Events at GiGi

PGN Review, Grand fare abounds at GiGi

Located at 319 Market St., the year-old restaurant successfully fuses American, Mediterranean and Latin fare. Warm autumnal tones and hardwood floors create a cozy, relaxing atmosphere.

Executive chef Luis Melendez has created a memorable menu, with a strong focus on tapas plates to share and using seasonally available ingredients. Also, nearly everything is prepared in-house, down to the salad mix and the sherry vinegar.

Our party started off with the seared tuna, $9, fried calamari, $7, beef empanadas, $7, and tostones, $4. The tuna was excellent — slightly spicy, sushi-grade and seared on the outside — and came with a pickled vegetable salad. Though a veritable restaurant standby, GiGi’s calamari stood out — the small rings were tender with the right amount of crisp; the sauces (scallion aioli, chipotle ketchup and marinara) nicely complimented the breading and seasoning. The empanadas were filled with smoky gouda and ground beef and a little bit of spice and salt. In other restaurants, tostones, AKA fried plantains, are often tasteless and bland. Not GiGi’s version; they were firm, with character.

For our main course, we sampled a house salad, $6, fish and chips, $14, and filet mignon, $26. The salad was well balanced, with dried cranberries, walnuts, apples and blue cheese. Though not innovative, the combination here is successful and delicious. The fish and chips have already been noted as one of the best in the city; the Guinness batter gives weight to the meaty monkfish, the yuca fries are to die for. As was the filet. Served with wild mushrooms, asparagus, fingerling potatoes and a roasted garlic demi-glaze, the steak was tender and well flavored. (And though gourmets may cringe, it was just as good reheated the next day.)

For dessert, we dove into the banana walnut bread pudding and citrus thyme crème brulée. Unlike the mushy version served elsewhere, the bread pudding was firm and dense. The flavoring of the crème brulée was perfect, with a generous dose of citrus and just a hint of thyme.

And to complement the food, the staff is friendly, accommodating and attentive without being smothering.

Beyond delectable dinners, GiGi’s offers happy hour specials, a late-night menu, Friday night DJs and Sunday brunch with food and drink specials. GiGi’s is open 11 a.m.-2 a.m. daily.

During their anniversary celebration, Nov. 13-17, GiGi’s is offering a special fall wine dinner, a mixology class, a surprise one-hour open bar and more.