If you are looking for comfort food you have come to the right place! Gabardine never fails to please when it comes to comfort-food favourites (but good luck finding something healthy on the menu). This cute-as-a-button restaurant, with its mismatched china, cute catchphrase ("fine grub and libations) and black and white website is located smack dab in the middle of the financial district whereas its the type of place you might expect to find queen west west somewhere. It should be noted that they don't take resos for lunch. I've been on several occasions and can comment on some of the food choices:
- the beer croquettes are DELICIOUS as a starter, think of a moist gooey fatter-than-usual mozzerella stick;
- the cod is also yummy but does tend to air on the salty side
- I found the fish tacos a bit overbattered and unsatisfying - they were almost dry for some reason;
- the mac and cheese is FABULOUS but if you get it, consider doing a split portion (I have never met anyone who could eat the whole thing on their own).
In terms of pricing, despite its unassuming atmosphere, a meal here can add up surprisingly fast especially if you're getting alcohol. I'm always surprised at the wine prices (cheapest bottle of white is 34, red 42 and glasses are all around 15 and up).
It should be mentioned that the service has always been consistenly good here but in my mind, where this place excels is the ambiance - it is absolutely adorable. Its the type of place where I want to LOVE the food more than I actually do, but its also the type of place where the ambiance is so fun that it contributes to your meal in a positive way. All in all, its worth a trip to the Gabardine (if only to get away from the typical bay street options).