1. LincolnDave on Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Food Quality
Everything tasted freshly prepared, and looked to be of the highest quality. Each dish was brought out separately and we helped ourselves from the communal plate, transferring food to our own plates. The portions were extremely generous, and we were somewhat relieved when dessert came - the best baklava I've ever tasted. If pushed, I would say that the chicken was a little dry (but still perfectly edible, and very tasty). However, that was only one small component of a 5-course meal, and did not detract from our enjoyment one bit.
Menu Choice
This is a small Greek restaurant, so the food is naturally going to be limited to some degree. Nevertheless, the menu had a wide selection, including some fish and vegetarian dishes (but no vegan). We had the mezze, which is a banquet made up of small portions of the best dishes, and VERY filing.
Service
The restaurant is a family affair, and it shows. The waiting staff do not wear uniforms, and you are just as likely to be served by a waiter as you are by the owner of the restaurant. It feels more like being in someone's home than in a city centre restaurant. The owner of the restaurant seems to know almost all of the customers personally, which is a bit strange but adds to the experience.
Facilities
Small toilets, but spotlessly clean. Just what you'd expect in a small, family restaurant.
The second time we went, it was a little bit louder than we would have liked, but having said that, we did have a fairly late meal on a Friday night, and there was a large party going on at one end of the restaurant. On the other hand, our first visit was early on a Wednesday evening, and the restaurant was only a quarter full and quite quiet.
There is no restaurant parking, but there is a well-lit Council-controlled car-park behind the restaurant. The restaurant itself is situated next to the Unitarian Chapel at the bottom of High Street, and easy to miss. It doesn't look very promising from the outside, but once through the door, the restaurant itself is bright and pleasant, and very clean.
We eat out a lot, often with clients, and I've used the guide several times since I came to Lincoln in 2010, to find good places to eat. This is the first time I've been so impressed that I was moved to comment. We've been to Gabby's restaurant twice now, and we will definitely be going again.
It is said that the Greeks value hospitality above all other virtues, and it shows here. If you want a formal dining experience with immaculately turned-out waiters and silver service, this isn't the place for you. On the other hand, if you want a relaxed, friendly, noisy place to eat, where the owner is as interested in how your children are doing at school as she is in how much you are enjoying your meal, then you probably can't do better.