucho Broadgate,  5 Finsbury Ave, EC2M 2PG