What's Good

Some days call for a fancy lunch. Birthdays, meeting friends you haven't seen in a while, brutal weeks at the office — eating something wadded in paper will not do. You need little bread plates, ironed tablecloths and a plate of something slightly romantic that required deglazing and reducing. Sadly, not all of these days come after payday, and accruing debt so you can pop bottles at noon on a Wednesday is just self-destructive. Consider instead the veal marsala fettuccine ($11) on the lunch menu at Gabriel's. The veal is seared and tender, tossed with red onions and mushrooms in a garlicky marsala sauce. Fresh parmesan? Make it rain. There you are up on the second floor, dipping your bread into a dish of green olive oil, eating real food like a person instead of hunching over your keyboard and picking cold fries out of a paper bag. Enjoy the ribbons of al dente pasta, and embrace the return of your dignity.