Malbec World Day, on 17 April, should be marked for all wine lovers – it’s the perfect excuse to uncork a bottle and relax. At Tango Argentinian Steakhouse, they celebrated this special day with a Malbec and beef masterclass ($388 per person) featuring five cuts of steaks, five glasses of Malbec sourced from Argentina, three side dishes and a plate of South American sweets to finish.
The masterclass we attended was brief, beginning with a quick slide show that discussed the importance of Malbec and explaining that 85% of the wine is produced and imported from Mendoza. An image showing the different cuts we’d be eating ended the presentation.
The rump steak was served first with a glass of Noemia A Lisa Malbec. To be honest, we didn’t give a lot of thought to its texture or taste as we were so famished, but we concluded that it was chewy and a little overcooked. The Malbec was smooth and acidic.
The tender fillet and Monteviejo Petite Fleur Malbec followed and was one of our favourite courses. The fillet was seared to medium rare and complemented by a glass of wine that was well balanced, creamy and smooth. The sirloin, unfortunately, was overcooked and tough.
Most of the steaks were presentated in a similar fashion – served on a hotplate for aesthetic purposes – but the majority were overcooked to the point of being well done. The rib-eye had to be immediately taken off the hotplate or it would have been overcooked within minutes, while the skirt steak was able to handle the heat and remained tender as it contained more fat.
As for the sides, we loved the creamed corn, which was sweet, went well with the beef – and was devoured in minutes. The mashed potato, on the other hand, could’ve used a bit more salt and cream, and the salad remained untouched, looking a little bland.
I was too full to touch the alfajores, but they were gone from the plate seconds after being placed on the table. The sweet caramel filling inside these traditional South American biscuits was perfect following the savoury, heavy meal.
Verdict
Tango’s Malbec and beef masterclass was well executed, but the medium-rare steaks were sacrificed for presentation. The masterclass gave us a broad understanding of steak and wine production in Argentina, but we didn’t get a lot of details on the cuts and various Malbecs we would be trying during the lunch; this would have made the presentation more meaningful. Though this particular masterclass is over, check with
Tango for future wine and food masterclasses.
1/F, Carfield Building, 77 Wyndham Street, Central, 2525 5808, book online
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