Da Gabriele | Harderwijk (NL)
Minor adjustments would bring major improvements.
A recommendable Cucina Italiana, with a straightforward Italian cuisine!
Situated on a historical square named the Vischmarkt in the old centre of Harderwijk (NL) we find Da Gabriele. The square, which it’s cobbled stones and monumental houses, can be seen as the culinary square of Harderwijk. Da Gabriela is in good company, with ‘t Nonnetje ** and Restaurant Ratatouille across the square and Restaurant Basiliek * just a 100 yards to the right.
Da Gabriele is a very established restaurant in Harderwijk and has been since 1980. And after a thorough renovation last year, the restaurant is ready for the next few decades, according to owner Nanja Smink. The Italian restaurant does set the right tone the moment you walk inside and puts you in that unmistakeable Mediterranean atmosphere. The photogenic restaurant is split over three levels and has an aperitif bar in the 400 year-old vaulted cellar.
Da Gabriele is open for diner 7 days a week. They offer an extensive à la carte menu with Starters (at €12.50-€17.95), Pasta’s (at €12.85-€17.50), Mains (at €23.50-€28.25) and Pizza (at €9.75-€16.95). They also offer a monthly changing Menu della Casa (3 courses at €39.50 and 4 courses at €47).
We had dinner on a Friday about a month ago. We went for the 4-course Menu della Casa. The set menu let’s you choose between 3 starters, 2 pasta dishes, 3 mains and 3 desserts.
It was a beautiful warm summer evening, so we were placed at a small table outside on the terrace loaded with tourists. A pity we didn’t get to enjoy the beautiful restaurant dining room with it’s classy atmosphere.
Thinly sliced beef carpaccio, covered with rocket salad and drizzled with basil pesto, pine nuts and Parmesan shavings. Nice standard carpaccio served at a good temperature and tasty. However, I would like the slices to be a bit thicker, so that you get real beef texture. And when the rocket would just sit in the middle in a nice pile, that would make the presentation so much better.
Grilled baby scampi with garlic and pepper oil. Could do with a lot more chilli spice and black pepper, especially when you call it piri piri. Is it Italian though? Maybe just stick with Aglio et Olio (garlic and oil)!
Creamy risotto with lovely grilled green asparagus. The sun-dried tomato is more for decoration, as is the quail egg. A poached egg would be better and would really add to the dish. But a very enjoyable risotto topped with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan.
Ricotta and spinach filled ravioli in a butter and sage sauce. Great pasta and cooked well. Good sage butter with plenty of flavour. Ricotta filling could do with a bit more seasoning though.
Grilled veal entrecôte with a creamy green pepper sauce. The entrecôte was a bit too well done. They didn’t ask how we wanted it cooked by the way. I like mine medium-rare and this one was beyond medium. Bold pepper sauce was very nice. Some side dishes come with the veal. Cooked vegetables, which I would have liked to see gratinated in the oven, a fresh salad and spaghetti aglio et olio, which was the best one.
Selection of 3 Italian cheeses, served with black treacle, strawberry jam, walnuts and currant bread. Generous portions of cheese. Not sure about the black treacle, would do a sweet chutney instead. Toasted currant bread never works really, as the currants just taste burnt. Had it at a number of other restaurants as well. Just stick with some crackers I say.
Sweet strawberries, strawberry mascarpone, crumble merengue and vanilla ice cream on top. Very comforting, taste and flavourwise like an Eton Mess, which I happen to like! Good dessert for me!
Overall we had an enjoyable dinner. Minor adjustments would bring major improvements to the dishes, but I believe the average customer would be happy with the dishes as they are. All dishes were really generous in size, so value for money is not a problem here. A recommendable Cucina Italiana, with a straightforward Italian cuisine.
Is was nice to have dinner outside, but it felt like we sat on a busy terrace in a touristic place in Italy. The waiting staff added to that feel with a rushed service and no real effort was made to give you that guest-feeling. A real shame actually and I believe this is not the normal behaviour of this team. We should go back after the summer season and enjoy a dinner inside the restaurant. I assume we will have a different experience then.
