So many gourmands here! I never knew. I guess that's why one can buy Michelin Stars in the Lad Prao Night Market to hang at home. El Gaucho is a fun place to go, even if pricey. They have, inter alia, a nice wine selection. The decor is kind of funky, but pleasing. Nice place to bring a date. Is it pricey? I guess. It's still less than Smith & Wollensky in midtown Manhattan or Mr Stamp's Wine Garden in Roppongi. Also, I doubt the rent is cheap in its flagship shop on Soi 19. People expect Thailand to be cheap, when about the only difference in price structure is labor cost. As for hygiene, one always risks adulteration eating at any restaurant anywhere in the world, along with critters such as cockroaches. El Gaucho is not an exception. Where there is food and food waste, there are critters. Where there are workers, there are varying personal hygiene habits, whether in Bangkok or London or NY or Sidney. People who'll eat a seafood som tam with squid and octopus that's been sitting in the hot sun for hours, maybe days, attacked by flies or alley cats, are at lesser risk at El Gaucho. People will eat sashimi sliced from sea creatures who live in horribly polluted water. Health inspectors haven't the time to hit every small restaurant or street food stand; their time is spent mostly at major restaurants. The main oddity about El Gaucho is that while calling itself an Argentinian steakhouse, it serves Japanese, US and Australian beef, is staffed by Burmese and Nepalis (from Mogok, Myanmar), has primarily Italian wines, and is owned by an Israeli. I've never had a bad meal there. To each his own.
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