ventures
by chris becicka
Run to the Spot
J. Gilbert’s
When it first opened, Mr. Chubero and I trotted out there, thinking it was a hamburger place. Alas, not a burger on the menu. (More on that in a sec.) I did have the mesquite-grilled vegetable platter, still deservedly on the menu including its roasted corn and black bean relish (which I’d really like the recipe for), and my companion did have a steak. It was delicious, he grumbled, but we’d been looking for a cheaper and more casual meal that night. Consequently, despite the fact we thought it was a really good meal, we just never wandered back. A big mistake I can tell you now, based on two recent trips.
J. Gilbert’s is really a Plaza restaurant, but better than most and not as pricey. This is probably appropriate, as Houlihan’s Restaurant Group owns it. Once you step in, you’re clearly in a steak place—lots of wood, brick and stone with white napkins on black-topped tables. The bar is quite large, seating around 30, and it’s a busy place. There are 36 wines by the glass, starting with Beringer at $5.25 and only creeping to a Sterling cab at $10.75—largely reasonable and a decent pour. There are nearly 70 bottles on the list, starting at $20 and ranging up to $175 for a bottle of Dom . . . something sure to fit any palate, or wallet.
One of the yummier items on the appetizer side of the menu is the Maytag blue potato chips. These are hand-cut potato chips, crunchy and warm, sprinkled with bleu and Monterey jack cheese. The smoked chicken quesadilla is grilled and sautéed in ancho butter with a variety of onions and pepper and cheese. The pineapple mango salsa is spicy and refreshing. My favorite, though, is the smoked-chicken tortilla soup—a variety of grilled corn chunks, bacon, onions, tomatoes, and grilled chicken in a clear broth with cilantro, cheese, fresh avocado floating on the side, and tortilla straws. The salads are crisp and tasty, but I’d go for the soup again first.
This is a steak place that serves more than steak. There are 13 other entrees, including four seafood—salmon, crab cakes, shrimp and swordfish—three chicken dishes, pork chops and the veggie platter. The waiter recommended the mango swordfish, but we tried instead the Caribbean mix—beef tenderloin, Jamaican chicken breast, and the shrimp with country mashed potatoes that need no butter. The chicken had a kick and was tender and juicy (see steaks, soon to come), and the shrimp were tangy and flavorful.
But the steaks. Ah, the steaks. Though J. Gilbert’s will cut a steak any the way you want it, the menu lists seven or so pure beef choices, beginning with a 10-ounce sirloin for $18.95. The six-ounce filet is $21.95 and the list caps out with a 24-ounce Porterhouse at nearly $30. Now, you should note two things. First, these sizes on the Plaza are more expensive. Second, vegetables, usually fresh asparagus and your choice of two potatoes—baked and loaded or a hefty side of poblano au gratin potatoes, buttery, cheesy, and spicy, accompany your hunkabeef.
The restaurant is open seven evenings each week. And oh, the cheeseburger? Actually, there is one on the menu, weeknights. It’s on the bar-food list—a collection of Monday-through-Friday-night items available in the bar. My rounded friend was happy to see it at the spot that found its place..