Very Disappointed
This is a review for the newly renovated restaurant where the Green Gables had been; now called "The Gables": Aug. 18, 2006
We four had lunch on the beautiful porch at the "new" "The Gables" (newly renovated "Green Gables"). The porch is so summery and pretty, and feels so crisp and new. We wanted to try the food at lunch before trying the dinner for big $$. We are very glad we did!

I am sorry to say the meals were uninspired and very poorly presented. Two of our party had the burger and two had the gnocchi.

The burger was listed as Kobe beef, being "stuffed with mushrooms and gorganzola cheese". My burger had two slices of a mushroom, and a half teaspoon of cheese dolloped on the top of the burger. It was dry, and overcooked, even though the server said that "they always cook the burgers med rare"! (I was given no choice!) The burger was served with what looked like homemade potato chips. They were unattractive and unappealing to me, as I could see the grease in which they were cooked almost dripping from them. Nonetheless,I tried one and the taste was surprisingly good. The salad seemed wilted and there had been no choice of dressing. I assume the salad was dressed too early and in a hot kitchen.

My two other companions had the potato gnocchi in tomato sauce. Although promised at the bottom of the menu, they were never served a salad. The 8 -10 gnocchi looked mighty lonely on a large plate with a sorry excuse for a sauce. The sauce looked like no more than a thinned tomato paste from a can. One of my companions later said it was tasteless! With tomatoes (and other herbs) in season, a chopped fresh sauce would have been so appropriate and much more appetizing.

The server rudely served every beverage by holding the glass or glass cup by the upper edge, applying thumb and three fingers to each one. When distributing the wine glasses, the server handled every part of each glass, since 4 glasses for red AND four glasses for white were carried (and juggled) at the same time! The server also asked why I would want decaf coffee "when we all know that decaf contains 230 chemicals to make it taste right".

A different server presented the gnocchi to my gentlemen companions. She, a mature woman, leaned across in front of one gentleman to serve the other, and then leaned into the one closer to her to serve him, all while her breasts were hanging out of her cute summer dress down to the area of untanned flesh! Maybe she was trying to make an impression!

My sherbet was icy and broke apart when the spoon was applied to it. The flavor was OK, just a little too sweet. The tiramisu had a perfectness about it that made it seem that it came from a factory bakery, and the flavor was mediocre. The apple Charlotte was pretty, but not apple-ey and the ice cream melted since the serving plate was warm. (Oh! also, the server could not describe Apple Charlotte when asked by my companion. "It's a little cake with ice cream")

I would say that the servers lack training for sure, the lunch chefs need to taste their food before suggesting it for the menu, and someone in the kitchen needs to look at each plate before it is presented to the guest!!

I really liked dining on the porch, and so feel very disappointed that the experience otherwise was so poor. The dining rooms inside are very appealing, as well.

It is such a pity too that the surrounding shops are in such disrepair; let's hope that there are improvements in the fundamentals of dining at The Gables, so the town has an outcry to have those buildings improved!! ... for the sake of The Gables AND Beach Haven.    [20 Aug 2006 22:41:32]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: Only two entrees tried, poor; desserts just ok

     ­Lani, Long Beach Island