Dubai’s DIFC has its fair share of high-end business lunches from which to choose when 1pm swings around, so it takes something rather special to stand out from an increasingly crowded field. Argentinian steakhouse Gaucho in the Gate Village complex, which has long been famed for its cowhide interior – lest you were to forget what’s on offer inside – is hoping to lure in more suits to its tables with its revamped two- and three-course midday lunch menus.
Gaucho, of course, is usually found close to the top of Dubai’s long list of fine dining establishments, thanks to cuts of meat that are consistently high in quality, an excellent selection of accompanying beverages and great service.
Its business lunch menu doesn’t shy away from its raison d’etre with sirloins, rib eyes and a hearty burger on offer in a choice of four mains on the truncated menu that varies slightly from month to month. It also includes some lighter options like tomato gazpacho and shrimp ceviche.
When we visited the popular venue, it was a succulent and tender 180g sirloin and the Bife de Ancho (ribeye) that caught the eye on the main section, although the presence of the Gaucho Burger, served with chutney and chips, a flash-grilled spicy rump and the pesto linguini offered some reasons to take pause before ordering. The sirloin, though, remains our recommendation here.
The portions are not overwhelming at this time of day, so starters are a good option, with beef empanadas our top pick. Our other choice was avocado on toast served on sourdough with guacamole. Room for dessert was limited but we chose the chocolate chia pudding, which came with strawberries and almonds, and the fresh strawberries with dulce de leche ice cream. Both were fine, but we would have preferred the previous month’s pineapple carpaccio or chocolate pot served with blueberries.
In addition to the fine fare, the venue offers ease of parking for those visiting DIFC, with a special lift bringing you from the car park directly to the restaurant – not that you should need further excuses to visit.
Two courses: AED140; three courses AED175. Contact: +9714 422 7898
Follow us on
