Gabriella Cafe

I've always walked by this place and looked in with curiosity. It's not like many other restaurants in Santa Cruz. Small, but charming would be how I'd describe it. Let's see how's the food...

Gabriella Cafe website
Lunch 11:30 - 2:30pm
Dinner 5:30 - close
Weekend brunch 11- 2:30pm

Julie and I stopped in for dinner on a weeknight and we were seated even without reservations. Lucky us! I think they are needed for a Friday or Saturday - there's not that many tables! Our spot was outside past the black metal gate. Lots of flower pots and strings of lights everywhere.

We got the menus and some homemade bread to nibble on. It was wonderful. Spongy and chewy with a hint of salt on the top. What a great way to start dinner.

We decided on an appetizer of Prosciutto Wrapped Melon ($12) covered with pistachios - what a treat! Salty and sweet, the fruit was ripe to perfection. I am liking this "hole in the wall". Such great flavors!

On to the main course - Julie got the Butternut Squash Ravioli ($18) with goat cheese, corn and sage. She was happy with her pick - everything was fresh and tasty. I had to sneak one quick before they disappeared. Maybe a few more for the price would be nice.

Me, myself and I wanted something more robust. Would the Roasted Pork ($24) with mashed potatoes, root veggies and blackberry glaze do the trick? Oh my goodness, did it ever. The sweet and savory on this was to die for. The pork was very tender and could be cut with a fork. It was so good, I knew I wanted to save some for the next day. It was tough, but I managed to get some in the doggie bag.

This place has been around since 1992 and it's gotta be for the food and the fun decor. A perfect place for a romantic meal or even treating your mom. We're going to try the brunch there next.

Scores out of ten:
Food: 9
Service: 7
Atmosphere: 9
Value for price: 8
Overall: 8.5