Gabriela’s
The Upper West Side scares me. It always weirded me out how Seinfeld
made it seem like the UWS (ew, look at me making gross acronyms) was the NYC
norm, when that's so not true. I only know one person (and I don't mean out
of friend friends, I mean acquaintances, coworkers, friends of
friends, etc.) who lives up there. Amusingly, that one person would probably
love Gabriela's, as she will only eat things like Italian or Mexican (pretty
much a middle-American palate circa 1976) and likes blender drinks.
Gabriela's was fine. The portions were huge, the drinks were strong, the
tortillas even seemed homemade. We just needed someplace to eat near James's
parking lot that was open past 10:30pm. No easy feat, and Gabriela's fit the
bill. If I ever find myself on the UWS after 10:30 I might consider a return
visit. Maybe. (7/19/03)
Maybe the UWS tired of mediocre Mexican–Gabriela's is a goner. (2005)
Gabriela's * 685 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY
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I live on the Upper West Side (on the fringe, though), and have never been to Gabriela’s. Or Sarabeth, or Popover Cafe, or EJ’s Luncheonette, or AAAAANNNNNYYYYY of the places that the diehard UWSers think are so fine and dandy and the end-all and be-all. For real food, I pretty much have to leave the neighborhood and head down to Hell’s Kitchen or the East Village.