Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published April 5, 2006 Click here for the current edition Gabrielle's New Location I spoke with Mary and Greg Sonnier, the owners and chefs of the excellent Gabrielle, over the weekend, and they told me that they've completed the purchase of their new restaurant. And it's in a great place. "We bought an old catering operation on Henry Clay at Laurel," Mary told me. "It's perfect, because it's in a neighborhood but zoned commercial. It even has a liquor license. Not far from where we live, either." The original Gabrielle on Esplanade Avenue near City Park was damaged severly by the hurricane. They decided not to attempt to repair it, which makes sense to me: it never was much of a place to begin with. The kitchen was absurdly small and the dining rooms' low ceiling made it incredibly noisy. While there's no doubt that some will miss the old place, this is a big step up for Gabrielle. The business is certainly there: Clancy's, just a few blocks away, is a packed house at all hours. "They can use some competition," Mary said. But it's likely that having another great restaurant in the vicinity will make both even busier. The only problem to be addressed: parking. The new Gabrielle will have to rely on curbside parking, at least for now. But that's how it is at Clancy's and, for that matter, the old Gabrielle. They're not willing to predict an opening date yet, because modifications need to be made to the building. But it can't come soon enough for Gabriele's many fans. © 2006 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com