Seared Octopus
Local 188

Local 188

685 Congress Street, Portland, 04102, United States Of America

Cafés • Spanish • European • Vegetarian


"Wusssuuuuuuppppppppp My main squeeze and I made a reservation here for Feb 12 (before valentines day) probably about 3 weeks in advance and were able to get a good dinner time of 7:30. Decent yo. We arrived 15 minutes early and had to wait a little bit to be seated. But thats showbiz baby. The whole aesthetic there was pretty sweet. I really liked the pillows around the bench seats and whole friggin vibe ya know? Took my hat off when I walked in gee wiz So we got dinner. But before dinner I was skiing out at white heat all day, crushing the warm day freshies, and we could put the ARRR in starving (tummy was growlin). I was not prepared for the proportions we were about to be served. I've attached the gnocchi we got. I'll note it was literally the best I've ever had. Pillowy, soft, creamy, godly. You're a fool not to try it. If I was close enough to the cook I would've asked the secret is. But I was let down by the proportion. I could've eaten two of these along with my tappas. The tappas we got: brussel sprouts (literally a MUST EAT. SOOOO GUUD), olives (also good but beware of the pits. I just ate them like a man), and the shrimp. Brussel sprouts and olives exceeded expectations, but I wouldn't recommend the shrimp because it comes with three shrimp for 15 and how am I expected to share three shrimp? Doesn't quite fit the tappas definition imo. But aside from that, they were friggin good too! If I could adjust the Google review, I'd give them three due to the prices per portion. Otherwise, everything else was great. The food we got was phenomenal, our service was par for the course, and the music playlist was relevant and good. Good for a date if you make a reservation. Get with it y'all. Seeya next time 188"

Gabriella's Italian Steakhouse

Gabriella's Italian Steakhouse

447 State Route 35NJ 07701, 07748, Red Bank, United States

Pasta • Cheese • Italian • Seafood


"We've been to Gabriella's a couple of times now and we are fans! The food is very good. The service is on par with the food. The first time we went, Lief was out waiter. Nice guy. Great server who is knowledgeable about the menu and make good suggestions. From the appetizer menu, we had Tomato and Onions, Tomato Mozzarella Caprese and the Double Cut Bacon. While the Tomato Onion was not what I envisioned, the tomatoes were fresh, though it was too much onion (it was not on the menu the last time we went). The Caprese was lovely. Fresh, lots of Mozzarella and the dressing was not overpowering. The Bacon is insanely good. Highly recommend you give it a shot. It's one big thick delicious slice. For mains, we had the Chicken Parm (previous version) which was one of the best my BF ever had. It had a really great crunch, was liberally covered with tomato sauce and cheese, and since it was really for two, he had a perfect meal leftover for the next day. The Pork Chop is moist and flavorful and if you like Sweet Potato, I guess the puree was good. For me it was beyond sweet which I didn't care for. The Hanger Steak was cooked perfectly rare and the combination with the Pancetta, onions and mushrooms elevated it and made it more interesting, especially since it had almost a chimichurri on top. The Salmon with Escarole White Beans was slightly over medium, but had a super nice crispy skin and the beans and escarole were not heavy. The Truffle Gnocchis, if you are a fan of both are worth the trip. The gnocchis are quite large and a bit thicker heavier than I like, but the flavor combo with the truffle and spinach made it super tasty. The Truffle Mac Cheese cannot be missed! Worth the trip!"