"That was a very pleasant, unexpected surprise. My noble gum and I came here last Friday night before a punk concert in the nearby Starland ballroom, which judged by some of the interesting hair colors in the dining room, we were not the only ones. This is one of my least favorite areas of the state, and I was not thrilled about the nearby restaurants on paper. Gusto Grill had a favorable location for us, and a fairly safe, though lightly edgy kitchen we could both return. I came a few minutes before my friend and could grab a high table in the bar area very easily while I waited. Anyone I interacted with from the minute at the door was super friendly, professional and accessible exactly what you want, and one of the intangibles you do not always get, unfortunately. I decided to get the Ghostly Encounter Cocktail $12), partly because of the name, partly because it had a unique / fascinating mix that rose, vodka and the star of the show, house made ghost pepper syrup. Hadn't disappointed it had a kick at the end, but I didn't find it over the top. Your bartender has a legit mexiology capability set that is 90% for me to go the scarcity of different ingredients, and with spirit pepper syrup? You know better what you're doing so that the girls don't have smoke from their ears. Good work. We share the Sesam Ginger Calamari $18), and I chose the Sashimi Tuna App $22) as my entree. Both were very good. Calamari comes to me texture more than anything, and this dish had the perfect crispness to it, the fact that it was perfectly seasoned with a beautiful Asian pest was a bonus. We polished it pretty fast. The tuna was also excellent. I was definitely not as hungry as I could have been, so if you came in here with a casual appetite, that's not something I would get for your main meal. But it was the perfect part for me. The tuna was fresh, and it is very similar to a sesame ahi tuna you would get in a steakhouse that I feel quite often when I don't feel QUITE as a meat-eating / awesome from my place at the top of the food chain). I already touched it briefly, but the service was absolutely top notch. Our waiter often came by to check us, and I can't remember a single time when we looked around or waited for him to bring us a court, check, etc. We were also not the only people in the bar area this was a Friday night at 6:30, so there was a decent crowd), and he could still show quite a lot when we wanted him. I don't know who's responsible for this place, but they know what they're doing. Strong, highly recommended. My Chum, who is not given the good praise, noticed during the meal how impressed she was, and that she wished that she continued a location to the north where we live. Gusto Grill is the rare breed that deals with many unique flavors/offers, but also with high-quality service and hos"
New Brunswick
