Gabriella Cafe

Service is very slow, tables are too cramped together, and lunch menu is very limited. We were recently served a pizza that was so burned that it was inedible. Pros: easy parking Cons: service more

Gabriella presented itself as a fine new American dining spot. The decor was OK, considering the dining areas were the rooms of an old house (I felt like someone had set up a restaurant in my Grandma's house...) The service, which didn't start out well, got better as the night went on. The food didn't work. Several of the dishes sampled featured combinations of ingredients that didn't work and some others were lacking flavor. The bread served first, smelled great, but was oddly bland - needed salt. The grilled octopus appetizer was ruined by the pungent chicory. The octopus was good quality, but covered in some weird fatty substance. The pork belly entree, looked subtantial and appealing, but turned out to be a slab of grilled fat with greens and potato puree. The flavors were alright, but eating a piece of fat was gross. The flavors in chicken Gabriella entree were way off - too much Rosemary, and sweet?!?! The chicken itself was very boring and a little mushy. The black lentils were well done - the highlght of this dish. The wine list was decent in scope and price. Pros: So So Food Cons: Bad ingredient combinations more

I've been to a lot of the finer restaurants in the Santa Cruz area but this is by far my favorite. The restaurant is cozy and quiet, the service is impeccable, the menu is written daily to incorporate the freshest ingredients- all this combines to give this cafe a very intimate feel. Since it is downtown, it lacks the views that some other places profit from, but the decor, the seating in the side alley and the relaxed nature of the staff and clientele give this place the feel of a romantic Parisian cafe. I come here for all my special occasions and each time I have had a wonderful experience. Pros: great food, attentive staff, romantic ambience Cons: cramped if busy more