Gabriele’s of Wesport
We had a wonderful dinner at the attractive Gabriele’s of Westport on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, which opened in November 2021 after an extensive renovation. The restaurant is stunning, elegant, and warmly inviting with an abundance of charm. There are two dining rooms, one in the front, and one in the back, each with a patio for warm weather dining or enjoying cocktails. There is also an attractive and well-stocked wood paneled bar, separated from the main dining room by a wall of glass.
We sat in the main dining room where its coffered ceiling and picture frame molding added architectural interest to the room. A blazing fire in the stone fireplace in the corner of the room took the chill out of the air and added a touch of romance. Tables were elegantly dressed in ivory linens and votive candles.
No Cap cocktail
The restaurant has a well-crafted and intriguing cocktail menu, and we began our evening with two of their specialty cocktails, No Cap made with Avion Tequila, Passionfruit, Cappelletti, Lemon, Agave, and Brandy Cherry, and Silver Dollar made with Bacon Fat Washed Hudson Bright Lights Big Bourbon, Maple Syrup, and Orange Bitters. The cocktails were delicious and gorgeously presented, with No Cap served in a martini glass with a lush foam and a pretty syrup ribbon decoration, and Silver Dollar presented in a cut glass rocks glass garnished with wide orange peel and bacon.
Bacon Fat Washed Hudson Bright Lights Big Bourbon cocktail
Our server brought us two slices of sausage bread, and sliced ciabatta bread to pair with our cocktails. Served warm, the sausage bread was rich and flavorful, and the ciabatta bread had a perfect crust and was light and airy. Attention to detail continued with molded butter.
Sausage Bread
The menu is divided into Raw Bar, Starters, Salads, Pastas, Mains, The Steak Experience, Sides, and Desserts. Their Raw Bar goes beyond decadent with their Oyster Royale with Ossetra Caviar, lemon crème fraiche, and parsley oil, and for very special dining you can top their Seafood Tower with 30 grams of Ossetra Caviar.
Ahi Tuna Tartare
We selected a Starter of Ahi Tuna Tartare, which was made with diced ahi tuna, cilantro, cucumber, avocado, radish, and ginger sauce served in a crispy wonton shell. This starter was a standout with the crispy wonton shell the perfect complement to the layers of flavors and textures.
Beet & Goat Cheese Salad
From the Salads section, we had the Beet & Goat Cheese Salad, which was cooked red and yellow beets presented on a bed of arugula with goat cheese croquettes, pistachios, and dill citrus dressing. The salad was plentiful and delicious, and the goat cheese croquettes added crunchy texture and would make a very nice standalone amuse bouche.
Seafood Risotto
The restaurant has an extensive wine list with wines by the bottle, and they also offer wines by the glass. As we parted ways for our main courses, one by land, and one by sea, we opted for wines by the glass to pair. From the Mains section of the menu, we had the Seafood Risotto, which was gorgeously presented in a large white bowl. A plethora of scallops, colossal shrimp, clams, mussels, ringed perfectly cooked risotto redolent with lobster cream sauce. We paired a glass of Bordeaux, Andre Lurton, "Chateau Bonnet" Entre-Deux-Mers, France, 2019, 11.5% alcohol that was a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Semillon and 5% Muscadelle. Crisp with nice minerality and citrus, the wine was a perfect complement to the seafood risotto.
Filet Mignon & XXL Potato
We also indulged in a 10-ounce Filet Mignon from The Steak Experience section. Gabriele’s beef steaks are hand-selected and dry-aged for 28 days, seasoned with sea salt and crushed black pepper. The filet mignon was extremely tender, perfectly cooked to our order of medium rare, and paired with Sides of Shoestring Fried Onions, and their XXL Baked Stuffed Potato. The XXL potato was the size of a small loaf of bread decadently stuffed with crème fraiche and bacon. We paired the filet mignon with a glass of Super Tuscan, Casadei, "Sogno Mediterraneo," Tuscany, Italy, 2018, 14% alcohol. This was a big, bold wine with lots of fruit on the nose, and balanced tannins on the palate that paired well with the beef.
The Steak Experience also has a 16-ounce Bone-in Filet Mignon, an 18-ounce Bone-in New York Strip, a 28-ounce Tomahawk Bone-in Rib Eye, a 50-ounce Tomahawk for Two, a 24-ounce Porterhouse for One, a 48-ounce Porterhouse for Two, and a 16-ounce Center Cut Veal Chop.
Napoleon
Desserts are made in house by their award-winning Pastry Chef Ruben Palma and should be a mandatory experience. We indulged in their Napoleon, which was layers of 93% butter puff pastry, vanilla bean mousseline cream, and caramelized sliced almonds, garnished with a tuille. We also had a light and luscious souffle, baked to perfection, and served with sauce poured tableside, and a small white "boat" of vanilla ice cream. In addition to the wide selection of baked desserts, they also make their own ice cream, gelato, and sorbets.
Souffle
The hallmark of great restaurants is not only wonderful cuisine, but also the ambience and the level of service. From start to finish, the team at Gabriele’s of Westport delivered well-presented cocktails, delectable cuisine, and professional service. We cannot wait until warmer weather arrives so that we can return and dine on their lovely patio, before or after attending a play at the Westport Country Playhouse located next door to the restaurant.
Until next time, Bon Appetit!
Gabriele’s of Westport is open for Lunch Tuesday to Friday from 12:00 pm until 2:30 pm, and Saturday and Sunday for Lunch/Brunch from 11:30 am until 2:30 pm. They serve Dinner on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 5:00 pm until 10:00 pm, Friday and Saturday from 5:00 pm until 11:00 pm, and on Sunday from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm.
Although the restaurant is closed on Monday, they do hold special Monday night wine dinners once per month for a limited number of guests. Visit their website for more information.
For more information on Gabriele’s of Westport, please visit their website: www.gabrielesofwestport.com or call them at +1-203-454-4922.
Gabriele’s of Westport
27 Powers Court
Westport, Connecticut 06880
United States
Telephone: +1-203-454-4922
Email: info@gabrielesofwestport.com
Website: www.gabrielesofwestportct.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/gabrielesofwestport
Instagram: www.instagram.com/gabrielesofwestport/
Follow Luxury Experience on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LuxuryExperience to see photos and videos.
Follow Luxury Experience on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/luxurypair @luxurypair
Follow Luxury Experience on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/luxurypair @luxurypair
© May 2022. Luxury Experience www.LuxuryExperience.com. All rights reserved.
