MONTEREY COUNTY HERALD

A locals favorite in Carmel changes ownership but remains constant
Carmelites cast a wary eye toward change -- especially when that change has youthful enthusiasm behind it. So last October, when the venerable Gem Restaurant changed hands -- snatched up by a young, hip couple from Walnut Creek -- the notoriously skeptical locals prepared themselves for the worst.
They can relax. The Gem is still a gem.

"We're here to stay," said proprietor Josh Lelah, who, with his partner Kendra Gash, bought The Gem to form a lasting career. "We have innovations, sure, but we also know a good thing."

The Gem has long been a local favorite, off the tourist track and tucked in the back of a small courtyard on San Carlos -- behind Carmel's only liquor store. It has always been a place to find a quiet table at which to enjoy bistro-style, Euro-American food at reasonable prices.

The menu is dotted with hearty favorites such as roasted duck, New York sirloin with brandied peppercorn cream sauce, filet mignon, veal picatta or marsala, frog legs Provencal, or a comfy cassoulet.

Lelah, who previously worked in sales and, Gash, who has worked as a waitress, hostess, manager and chef, retained the kitchen crew and staff and made subtle yet effective changes (new kitchen equipment, new signage, fresh décor).

The couple works tirelessly, Lelah waiting tables and smoothing concerns out front and Gash tweaking the menu, setting the specials and keeping a thousand details in order. And sanity be damned, they plan to add a summer lunch menu in May.

Bathed in low, romantic light, the two adjacent rooms are accented by rich sapphire blue walls and a newly painted mural of a tree-lined beach.

"I always wanted a restaurant with an ocean view," Lelah laughed.

Lelah created a Web site, which includes discount opportunities, and the couple cooked up a four-course dinner special (soup, salad, entrée with potatoes and vegetables, and dessert) for $20.95.

|SHE SAID|

How often we've walked by the sign on San Carlos, but never ventured into the recesses of that little courtyard. People are funny that way. Foot traffic only reluctantly ventures down the unbeaten path, so restaurants never take for granted that tried-and-true advertiser, word of mouth.

My overall impression of The Gem is this: What a lovely place to take out-of-town guests, which is just what we did. The menu holds something for every generation: from traditional beef Wellington, for example ($22.95), or chicken Kiev ($17.95) for the senior set; stuffed calamari steak ($17.95) for the... uh, 40-somethings; pasta primavera ($15.95) for the picky preteen.

The salad, served with each entrée, earned universal high praise at our table. The new owners wisely preserved the popular favorite "gem salad" off the old menu and added their own delectable dressing. The most tender portion of the romaine head, the heart, is quartered, and served intensely cold and crisp on a chilled plate, complemented by tangy red onion, red and yellow bell pepper, shredded carrot for a shot of color and hearts of palm.

My baked lightly crusted boneless chicken breast came stuffed with spinach, brie and apricots, drizzled with a light ginger cream sauce. This surprising combination of delicate flavors yielded a richly elegant meal (that required my practically having to stab Mike's hand with a fork after one too many stolen bites).

This funky little place is a sort of Victorian, sort of retro, sort of elegant continental-style retreat. Oil lamps adorn rich blue walls; velvet-covered slipper chairs and a Queen Anne couch create a cozy booth; big band sounds waft around the dining room. This comfortable quirkiness makes it feel a little like dining in someone's home.

And in the middle of it all, there's us, ordering homemade key lime pie (out of this world) and a sinful little chocolatey number called "mudslide pie." We exited, swinging our myriad doggie bags (portions are generous here), already planning to pass the word on The Gem to our friends.

|HE SAID|

The words "The Gem" rarely roll off someone's tongue when asked to name five restaurants in Carmel. It's not a high-profile spot, sitting next to a pub and behind a liquor store and not blessed with good signage or trendy marketing gimmicks.

This is an old fashioned restaurant that focuses on the food, the service and creating an unhurried atmosphere -- unforced-retro with the warmth and welcome of a private home.

Order a Caesar for two, made tableside, or Coquilles St. Jacques (scallops and mushrooms in a white wine cream sauce), or Tournedos Rossini. Think of Glenn Miller, the post-Depression, pre-war '30s -- an unhurried, pre-electronic calm.

Lelah's youthful smile and energy come through with genuine sincerity. He's young, but smart enough to know that too much change can kill an established restaurant.

Some menu items will raise a few eyebrows among the less-traveled diners -- escargots, frog legs, carpaccio. But it's an adventure in dining directed by knowledgeable tour guides.

The Crepes Neptune appetizer, for example, is an item rarely seen. Two delicate crepes filled with shrimp, bay scallops, herbs and light cream (served warm) started us down a pleasant path. Not too rich, never fishy.

Melissa described the salad well. The cold, crisp Romaine section makes a wonderful base for a salad. Again, pleasantly different.

I wavered when it came to my entrée, my heart leaning toward the eight-rib rack of lamb ($23.95) with a Dijon, herb crust and a Madeira demi glaze, and my head choosing the crusted mahi mahi.

Two chunky filets were expertly prepared, rolled in crushed almonds, baked tender and laid upon whipped potatoes. What I thought at first were fingerling potatoes turned out to be poached pear wedges, surrounded by cherry tomatoes and spinach. The entrée, a week-long special, held a diversity of flavors and textures. A winner.

The Gem is aptly named. Here's hoping the new owners retain its brilliance.
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THE GEM San Carlos at Ocean and 7th, Carmel 625-4367• Hours: Open nightly 5-10 p.m., except Wednesdays; early bird special ($14.95), 5-6 p.m. • Cards: all major • Wheelchair Access: yes • Bar: beer and wine • Price range: $14.95-$23.95 • Web site: http://www.gemrestaurant.com/ • Pluses: Charming, quirky elegance; new twists on old favorites; affordable specials • Minuses: Out-of-the-way location; no kids menu • The Bottom Line: Old-time Euro-American specialties served in an unhurried atmosphere
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Carmel residents Mike Hale and Melissa Snyder approach their reviews from a couple's perspective. All visits are made anonymously. Comment at tablefortwo@sbcglobal.net.GO!

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