Following on from the Battenberg cake for the boyfriend's birthday I also took him for a birthday dinner. He is a man who likes good hearty food with little pretence and it seemed like Buen Ayre, an Argentinean steak restaurant on Broadway Market, Hackney would fit the bill.
With amazing reviews and a celebrity cliental this tiny restaurant is always packed. Set up by Buenos Aires chef John Rattagan who had been in charge of the sacred asado (barbeque) within his family since he was 10 so by the time he left home at 18 he was regarded as an 'experto'. When he moved to London he continued to be involved in all things BBQ whilst studying photography and fine arts. He then became head grill chef at the Duke of Edinburgh pub in Brixton before opening the first authentic Argentine charcoal grill in the country.
The dinky restaurant is crammed full of striped wooden tables with the grill just at the side so you can see the meat being cooked. Our waiter was brilliant, he recommended an amazing red wine and one of the Parrilladas, a brazier meat platter to share.
When our platter arrived it was piled high with some lovely looking meat still sizzling on the hot plate. There looked like way too much for two people but we thought we would give it a go, we also went for a rocket and garlic side salad which was yummy and the raw garlic gave it a real kick.
The sirloin streak was cooked rare and just melted in the mouth, this was then followed with some ribs that had been grilled to perfection, the charcoal taste really coming through and the rib eye steak was slightly chewier but had hardly any fat on. The three cuts varied so differently to each other in texture and taste but we loved them all especially covered in a homemade chimichurri sauce. The platter also came with black pudding, which was ridiculously creamy in texture with a very deep flavour and the sweetbreads were well seasoned and moorish.
We managed to eat all of it, which was impressive considering the amount but not considering how tasty it was! It was all washed down with Gestos Malbec red wine, it is a combination of two Malbecs's with half the fruit coming from vineyards at 700m above sea level and the other half coming from 1100m creating a well balanced and flavour filled wine that is suprisingly light.
With the bill coming in at under £75 with tip, it seemed great value for money based on the wine, quality of food, staff and the lovely atmosphere. I would recommend it to any whole hearted carnivore!
The night ended with us grabbing a drink from a cute pub, The Cat and Mutton near London Fields park and sitting in the sun drinking a gin and ginger before heading home.
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