First things first: the best thing about GDL surrounded the food itself. GDL absolutely looks the part of a semi-upscale restaurant - somewhere to take your date, or your family for a nice night out (as in my case, for my mother's birthday).
The food itself, however, is thoroughly average. Of the 6 items we ordered, only two were, in my estimation, worth the price: a spectacular arugula salad, complete with a vinaigrette dressing and rhubarb and the coq a vin.
Otherwise, most of the food was either subpar or fairly standard.
We ordered the mussels, which were oh-so-close to being great - but which fell short of expectations. Many of the diners that we observed ordered the same dish, surely for the same reason we did (it looked really cool on other people's tables).
The French onion soup, on the other hand, was good as a dip to accompany the complimentary bread. But that was precisely the issue: if eaten the way it was intended, it was too salty and too sweet.
Sure, GDL has some potential. Much of its appeal comes from the vibes - which combined with the strong service, do indeed help its case. But when it came to its food, I was left mostly wanting more.