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The intimate dining roomThe cowboy is traveling south, and he’s picked a stylish spot to land.
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The illuminated bar.On Nov. 7, Naples said hello to the new El Gaucho Inca Bistro in a strip mall off Immokalee Road.
For what seems like ages, the original—which is still going strong on Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers—has delivered everything from ceviche and empanadas to flank steak and lomo saltado. It’s a blend of the culinary traditions of its two owners, an Argentine wife and Peruvian husband. (Let’s also not forget those milanesas, raviolis and more, an inseparable part of both cuisines from the influence of the Italians who settled there.)
We can expect the same, more or less, once the bistro takes off. (The opening week’s menu was tightly edited, with just a handful of dishes, many with a Peruvian accent.)
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White lounge seating at the entrance.The Naples spot, although open daily, will just be dinner-only, whereas the original attracts a big lunch crowd. But where the two differ most is that for as large as the first is, the second is intimate, with almost a sultry feel—it has the same woven ponchos, cow hides and Incan sculptures adorning the walls, but the way in which they’re presented, with mosaic tiles and accent lighting, would make a 21st century tango dancer feel just as at home as a cowboy.
To plan a visit:
El Gaucho Inca Bistro
2700 Immokalee Road, Naples
(239) 431-7928
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Aljajores, Argentine shortbread cookies filled with dulce de leche (milk caramel) are a temptation sitting under a pastry dome on the bar.Get the Hot Dish every Wednesday and Friday online and every month in Gulfshore Life.