Latest favourites and wishlist by VincentKennedy

Gaucho Grill - review by Sally_Cinnamon

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:33:39 +0000

Gaucho Grill - review by Sally_Cinnamon

Rating: 4.5

Location: 2A St. Marys Street, M3 2LB, Manchester, United Kingdom

Phone: 0161 833 4333

Website: http://www.gauchosgrill.com

I've been to this restaurant several times over the years - usually for special occasions as its a bit pricey - but well worth every penny. The steak on offer here is the best I've sampled. The restaurant is housed in what used to be an old department store and the high ceiling and atrium gives it a very quirky appeal. Staff service is excellent. Ask for the steak board before choosing - its an education!

Pesto - review by saphiremoons

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:22:22 +0000

Pesto - review by saphiremoons

Rating: 3.0

Location: 115 Deansgate, M3 2NW, Manchester, United Kingdom

Phone: 0161 831 9930

Website: http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk

Tags: italian, family & home feel, expensive

Pesto was my first experience with Italian tapas, and I certainly enjoyed it food wise. It was tasty and filling, and boasted a good atmosphere. However, I expected it to be a decent calibre restaraunt, yet there were some critical errors made that you would only expect from a cheap run down pub.

Firstly, Two of the four sets of cutlery on our table came complete with left overs baked on from somebody elses meal. And not small stains either but decent sized chunks of food. Secondly, one of our pint glasses was served to us with a considerably large chip in the lip of the glass. Thirdly, we ordered a basket of bread, and within the basket of bread was a bowl of olives. We didn't order the olives, but ate them anyway, assuming they were part of the dish. However, when we got our bill, we found we were charged an additional 4 pounds for the olives.

Throughout the meal we had pointed these things out to the server, who quickly and efficiently corrected these things, eg- replaced the dirty cutlery. However, we were offered no sort of discount or free appitiser, and still paid for the olives. This leads me to believe that Pestos and their staff feel that this is an acceptable level of service to offer to their customers.

If they feel that dirty dishes and chipped glasses are acceptable in the dining room, I wonder what is acceptable in the kitchen?

I wouldn't recommend Pestos, and would suggest people stick to Manchesters many other Tapas restaraunts.

Gaucho Grill - review by vbt

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:47:09 +0000

Gaucho Grill - review by vbt

Rating: 4.5

Location: 2A St. Marys Street, M3 2LB, Manchester, United Kingdom

Phone: 0161 833 4333

Website: http://www.gauchosgrill.com

Tags: expensive

Two words â¬ â¬Ügo hereâ¬". Itâ¬"s to die for. The best steak Iâ¬"ve ever eaten outside Argentina â¬ and it should be because they fly it in. Donâ¬"t think about the food miles or the price, just close your eyes and order. Try the steak sampler (plenty for 2 people) with a portion of each of their different cuts of meat and that way you get to try all sorts of things then next time youâ¬"ll know which is your favourite. The churrasco cuts are nice and are marinated in nice flavours.
The starters are very, very over priced and donâ¬"t come anywhere close to the mains so are worth skipping, the steaks are huge, so weâ¬"ve never made it to the puddings! Also the cocktails are great, and the wine list is really extensive.
Iâ¬"ve always found the service to be really good and friendly too.

Gaucho Grill - review by gingerchrismc

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:34:09 +0000

Gaucho Grill - review by gingerchrismc

Rating: 4.5

Location: 2A St. Marys Street, M3 2LB, Manchester, United Kingdom

Phone: 0161 833 4333

Website: http://www.gauchosgrill.com

Tags: lively, crowded, expensive

The steaks here are very good, matched by their high prices (oh and don't come with sides as standard). It is always busy so a reservation will be essential. Pre-drinks in the bar offers a good cocktail and aperitif selection, followed by a huge wine list once you are seated. The food is excellent but pricey.
The service was not very good (we were warned by friends) and we were left waiting for long periods of time, with the food not arriving at the same time too.

Pesto - review by VincentKennedy

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 18:35:53 +0000

Pesto - review by VincentKennedy

Rating: 3.0

Location: 115 Deansgate, M3 2NW, Manchester, United Kingdom

Phone: 0161 831 9930

Website: http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk

Tags: Italian, good value, Tapas, lively

Pesto occupies a decent location on the corner of Deansgate and John Dalton St, opposite the Katsouris Deli.

They have thoughtfully got 2 outdoor seating areas one for smokers, and one for none-smokers. A fantastic idea so that none-smokers can sit outside without having to suffer a fog of death whilst eating al fresco.
Each area has wall mounted cover so that you can sit out even if it's raining (well it IS Manchester&) and is separated from the street by plants it feels like you can sit and watch everybody go by without them really clocking too much of you.

And you will have to sit outside because the inside smells of garlic in a big way. I've been twice and each time it hummed when you opened the front door. Judging by the fact that we were the only table outside on each occasion, whilst the inside was busy; I guess that this doesn't bother most people but I bet you think the same when you go!

The food is Tapas style Italian. You've got mini-portions of pasta dishes, salads, meat and fish dishes, small pizza's, etc. Overall they mostly hit the mark, with one or two exceptions. As a rough guide my girlfriend and I ordered 5 dishes between us plus bread, and it was enough maybe order one more dish between two if you are really hungry.

Most of the dishes had Italian names that I'm rubbish at remembering so you'll have to go off my descriptions.
The mini-pizza Florentine was excellent a very thin base, fresh tasting tomato sauce and what looked like a quail egg in the middle.

Also great was fried potatoes with chilli and garlic. Very light and obviously very fresh, they were crispy on the outside and fluffy in the centre. Italian sausage and peppers was good grilled peppers are obviously hard to go wrong with, but the sausage that comes with it is spicy and complements it well. We also ordered more peppers, but stuffed with cheese and pesto. Again very good, seemed fresh, and the pesto also made a good dip for our bread.

The bad well the cannelloni was not bad, but was just average a bit too much cheesy sauce and not enough meat for my liking. It also tasted like it had been stood on a hotplate for a while. As did the salmon skewer fish being quite delicate, it was obvious that it had been cooked earlier and left on the hotplate, so it had dried out quite a bit.

Wine a normal size wine list that seemed to be priced around the same mark as most city centre restaurants. I think we ordered a bottle of red at £18 which was one of the pricier options.

It seems that the trick with the City Centre Tapas places that are springing up is knowing what to order. From my two visits, I reckon if you avoid any fish, you'll have a damn good meal. Five Tapas dishes plus a bottle of red came in at around £35 which is pretty good value.

The service is fantastic probably the best I've had in Manchester. I've been twice and had two different waiters and they were really, really good chatty but not too much, attentative but not overbearing, and honest in their recommendations. Just excellent.

Overall great outdoor area, fantastic staff, and good food. Been back once, and will continue to go back, especially on the way home after a Saturday round the shops.

Gaucho Grill - review by VincentKennedy

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:46:56 +0000

Gaucho Grill - review by VincentKennedy

Rating: 4.5

Location: 2A St. Marys Street, M3 2LB, Manchester, United Kingdom

Phone: 0161 833 4333

Website: http://www.gauchosgrill.com

Tags: stylish, Worlds Best Steak, Argentinean, quality, expensive

Simply put, you will not find a better steak anywhere, ever.
This is one of a very small chain they've got a couple in London that I know of but offer a different, carnivore based menu.

The one in Manchester is set inside what I think is an old theatre. You enter the place through some unpromising looking glass doors down the side of Kendal's and shuffle into the gloom.

Once inside proper, you get a fabulous dining area complete with an airy main floor with an open kitchen down one side, banked by a small upstairs dining area on one end, and the old theatre stage (complete with grand organ pipes) down the other.

The food itself well don't even think about entering the place if you are a vegetarian. There are various cuts of meat and home made sausages as well as fish everything that I've had has been excellent, but you MUST order a steak. The waiter can bring you over a board containing all the raw cuts, and will describe what each will offer you.

I don't know how if it's what the beasts are fed on or if it is the way it is matured, but the steak tastes better than any steak, anywhere. Ever.
Even a fillet which normally sacrifices a bit of flavour for its tenderness, is packed full of flavour in this place.

In fact whenever I go now, I always order the fillet. You get your choice of sauces, peppercorn is fantastic. Unlike the London versions, you get a free side with your steak a baked potato is the one to go for as the chips are fat ones (and it should be skinny uns with steak for me).

I've gone on about the steak so much that I can't be arsed typing anything about the huge Argentinean wine list, or the warm chewy cheesy rolls they give you, or the lovely herb/spicy oil you get to dip it in, or that they now offer merguez sausages.

Staff are either totally shite or fantastic depending on who you get, and it is pricey. But it's still my favourite place to eat in Manchester.