CHARLOTTESVILLE (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) — Enzo Segui and Leandro Fauze grew up in the same city, Tucuman, Argentina, but didn’t meet each other until both were in Miami. The chefs quickly became friends and later both moved to Charlottesville to work at Keswick Hall. Now, they’ve opened their own restaurant together, called Noble Steakhouse.

The restaurant, located across the train tracks from Water Street Parking garage, celebrated its grand opening on Sept. 6. The restaurant aims to provide its patrons with a rustic, traditional Argentian experience, while also incorporating what the two chefs have learned working in the restaurant industry in America.

“We are trying to cook the most traditional way,” Segui said, “while adapting our traditions to the American palate.”

What that entails is a meal that centers on the Argentian barbecue, called “Asado,” which is meat cooked on a wood fire. At Noble, the meat is put on the grill with just a little salt and is served with chimichurri and red peppers on the side for added flavors, as well as some butters and house sauces. Segui said the goal is to keep the experience “as rustic as possible.”

The two friends have plenty of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industries, dating back to their time working together in Miami’s restaurant scene. Fauze was a bartender while Segui was a server before becoming a manager. As both continued working together in Charlottesville, their friendship continued to grow

“Leandro was living in my house [in Miami], and then I moved to his house here with him,” Segui said, “so we became really good friends, and we’ve known each other for a long time and this idea was always in our mind and then we decided to go all in.”

That idea started to become reality when Segui’s landlord gave him the opportunity to rent the building that is their Steakhouse. The two quickly began making preparations, and soon the two were bringing in full-time carpenters and an electrician, among others, to help prepare the property.

“It was not easy for sure,” Segui said. “It was really hard, but it all aligned.”

The hard work paid off, with the restaurant now open to public, Thursday-Monday from 5-9 p.m. Speaking to Cville Right Now just six days after their grand opening, Fauze said the team still has a few things to work out, but they’ve been happy with the feedback they’ve received, adding that 90% of the time, people are leaving “really happy.”

“We are serving amazing food,” he added. “The feedback, especially on the meat, it’s been great and that’s our strongest point, the beef, as a steakhouse.”

While there is still room for improvement, Fauze ensured that “we will get there very soon.” For those who might be interested, he said the restaurant is for people looking for “a cozy place to go and have dinner, have a date or share a good moment with their friends and family.” Segui agreed.

“This is a very cozy place,” he said. “We made it with love, and we try to share love through the food and the wines.”