El Gauchito located in Elmhurst, Queens for thirty-five years has been serving up exceptionally good Argentinian cuisine. Specializing in grilled meats which the country is justly famous for, but also pasta dishes. El Gauchito is a restaurant with a remarkable colorful atmosphere that transports one to Argentina. The restaurant is named for the "gaucho" a resident of the desolate pamaps, similar in some ways to the image of the our cowboys. The gaucho is known for their hard-working ways rustling up cattle and their horse-riding talents. They are beloved in Argentina and appear in many folkloric songs and in Argentine literature.
The restaurant has two rooms, both seating approximately fifty people. It is vividly and creatively decorated with gaucho capes, imitation grape vines, and the walls sport paintings of classic Argentinean "themes;" tango, a dare-devil on horse-back, women carrying jugs of wine in the fields. What is especially unique, really quite fantastic, is the vibrant colored tiles of "famous Argentinians" that snakes its way through both rooms. From my count there seemed to be a total of seventy-five tiles. I easily recognized the likes of Argentinian sport heros, such as Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, and Mono Ginoblie. When I asked where the tile for the country's embattled President Christina Kurshner Fenadez was , he dismissed me quickly saying, "if they are in politics they will never be allowed on the wall."
Great grilled meats and Argentina go together, and at El Gauchito this reputation is played out as they prepare a wide arrange of savory meat dishes. The most popular is the "Parillada Completa" (Mixed Grill.) This platter is an enormous amount of food, made up of short ribs, skirt steak, sausage, blood sausage, sweet breads and kidneys. Dining alone, I found this dish too daunting, and instead settled very happily on the shell steak which was wonderful, especially when applied with the green chimichuri sauce.
El Gauchito is family run. This is the son, and co-owner Marcello Civelli standing by the restaurant's in-house butcher shop. His father, Mario arrived in the city started as a dishwasher, opened his own butcher shop, and finally opened El Gauchito in 1979. The restaurant has been a smashing success.
This is the Argentinian specialty called "Matambre." This was presented to me as I sat down as "a gift on the house." Both the Matambre and the potato salad are available for purchase at the in-house butcher shop.
Close up of the Empanada, chimichuri sauce, and plate of provolone wrapped around ham.
The original room of the El Gauchito. It is draped with small National Flags of Argentina. There is a big TV elevated that almost always in turned into the current football (soccer) match, as you would expect.
Close up view of the tiles for two of the most beloved of all Argentians; Carlos Gardel, the late Tago singer/actor, and Mercedes Sosa, the inspiring folk singer, known as "La Negra." Each tile in the restaurant is 15" by 15" and it is not just arresting to look at, but an education in learning about the important Argentinians in the country's history. For an atmospheric ethnic restaurant El Gauchito makes a strong impression.
Argentina (Spanish) lesson - "Hello" (Hola) "Thank you" (Gracias) "Delicious" (Delisio)
Interesting Fact about Argentina - Argentina has the highest concentration of psychologists in the world. Taking part in psychoanalysis is a central part of their culture, as nearly one-third of the population has been to an analyst at some time.
Address - 94 - 60 Corona Avenue Elmhurst (Queens) (718) 371 - 8198