You want to kick back while savoring an elegant meal? There's a reason
the exuberant Gabriel's has long been the most popular restaurant
in Highwood. The consummately congenial chef, owner and host Gabriel
Viti, serves the best French and Italian in a relaxed room = topped
off by a supremely polished off staff that never misses a beat when
it comes to coddling. Framed by an exhibition kitchen and a wall of
impeccably polished mirrors that make the space look twice as big,
the room is lovely as a royal salon, yet cozy as a neighborhood hangout.
Risotto doesn't get better than Viti's, from his classic saffron rendition
with outstanding osso buco to a verson showcasing sweet shrimp, roasted
red peppers, and spinach. Roasted Maine lobster in ginger butter sauce
is a crustacean perfection. A sexy 2001 Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Nerth
($78) from a great wine list spenned land and sea, and a dense pear
cake with house made vanilla ice cream set on a bed of crushed pistachios
is Gabriel's perfect goodnight kiss.
- D.R.W.
