Rating: 5/5
Until the end of the summer, Gaucho will be serving their new Summer of Ceviche menu on the terraces at their Hampstead, Broadgate, Piccadilly, and Canary Wharf venues. Our PR and Communications Director, Cerys Williams, decided to try it out for herself.
Gaucho opened its flagship Piccadilly restaurant in 1994, and has become well known for its Argentinian steaks and modern interiors. Their new Summer of Ceviche menu experiments with sustainability by using salad grown with hydroponic technology, a new farming technique which is soil-free and uses up to 90% less water than traditional farming. The part-time menu includes items such as Shrimp Ceviche and Tuna Tiradito, with prices ranging from £7.50-14.50 per dish.
I was invited to attend the Summer of Ceviche Masterclass at Gaucho’s flagship restaurant, in which I learnt how to make some of the dishes from their new menu. Tucked away in a small alley just off Piccadilly Circus, the outdoor terrace is the perfect location for a quiet dinner on a hot summer evening.
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First course
The first course was a Shrimp Ceviche Taco made with avocado, piquante rojo, radish, pickled shallots, and dill on top of a crispy white corn tortilla. I, unfortunately, am allergic to shrimp so the chefs kindly gave me fresh seabass to use instead. The buttery flavours of the seabass and avocado perfectly paired with the sweet and spiciness of the piquante rojo. Though I can’t personally speak for the shrimp, my friend who I brought along with me described it as “fresh, light, and delicious”. The dryness of the Terrazas de los Andres Torrontés 2018, along with its slight notes of grapefruit, honey, and citrus excellently accompanied the course.
Second course
Second came a Tuna Ceviche Taco on a soft blue corn tortilla with avocado, shallots, green and red chilli, topped with a coconut-lime dressing and cilantro. I’m usually not the biggest coconut fan, but the lime in the dressing brought out a nice tangy-ness which tasted superb with the citrus-flavoured tuna ceviche. This course was paired with the Weingut Winter Riesling 2017, which was perfectly dry and refreshing, with hints of lime and pear.
Third course
The third course was the Crate to Plate Salad, for which we created our own salads from a selection of lettuce, vegetables, meats, and dressings. If you’d told me earlier that day that I would be eating unwashed salad that evening, the germaphobe in me might have freaked out, but hydroponic products are not grown in soil and require no pesticides as there are no bugs! The red fruit notes of the Mirabeau Classic Provence Rosé 2018 brought out the earthy flavours of the beef and tuna options for the salad.
Final course
Finally, the evening ended with a Citrus Flan topped with blueberry compote, salted peanuts, and peanut snow. The citrus flavours in the flan itself were not too strong, allowing the peanut and blueberry to stand out. The flan was paired with a glass of Saint Felicien Sémillon Doux 2012, a very sweet dessert wine with peach and pear aromas and a slight taste of honey.
Overall, the restaurant had indulgent food and wine, and a lively atmosphere. If you’re looking for a fun and flavourful outdoor dining experience, I highly recommend the Summer of Ceviche Menu.
Read more: The top five London restaurants.