Transport yourself from the depths of South West London to a South American steakhouse.

The Venue
Queenstown Road is not known as a hub for high class eateries, more a long, loud stretch of road with houses and the odd takeaway. So Santa Maria del Sur stands out, even if you’re not already aware of its reputation - having featured in Gordon Ramsay’s search for Britain’s best local restaurant. You can almost taste the steak through the window as you go past; the huge open grill in full view of the street is enough to tempt you inside even if you hadn’t planned to eat out. However, as it’s popular for so many reasons, it’s best to book ahead, otherwise you’ll be lucky to get a table.

The Atmosphere
Inside it’s authentic Argentinean through and through, from the welcoming staff to the colourful Latin American style and music which sets the mood perfectly before the food arrives. Modern artwork, brick walls, flickering candles and dark wooden tables are crammed in, creating just the right balance of romantic but vibrant atmosphere, and filled with the mouth-watering smell of the grill.

The Food
There’s an array of delicacies including morcilla (black pudding), serrano ham, empanadas (Argentinean pasties), chorizo, and tuna steak if you’re not a meat fan. The piece de resistance is, of course, the beef. Five choices of cut start at £12 for the 8oz sirloin and range to £19 for the 10oz fillet. The meat is deep flavoured, tender and succulent with the grill lines giving the steak an almost smoked-barbecue glaze. Served with a pot of its own herby oil vinaigrette and a salad garnish it really needs no other accompaniment. But if you can’t hold back, the chimichurri salsa adds a pickled punch and the creamy peppercorn is a smooth rich dip. The chips, almost obligatory with steak, are not you’re average French fry or British chippy chip, instead an Argentinean variation on the theme – huge chunks of potato with a thick crisply deep-fried coating, hot, greasy and served in a steaming silver bowl. Maybe not to everyone’s taste, but with delicious potential for the right customer.

The Drink
Unsurprisingly it’s an Argentinean wine list, with bottles from a variety of regions starting at £17 to £125 in the section of the menu entitled ‘Argentinean Gems’. The choice of beers (£3) is mainly Spanish in origin, with a bottle of Belgian Leffe Blonde thrown in for good measure, and there are also cocktails (£6 - £8) and soft drinks.

The Last Word
Santa Maria del Sur guarantees an evening full of Latin American personality and top quality steak.

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