CAU, Guildford – Review

CAU has to be one of my favourite restaurants. A couple of years ago, shortly after CAU Guildford launched, we were lucky enough to conduct a review of this exciting new concept from those who founded the GAUCHO chain. However, recently, we were even luckier to be invited back to the restaurant and see how it compared to our first experience. We have to say it was once again a great pleasure.

The menu is a fine selection of South American cuisine, with a particular focus on Argentina and their infamously good steaks. To kick off with, I went for the Yerba-Smoked beef (£6.95) – a dish comprised of delicate Lomito (flavoursome fillet of rump) smoked the `Argentinian way` according to the menu, then dressed in soy and wasabi. The blend of oriental flavours here made for a complex and rich set of flavours. Sat alongside a watercress salad, this is a great way to introduce yourself to CAU`s beef selection, so do give it a try! Plus, it looked gorgeous too! My partner opted for the Anticuchos chicken skewers with a wonderful guacamole. This dish has its roots in South American street food and packed a really rustic punch. Again, another wonderful dish. Apparently, and my partner mentioned this a few times, this dish also went terrifically well with the Berry Bellini, a blend of Fragoli liqueur and prosecco!

For mains we had to go from the restaurant`s wonderful selection of Argentinian grass fed steak cuts. We went for two of the classic cuts here, with a beautifully tender rump and juicy Rib-Eye too. Each steak was cooked to perfection – making them soft, tender and full of flavour. With prices ranging from £13.95, these cuts also presented fantastic value for the quality on offer. I would also recommend the chipotle butter sauce to go with your steak, as it just gives that extra dimension of flavour and spice. There is also a wonderful selection of dishes for salmon, chicken and other meat lovers. There is a plethora of options available, so all tastes should be catered for and none should go hungry here. We washed this down with a glass of rich and fruity Finca La Colonia Malbec, one of many great reds on the menu. Plus, it was only £5.95 a glass!

For desert, I would really recommend the CAU cornflake ice cream sundae! This completely original desert was made up of layers of ice cream, cornflakes, crumbled chocolate brownie and dulce de leche. The menu claims it`s a `must try` and we have to agree! Really unusual, but fantastic at the same time. Also, 20p will be donated to CAU`s local children`s hospice for every sundae ordered, so why not!

Our return to CAU was a truly enjoyable one. Once again, the restaurant gave us a top end experience, with wonderful service and a relaxing atmosphere. The staff here really do go that extra mile and we really appreciated it. Plus, they do absolutely wonderful steaks. What more could you want? Book your visit here: http://www.caurestaurants.com/