Michael Psilakis’s Gus & Gabriel Restaurant: An UWS Gastropub

 Michael Psilakis’s Gus & Gabriel Restaurant:

Michael Psilakis’s Gus and Gabriel boasts a pretty impressive pedigree for a menu that features Tater Tots, Glazed Riblets, and Chili Dogs.  Housed, rather handsomely, in Psilakis’s former Kefi space, the Upper West Side restaurant / “gastropub” Gus and Gabriel is the fourth in Michael Psilakis rapidly expanding mini-empire, which includes his flagship Anthos, one of only two Greek restaurants in the world to earn a Michelin star; his much-loved Italian venture with Donatella Arpia, Mia Dona; and his more casual, hugely popular Greek spot Kefi, which had to move to a larger space on Amsterdam last fall to accommodate the crowds.

Michael Psilakis’s Gus & Gabriel Restaurant:

Gus & Gabriel Gatropub Menu: Everything Under $15

So a meal at the newish, extremely family-friendly (Pretzel Nuggets! Mexi Mac and Cheese! Meatball Hero!) Upper West Side Gus and Gabriel comes with certain expectations. Unfortunately, on a recent weekend visit, we left feeling, shall we say, overly satisfied. Seriously, it’s almost as if they don’t trust their ingredients here, and so feel compelled to just pile on the flavors, until it’s all canceled out. Take those Tater Tots, for example, part of the “Beer Snacks” section of the menu at Gus & Gabriel gastropub. Any hint of potato flavor in these puppies is overwhelmed by a filling of BBQ pork, cheddar cheese, and jalapeno, which sounds like it could be good, but it’s all just smashed together and deep fried into crispy-coated mush balls, served with two dipping sauces, one garlic, the other red, sweet and spicy. Hence, the feeling of being slightly overwhelmed after leaving this Upper West Side restaurant.

Michael Psilakis’s Gus & Gabriel Restaurant:

Upper West Side Restaurant  That’s Inexpensive & Family-Friendly

Michael Psilaki’s Gus & Gabriel had a family-friendly menu, despite packed with ingredients.  Another example of the kitchen’s heavy hand: our BLT Grilled Cheese? A goopy mess of dense, thick flavors. With deep-fried chips.  Also a Bone Marrow appetizer of the specials menu that we tried at Gus & Gabriel. Now, marrow is pretty rich (and potentially delicious) left to its own devices, but at this Upper West Side restaurant, the dish arrives with two different kinds of onion, then smothered in a green, intensely garlickly paste, and accompanied with grilled bread squares so saturated in butter they ooze to the touch. All that said, there is obviously a certain appreciation for this sort of cooking among New Yorkers (frankly, we felt the same way about Kefi), and the prices, with nothing over $15, are only slightly higher than neighborhood diners, so if Gus & Gabriel’s menu seems appealing, by all means bring a crowd to this Upper West Side restaurant and check it out. Just don’t expect anything subtle.

Michael Psilakis’s Gus & Gabriel Restaurant:

Michael Psilakis’s Gus and Gabriel details

Gus and Gabriel is located on 79th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, and is open from Sunday to Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m., on Wednesday and Thursday until 11:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday until midnight.

Gus & Gabriel on Urbanspoon

Posted in NYC Dining, Westside |