Raising the Steaks

1 Photo

by Zach Etkind
on Friday, February 03, 2012 12:00 AM

Whereas most cattle in the world are grain fed and raised on feed lots, ranches in Argentina feed their cows grass and let them roam free over vast rolling pastures. As a result, Argentina has become world famous for its beef, which is said to be some of the tastiest and healthiest in the world. At Argentine steak houses, small cuts of this high quality beef are lightly seasoned and slowly cooked over a charcoal flame to bring out the meat’s natural flavor. With the opening of Obelisco- Argentina Manor this past July, the first of its kind in the city, Shanghai residents finally have a chance to taste world-renowned Argentine beef for themselves.

The venue, designed by a famous Argentinean designer, is located in a renovated warehouse next to the Shanghai ferry terminal on the North bund. One entire wall of the restaurant is made up of windows that look out onto the Huangpu River and Bund skyline, which, according to the manager Andy, was done intentionally to be reminiscent of the many steakhouses that look out onto the Rio de Plata in Buenos Aires. Just in case diners forget they’re at an Argentinean steakhouse, soft tango music is played throughout the venue and the menus are made from authentic Argentinean cow hides.

The superiority of Argentinean beef and the care taken to prepare it was clearly evident in the Chorizo (RMB35) and Grilled Tenderloin (RMB298), which came in small portions and were tremendously flavorful despite being seasoned with only salt.  Chimichurri and two varieties of hot sauce, made from the juices of the meat itself, are brought to the table for anyone wanting to add a tad more zest to their dish. Unfortunately, popular side dishes such as the traditional Argentine beef empanada (RMB25), and cream of mushroom soup (RMB45) were slightly disappointing when compared to the grilled entrees, as the empanada filling was too dry while the mushroom soup tasted watered down. For dessert, the stand out dish was a heavenly combination of milky flan and sweet caramel sauce; Dulce de Leche (RMB65), a South American favourite.

It’s important to take note that the restaurant is helmed by an entirely Chinese staff that doesn’t speak English or Spanish. Despite this fact, Obelisco is at its best when serving signature Argentine dishes and still does a wonderful job at capturing the flavors and culture of Argentine cuisine, due to the extensive training each staff member received at the restaurant’s original Beijing location.