If someone asked you to think about Argentina, what would be the first things to come to mind? Football? The Falklands? Evita? Diego Maradona and the Hand of God?

The foodies among us would probably have steak and a bottle of wine on their mind too – and that is exactly what I was thinking of when one of the latest offerings at Folkestone’s Harbour Arm was revealed to be an Argentine steak house.

A new cuisine to me and as a fully-fledged member of the carnivore club, Portenio (translated from Spanish as meaning person from the port), was somewhere I was very eager to try.

We Brits of course are no strangers to a good old bit of beef – roasted with Yorkshire puddings or the classic steak and chips.

But I can’t say I’ve ever had Argentine steak (at least not knowingly!) which is renowned for being some of the best beef in the world.

And what better way for my first experience of this revered food to be in a restaurant owned and run by an Argentine and cooked in the way they know and love?

Portenio prides itself for bringing the meat all the way from the plains of South America on a 4,700-mile journey and offering guests a chance to step into a part of Argentina in this little corner of Kent.

A cynic might say this is not exactly green or the most global-warming friendly.

But can that argument really stand up when much of the fruit and veg, meat and fish we see on the supermarket shelves doesn’t come from Britain and travels vast distances to reach our plates at home anyway?

Arriving at the restaurant, the first thing that strikes you is this is a really beautiful setting to enjoy a meal – on the arm’s new Harbourside area with views sweeping out across the English Channel.

Located inside several converted shipping containers, they continue the modern-industrial visual many of the venues at the Arm now occupy.

There are seats outside, but inside, you're protected from the high winds that can batter the arm and its visitors, while still being able to enjoy the views.

Sitting at a table by the wide open doors on a sunny Friday evening overlooking the water as the sun begins to go down, the feeling is relaxed, now sheltered from that wind and you could easily be mistaken for thinking you're on holiday.

The next thing you notice walking through to your table is the aromas wafting from the open kitchen and the grills and I’m excited to see whether the hype is all it’s cracked up to be.

This is where your prized steak is going to be prepared and presented just as it would be all those miles away and it’s already getting me excited to begin the adventure.

Tempted by the empanadas and chorizo, the morcilla (Argentine black pudding or blood sausage) calls out to me first.

It’s rich and has a decadant warming feeling with a subtle mix of pepperiness and herbs and I’m instantly thinking I’m a fan of this food and can’t wait for the ensuing meat feast to follow.

As someone who normally spends too long deciding what to order, the choice for the main was simple.

When it comes to steak, we know what we like don’t we – so I order the sirloin.

As a medium-rare man normally, the menu guides me that there’s three different ways the Argentines do steak – bloody, juicy and cooked.

So I’m going for juicy for that perfect balance I crave from the charring of the grill and flavour from the combination of rareness and juice of the meat while also not still ‘mooing’.

And when it arrives, the anticipation is heightened even further at first sight.

A thick and perfectly-scored well-rendered piece of meat, which certainly looks as juicy as I asked for it to be prepared.

The first bite is every bit as heavenly as I’m promised.

I don’t think I've tasted any steak which cuts as smoothly, and seemingly melts in the mouth with minimal effort.

They say the Las Pampas lowlands where the cattle graze is so fertile that the animals don’t develop as much muscle making the meat more tender.

I can certainly vouch for that – it is the easiest to eat and most tender steak I’ve probably ever eaten and can’t think of any beef I’ve had that has been better.

The food is cooked simply and treated with the respect it deserves with no-fuss perfect cooking celebrating the ingredients. It tastes all the better for it – I am in meat-eater’s heaven and this steak is on a different level.

Mix it with the house chimichurri sauce – a fresh and zingy mix of herbs with a slight hint of chilli – which is a very different accompaniment to our traditional peppercorn or the French bernaise sauce and those views outside and it is easy to forget you’re still sitting in Kent.

I am genuinely feeling transported to the other side of the world and with Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi looking over the restaurant on the prized corner table, it very much feels like I could be in Buenos Aires.

Funnily enough, I'd actually had my first taste of Argentinian wine earlier that week, and having really enjoyed it, was looking forward to trying out more of the same.

But without realising, and mainly due to cost, we ended up ordering a bottle of Spanish wine. And white at that.

Call me paranoid, but this move might have spurred a few looks from other diners, all enjoying red with their steaks.

But as I said, we know what we like and to me I’d rather sup a crisp, cold white wine on a summer’s evening however heathen it might be not to go for one of the many Argentinian reds (including several Malbecs) on offer.

The menu offers plenty of options… from steak for one, sharing platters for groups of two or four, grilled vegetables, fish and pasta and a few vegetarian options to cater for those accompanying a meat eater on their pilgrimage to sample la carne.

At £30.95 for sirloin and £34.95 for ribeye and fillet and a smidge under £100 for the four-person sharer, Portenio isn’t cheap.

I understand it might be slightly on the pricey side, especially at the moment, when many are struggling but it's a lovely spot for a special occasion or treat night.

And you do get what you pay for: top quality steak and food you’re not going to be getting in many other restaurants around.

Despite pledging I wouldn’t go the whole hog and have three courses, I was too tempted by the churros and dulce de leche (caramel) sauce.

And it was the perfect ending to the meal, crispy on the outside and sweet with the cinnamon-sugary dusting and then doughy and light on the inside unlike the over-cooked dried out versions you too often encounter.

I will certainly look forward to returning when I’ve got my steak crave going again...

Out of five:

Food: Genuinely the best steak I’ve ever had and delicious sides, fries, starter and pud. Simply cooked to perfection *****

Drink: At £23 a bottle the fruity Aromar white from Spain was crisp and cold, perfect for a sunny evening. Sorry I can’t tell you about the Malbec! ****

Decor: Modern, unpretentious, industrial chic with the shrine to Argentine footballing gods Messi and Maradona a nice touch ****

Staff: Friendly, attentive and fast service and proud to be serving good food ****

Price: This would be my only (minor) criticism. It is expensive and therefore not somewhere you’d go every week but equally, you are paying for quality and for an occasion and indulgence it is worth the price ***