Last Saturday was my birthday. I'm now closer to 50 than 40 and starting to feel it too. As we were in London on holiday Tracy thought it would be a good idea to take me out for breakfast somewhere a bit special. We had toyed with the idea of going to Gordon Ramsay's Maze Grill for the buffet breakfast, but as we didn't get up early enough we decicded to go to John Torode's, Smiths of Smithfield instead.
After a somewhat tricky journey there, due to the circle line, and Farringdon tube station being closed we arrived.
We started with Boody Marys. I ordered the Big Breakfast No3. Tracy ordered the Thick Cut Ham, Two Eggs and Chips. Both of us ordered our eggs over easy.
Mine arrived in a soup plate. Black pudding and mushrooms buried in the beans. Toast hidden under the bubble and squeak, half a grilled tomato and the fried egg, with a single sausage and single rasher of bacon placed on top.
The sausage and bacon were good. The thin slice of black pudding was thin but OK. Baked beans out of a tin, but hey they're just beans. Bubble and squeak was ok as was the tomato. Toast would have be better served on a side plate, and buttered. Mushrooms could have been tinned, and were being served out of a bath of watery liquid. I was expecting mushrooms sauteed in butter. Biggest disappointment was the fried egg.
It didn't arrive over easy. The bottom of it was scalded and crispy, and it looked like it had been stuck under a grill to firm up the top. The yolk wasn't runny. If I was cooking a fried egg and it turned out like that it would have gone in the bin. Probably the worst fried egg I have ever been served. I wish now I had sent it back, made a scene and walked out. Annoyingly the poached eggs going out round about us looked lovely.
Tracy's eggs were just the same. The ham was good, but the chips were of the frozen variety. Yup Masterchef judge John Torode despite claiming to be passionate about the quality of food and almost obsess about where the produce comes from serves frozen chips. And what was worse they were the pale white, not in the least bit crispy sort of frozen chip too.
All in all a disappointing experience. Nothing like the quality I was expecting, from a celebrity chefs resturant. I had a bigger, more filling and better quality breakfast for half the price in a small cafe round the corner from our hotel the day before. I would go back there. I won't be going back to Smiths of Smithfield for breakfast.
On our way back to the tube station we just happened to pass a branch of Gaucho. I'd never heard of this chain of Argentinian resturants before, although Tracy had, and after a quick look at the menu we decided to book a table for that evening.
We arrived a little early, and were shown straight to our table. Menus arrived (with a torch) and we were given the chance to look at the meat board displaying the different cuts on offer, which the waitress described and giving recomendations on how they could be cooked.
Drinks were ordered. Tracy went for delicious raspberry based cocktail, I had a glass of Merlot.
We decided to skip starters which were mainly seafood, or empanadas.
I ordered a Bife de Lomo (Fillet). Tracy chose the Grilled Pork Matambre which came with mango chutney.
A side of chips, sweet potato chips with chorizo, and a mixed leaf salad were also ordered. The waitress seemed a little shocked that I didn't order a sauce to go with my steak, but I don't feel the need to add flavours to good quality beef.
A bowl of bread arrived along with, small bowls of sea salt, ground black pepper and a salad dressing. The small rolls were a treat as they contained gooey cheese in the middle
Our mains arrived. My plate consisted of a large piece of steak in the middle of the plate, and wow it was good. Cooked to a perfect medium well as ordered, it was tender, juicy and tasted amazing. Probably the best steak I've ever had. Easily cut with a normal table knife, and not one scrap of waste on it either. It was perfect.
Tracy's pork was grilled to perfection too. Tracy tends to eat only small portions of meat normally and will quite often order the vegetarian option when we eat out. She cleared her plate on this occasion.
The sides were good also. Admittedly the chips were pobably frozen again, but were crisp, brown and scalding hot. The sweet potato version, came with delicous crispy little chunks of chorizo. I didn't have any of the mixed leaf salad as I was firmly in meat and potato mode, but it looked good.
Overall an excellent meal, and my only grumble, would be the low level of lighting, which required a torch to read the menus.
The farmer in me couldn't resist asking the question, why in a steak resturant, were the cattle hides used for decoration all from dairy cattle. The waitress didn't know they were, but said that they were supplied by a Dutch company, which explains why the hides are from Friesian Cattle. The beef she assured me was all Argentinian, Aberdeen Angus.
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