Girdy accepted an invite to take part in the collab between Edinburgh’s sizzling steak restaurant Gaucho and the tequila powerhouse Patron. Did Birdy want to come? Yes. Does Birdy drink? No, but she came along anyway. Let’s see how the evening went.
Girdy: I was looking forward to this event for days in advance. Good meat, good drinks and good company! The bar was set high.
Birdy: I hadn’t expected to be invited to this – I knew it was something that was in the pipeline for Girdy, but when we received two press comps, I was over the moon, yet also a little apprehensive about the fact I don’t drink alcohol. Luckily, the Gaucho team took that in their stride; nobody asked me why, or made me feel like I was being a burden. Instead, they took onboard my alcohol-free request, and still delivered an incredible experience.
The vibe
Girdy: My opening moments at Gaucho were like a ride on a very brief rollercoaster. I loved walking in off St Andrews Square because it was like stepping from the mundane into an almost secret and probably elite part of Edinburgh! I don’t normally go as sophisticated/posh as Gaucho. But… we arrived at a weird time, a small crowd had turned up at once, and we were all waiting to be seated or dealt with.
Whoever was at the front of the queue was not a straightforward “Yes ma’am, we have your booking and if you would please follow me to your seat”. Eventually, and after descending below St Andrews Square to a wonderfully lit basement restaurant, I was in my seat, excited all over again and ready to go!
In truth, I was excited for each course combo that came out and there was a good buzz in Gaucho, but I don’t think “exciting” is the best word overall. The restaurant’s vibe was more relaxed than that, a bit more sophisticated than that. The fact that the staff were so good, so on-it and had time to chat and tell us about the courses helped.
If the front of house team hadn’t been so good I think it would have taken me longer to relax; perhaps I wouldn’t have had.
Birdy: Once we got downstairs, I loved the overall vibe of Gaucho. It was sophisticated, there were less mirrors than expected, and the space was beautifully lit. It was a relaxed but welcoming atmosphere and the staff did a great job of making us feel like we were in for something special – which, we were!
This was definitely an experience, rather than just a meal. Gaucho put some major effort into making the night memorable, fun – and meaningful.
The Food
Girdy: It was a set menu because the whole point of the night was for Gaucho’s experts to curate a wonderful experience.
We started off with smoked sea bream tacos which came in one of those clever little taco dishes that prop up the food. I’ve had fish tacos before and these were lovely but it was the taco, not the filling, that caught my attention as the most unusual as it was more a “puffy” crisp than I expected. No complaints!
Birdy: These tacos were INCREDIBLE! Who knew smoked sea bream could be this fabulous?! When I saw how puffy the tacos were, I was worried they were going to get soggy, but they didn’t at all – in fact, I’ve had softshell tacos that got soggier, faster.
Girdy: Next up was the highlight for me – the Tira De Nacho, which was spiral cut rump steak, slow roasted and with a Tequila de Gallo. It was so good! Tender, juicy, cooked just as I asked for. I’m still not sure what spiral cut actually means; I’m yet to have a spiral-cut steak, but no complaints here!
Birdy: This steak was phenomenal. Literally one of the best steaks of my life, and absolutely perfect in every way. When I read ‘spiral-cut steak’ I was thinking it was going to come out like a potato tornado like you get in Holland, but alas. What we did get was steak cooked to medium rare perfection and looked reassuringly like steak.
Girdy: Lastly, Margarita Tres Lech, which was an almond and coconut influenced sponge in mascarpone cream. I want more food served in mascarpone cream now and this was an appropriately decadent way to finish the meal… but there was one more drinks course to come.
I’ve no idea what Birdy’s favourite was and will find out in this review. We just spent the night praising the food in front of us in the given moment!
Birdy: This was a wonderful dessert, and there was something oddly comforting about the sponge that brought back taste memories of growing up. Was it the slight almond taste, along with a vaguely tropical note? Was it the pairing with my mocktail? No idea, but it was lovely and I would eat it all over again.
The Drink
Girdy: I learnt about the importance of the tahona wheel in tequila making and for Patron in particular. Patron tequila uses only agave, water, yeast and an impressive stone that you could imagine being part of the siege of Helm’s Deep.
My night at Gaucho’s started off with some chimichurri margarita which arrived on a glass decorated with spicy salt. It was a great way to begin, and it took willpower not to finish before the taco companion had arrived. This Patron Silver tequila also confirmed a theory of mine – good tequila makes a big difference.
Birdy: I had a mocktail version of this; it was very tasty and still looked exceptionally cool!
Girdy: For the steak, we moved on to “Ginger Tommy’s” which was more Patron Silver and with lime juice, agave and ginger syrup. Before my first sip I asked/challenged “Will I taste the ginger?” and I did!
Birdy: I again enjoyed my mocktail version of Ginger Tommy’s. Down the hatch it went!
Girdy: For me, the infused sponge was partnered with a classic margarita because even with a clever series of combos from Gaucho on the night sometimes the classics are best
Birdy: I was given something a bit special for this round, in the form of a ‘Hurricane’ mocktail. It was tropical and again, absolutely delicious. It paired oh-so well with my dessert sponge.
Girdy: The star of the show, though, for me was the shot of Cafe Patron XO. Wow. You’d think adding coffee would make something bitter! Even if that something was tequila but this was a shot of sweet goodness.
Birdy: I’ve got another confession to make… I once again had the mocktail version of this, and I wasn’t a fan. I let Girdy finish mine, and he seemed to enjoy it!
Gaucho as part of your city centre night out
Without a doubt, Gaucho is in a great location in the centre of Edinburgh. It’s closer to Edinburgh Playhouse than the Usher Hall, but it’s good for both. It’s great for the trams, but I suspect more people will arrive via the nearby Waverly Station.
There is a cloakroom at Gaucho, which means shopping at the nearby posh Multrees Walk, and visits to Burberry, Harvey Nichols, Mappin and Webb, The Whisky Shop, or John Lewis could be combined with a meal out. Just be mindful that it’s a cloakroom, not a TARDIS.
Overall
Girdy: I had a blast and am glad the Edinburgh Reviews team was treated to a Gaucho. I also now have a favourite tequila brand in Patron. There’s a Gaucho newsletter that might well be worth signing up for to reduce the risk of missing future collabs.
Birdy: I very much enjoyed my (unexpected!) visit to Gaucho, and really appreciated the extra effort the staff put in for me to have a great experience despite not drinking alcohol on the night. Thank you, Team Gaucho!
A review of Gaucho Edinburgh
Summary
Gaucho was a fantastic surprise! Girdy had an amazing time discovering a new favourite tequila (Patron!) and enjoying their incredible hospitality. Even without alcohol, the staff went above and beyond to ensure a wonderful experience, which Birdy loved. Highly recommend signing up for their newsletter to catch future collaborations!
Please note: Dinner and drinks were provided for free and for review.
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