Gabe’s By The Park

-- Margaret A. Pribel

Returning to classes full time has its drawbacks: the “freshman five” or 10 or 20 pounds, can seem unavoidable. After packing on a few unneeded extra pounds myself last year, I vowed this year to either lose weight or at least not gain anymore while I sit glued to my PC during all my free time, studying, of course.

I’ve joined Weight Watchers and go walking as often as I can. While I usually make it to the Weight Watchers meetings, getting out to walk when assignments are due is nearly impossible. And I know last year my food choices weren’t always the healthiest and could have been better. This year, I’m reaching out to find alternative places to eat near each campus and trying to make better choices while I rush from work to evening classes.

Gabe’s By The Park, on the corner of Lexington Parkway and Energy Park Drive in St. Paul, is a sports bar and grill that has a few surprises. First, there is a smoking section that seems to dominate the place. (I didn’t say they were all good surprises.) Second, it’s not a loud and rowdy place, at least in the hour before class starts. Light, after-work chatter of regulars, punctuated with chortles, made for a mellow mix of noise. Music from 80’s bands like Bow Wow-Wow and U2 played just over the low conversational hum. The low bass and high treble gave the impression of a single-speaker radio, circa 1963, during certain songs. Last-minute studying is entirely possible in the low-key atmosphere.

Gabe’s doesn’t have that feel of going spelunking that some bars have during daylight hours; the booths have windows, which is a rare thing in most bars. The place is adorned with sports pictures. St. Paul Saint’s baseball team seems to be the particular patron saint(s) of the place. The dividers between booths are adorned with hockey goalies etched in the glass and televisions can be seen from most any spot in the place. There is no mistaking Gabe’s for the Tea Room at the Plaza; it is an unapologetic sports bar and grill.

The servers were skilled, friendly and helpful. When I asked about low-calorie choices, the server confidently answered my questions. She offered to replace the deep-fried chicken breast with the grilled chicken breast. Service was timely, even as a slow eater, I was done with dinner in under an hour.

While relaxing and studying a little, I overheard a woman at the next table exclaim, “This is the best beer-cheese soup I’ve ever had.” My grilled chicken breast and firecracker salad with low-fat ranch dressing was a hearty size but was served with a forgettable dinner roll. On another visit I had the fried cheese curds. They were decadent and delightful, and completely guilt- inspiring.

Overall, Gabe’s is a good choice if you keep in mind that it is a sports bar.

Food selections include pizza, burgers, salads, soups, pastas, sandwiches and dinners. Average prices for salads and sandwiches are around $8. Dinners range from $12 to $17. The menu can be found on their Web site, and they have coupons you can print too www.gabesbythepark.com. Call ahead, 651-646-3066, for take-out if time before class is too short.

The Metropolitan Home || Calendar || Masthead || Contact
Metropolitan State University Homepage

All material © Metropolitan 2005, except as noted. All rights reserved.