BY CAROLYN ONOFREY
Gus and Gabriel
222 West 79th Street
Upper West Side
212-362-7246/gusandgabriel.com
Ah, the Gastropub; a rather new concept in the New York City area which has only gained popularity in the past 5 years or so and continues to attract vast followings as gastropubs continue to sprout up all over the place. For a beer nut and foodie such as myself, these places are heaven on earth!
On this particular Friday night, Gus and Gabriel was what was on the menu. Nestled down a few steps, and located in a tiny space that is easily overlooked, sits Gus and Gabriel, decorated in rich red wood which continues down a narrow hallway and into a larger dining room adorned with a nautical motif. When we arrived around 7:30pm I was a little surprised that the place was not more crowded. It did however, fill up by the time we were ready to leave a few hours later.
Complimentary basket of spiced popcorn at Gus and Gabriel
A small basket of spiced popcorn was delivered to our table as a welcome. It was a nice little unexpected treat to help get the meal, and my palate, started. Hardly able to focus on the spiced hors d’oeuvres, I was anxious to open the drink menu and ready to dive in to a glass of one of my favorite American craft brews. The beer selection was definitely reputable, but I was hoping for a few more surprises. The drink menu was heavier on the bourbon and scotch variety (also becoming increasingly more popular, note to self: ‘develop a taste for scotch’). I settled on the Smuttynose I.P.A ($6/bottle), a hoppy and darker than average India Pale Ale.
Everything on the food menu sounded absolutely mouthwatering, making my final decision a tough one. I decided on the bone marrow bruschetta to start, each piece complete with a whole clove of melt in your mouth caramelized garlic and a fried basil leaf atop a slightly more greasy than enjoyable brick of bread which was toasted and crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.
Bone Marrow Bruschetta at Gus and Gabriel
Next came the “Smothered” Chicken ($13.95) complete with giblet gravy and biscuits and mashed potatoes and the Mexi Mac and Cheese ($7.50), a large portion of mac and cheese shells served with a dallop of surprisingly good guacamole and a pinch of pulled pork. The chicken, juicy and cooked to perfection was an absolute delight along with the buttery biscuit which acompanied it. The Mac and Cheese however, left much to be deisred. It was surprisingly heavy for the lack of flavor that was only punctuated by the various toppings (guacamole, sour cream, tortilla strips, pulled pork, and pico de gallo). This crock of soul food was lacking the soul it needed to be great and I was left wanting more, or at least wishing I hadn’t eaten as much of it as I did.
Mexi Mac and Cheese at Gus and Gabriel
As I wrote on the comment card that was supplied at the end of the meal, the food had so much potential and while most of it did deliver, there were a few things that just fell short. Comfort food with a creative touch, the stuff people dream about.
