For Josh’s sister’s birthday, his parents got us all tickets to see A Steady Rain on Broadway, starring Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig. Before the show we had a lovely meal at Gaby, a restaurant attached to the Sofitel Hotel.
The décor of the restaurant is modern and upscale, with tall ceilings and colorful upholstery. We were seated at a long table near the front, next to the window looking out onto 45th St. They graciously seated us before the entire party arrived, and we started off with some drinks and some delicious baguettes with rich butter and a black olive tapenade.
Butter and a tasty black olive tapenade
The baguettes weren’t as crispy out the outside as I would have liked but they had good flavor and a nice chewy texture to them.
Delicious carbs
For my appetizer, I selected the burgundy snails cooked in garlic butter and served with toasted brioche. The snails were large and tender, not rubbery. They were served in a cast iron pan that kept them wonderfully hot, and I sopped up the garlicky butter with the pieces of toast.
Garlicky snails with brioche toast
Josh had the lobster bisque, which was unlike any lobster bisque that I’ve tasted before. It was not too heavy on the cream, and it had some spices in it that made the soup taste more like a pumpkin bisque than lobster. It was surprisingly light, not too rich, with interesting and complex flavor.
Unusual lobster bisque
For my main course, I kept it simple and classic with Gaby’s version of steak frites. The steak was grilled Black Angus hanger steak with caramelized shallots. The steak was nicely pink on the inside and not tough or chewy at all. The French fries were thin and crispy with a healthy sprinkling of salt. It was an ample portion of fries so I didn’t mind sharing a few with the rest of the table. There was also a mesclun salad on the plate with a nice light vinaigrette that helped cut through the richness and the fatiness of all the steak and fries.
Hanger steak covered in caramelized shallots, fries, and salad
Josh went with the duck leg confit with sautéed fingerling potatoes, mushrooms, and frisee. The duck was tender and appropriately gamey in flavor. While I still preferred my steak over the duck, I know Josh enjoyed his dish a lot.
Duck confit with fingerling potatoes, mushrooms, and frisee
We didn’t have enough time before the show to have dessert but I thought the meal at Gaby was quite delightful. The items we chose were from the “a la Francaise” sections of the menu, which meant they were classically French in preparation. However, there are several other options that are more continental and adventurous in flavors. The restaurant is quite pricey though, with appetizers ranging from the mid to upper teens and entrees are mostly above $25. It’s a good place if you’re looking for a nice upscale pre-theater dinner, as the service is efficient and attentive. A Steady Rain ended up being a great show as well, though they did remind us almost a dozen times before the curtain to turn off our cell phones!
Gaby
44 West 45th St. between 5th and 6th Ave.
New York, NY