Gabriel's Restaurant   

Gabriel Viti's North Shore, wine-focused restaurant is just as colorful as the owner himself. His eponymous eatery, which pays homage to his extensive French and Italian training (with Joel Robuchon in Paris; Freddy Girardet in Switzerland; Michel Guerard in southwestern France; and San Domenico of Imola in Italy), feted its 10-year anniversary in 2003, however, for Viti, the fun is just beginning. Diners will be pleasantly surprised as this wine and food fanatic makes his rounds by popping over to every table to hang out and make wine recommendations. The classic setting will also put them at ease as they settle into an elegant dining room of white linen, mahogany and etched glass. The menu, of course, showcases Viti's best creations, from a roasted herb-crusted Alaskan halibut with shitake mushrooms and sesame soy vinaigrette to a succulent roasted prime aged beef tenderloin with mushrooms, pearl onions and rosemary sauce. Pasta selections include homemade tortelloni filled with spinach and ricotta with prosciutto and parmigiano; homemade gnocchi with fresh spinach and creamy tomato vodka sauce; and linguini with gulf shrimp, asparagus and plum tomatoes. The best deal is the $60 degustation menu, which includes an appetizer, pasta, entree and dessert. For serious onephiles, Gariel's offers an appointment-only wine shop a block away. This high-end wine shop features rare and vintage vino and cigars in an exclusive lower-level setting. -- Audarshia Townsend