Forget travelling to Argentina for the best steaks in the world. Buen Ayre is a bona fide parrilla, just as good as one you’d find in South America.

The Venue
After hearing a lot of the hype about Buen Ayre, you may be struck by its small interior. Although the wooden chairs and tables seem cramped, it doesn’t feel claustrophobic and you won’t worry that people are eavesdropping on your conversation. As with your authentic parrilla, an Argentinean grill restaurant, there are no embellishments to the interior and the smouldering, glowing charcoal grill is the hub of the restaurant. Here you can watch the team of chefs throw down slab after slab of red meat and marvel at the beautiful smells winding themselves throughout the venue. Loyal to its Argentinean roots, the restaurant sometimes exhibits art from native photographers and artists, as well as works focussed on the country.

The Atmosphere
Ignore what’s beyond the front window and you could be mistaken for thinking you’ve landed in Buenos Aires. The only telltale sign that you are actually in health and safety obsessed UK is the lack of carcasses hanging from the ceiling.

The staff are most Argentinean and dressed in the obligatory Buen Ayre T-shirt. Swift, informed and knowledgeable, they really do know their stuff and can advise you on which cut of meat suits your taste and preference. Don’t be shy to ask them for their recommendations. The staff shun writing down orders and memorise everything – seemingly without a hitch, even though the restaurant is never empty. You’ll be hard-pressed to snag a table without booking on the weekend, so try and book in advance. They also only offer two seatings, one at 7pm and one at 9pm.

The Food
It’s best to avoid Buen Ayre if you’re a vegetarian, although they do have some meat-free options including grilled flat mushrooms with pesto (£7.50) or halloumi cheese and vegetable brochette with hummus (£9). But you don’t come here for one of your five-a-day. You come here to gorge on red meat in a no-nonsense and informal venue.

The choice of starters includes ox tongue (£4.50), an interesting dish that’s worth a try, although the squeamish may wish to avoid their eyes as you can still see the taste buds on the meat. The empanadas (£5 for two), of which there are beef, chicken, spinach and cheese, or sweetcorn flavours, are a fail-safe option, perfectly cooked pastry with generous and delicious fillings. The grilled provolone cheese (£4) is an ideal starter to share and is perfect mopped up with the bread and crackers delivered to the table at the beginning of the meal.

When it comes to mains, brace yourself. It is undeniably a steak lover’s heaven and there are very few places dishing up the quality and huge quantities served at Buen Ayre. All steaks are garnished with red pepper and butter beans, together with the quite brilliant chimichurri sauce, a traditional blend of garlic, parsley, olive oil and herbs –the quintessential accompaniment to steak. If you’re feeling flush, the fillet comes in at £22.50, although opting for the rib-eye (£17) or rump steak (£16) are both just as good. You really have to be prepared for the enormous size of the steaks, so smaller appetites will be better off with the 8oz sirloin (£11.50). And, as you’d expect, all the steaks are cooked exactly as you desire.

Buen Ayre would not be so authentic were it not for its parrilladas, its crowning glory. These are a selection of barbecued meats and are usually shared between two or more people. They’re not cheap, with the smallest from £16.50 per person, including chorizo, black pudding and provolone cheese. At the other end is the parrillada deluxe (£23 per person), with slabs of sirloin and rib-eye, chorizo and provolone. There is a selection of side orders including salads and the obligatory papas fritas. Go for the garlic and parsley option (£5) with perfectly formed, chunky chips that are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and made to mop up the juices from your steak. Again, the portions are huge so one portion between two is plenty.

If you can manage a dessert after your carnivorous feast, you do need a sweet tooth. Dulce de leche – a milky, caramelised sauce – is added to almost everything, from the milk toffee cheesecake (£4.50) and creme caramel (£4.50) to the ice cream (£3.50).

The Drink
Everyone knows that in Buenos Aires the locals are night owls and the party goes on and on. Buen Ayre is certainly no exception. The fine wine flows, it smells good, tastes even better and is smooth and satisfying. After all, Argentina is one of the biggest producers of wine in the world and the venue’s wine list reflects this. It offers a good selection of white and rose, but the red menu is more than impressive. Bottles start at the very reasonable £12.50 for a rose and extend all the way to £51 for a red. The list provides detailed descriptions of each bottle so you don’t need to be a connoisseur to make a good choice. Alternatively, ask the staff for a recommendation as they’re more than happy to help.

The Last Word
If you’ve never been to Argentina, Buen Ayre is a first-class introduction to the parillas spread across the fascinating and gastronomic city of Buenos Aires. The steak is clearly some of the best found in London but it does come at a high price tag. Highly recommended.

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