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HE DESCRIBES the menu at The Gem
Restaurant as “classic cuisine,” a compendium
of European and American dishes. His
clientele can always
depend on their
favorites being
available when they
drop by for dinner,
and it’s that consistency
and dependability
that keep diners returning year after
year.
“I love our menu,” proprietor and executive
chef Josh Lelah said during an interview
Monday. It lists such traditional fare as
Tournedos Rossini and classic Beef
Wellington. You’ll find two veal dishes listed
there — Marsala and Piccata — and a rack
of lamb consisting of eight ribs roasted in a
Dijon and herb crust. A select filet mignon,
named after nearby Coachman’s Inn, is also
offered.
Lelah writes the menu and has provided
Chef Bull (his full name) with the recipes. A
consummate cook, Chef Bull, who comes
from Oaxaca, Mexico, learned his cooking
techniques from his grandmother. “We call
him, ‘the big guy from Oaxaca’ because he’s
responsible for encouraging other cooks
from his region to come to Carmel,” Lelah
said. Judging by the predominately Oaxacan
kitchen staffs of many Carmel and Monterey
restaurants, he is
indeed influential.
Under a Poultry
heading on the
menu are such mid-
20th century
favorites as Chicken
Kiev and Roasted Duckling — a fresh maple
leaf duck served in an orange sauce. On the
not-so-traditional side is a dazzling Briestuffed
chicken Lelah devised: Brie, spinach
and dried apricots served with a white wine
ginger cream sauce.
“I’m more of a creative person here,” he
said. “Chef Bull makes of cooking a science.”
Lelah buys the wine for the restaurant and
offers a comprehensive collection. Although
it is composed predominately of fine
California wines, there are small representations
of Italian, French and New Zealand
wines as well
GEM
The Gem’s cuisine is inspired by classic
French cooking. For example, appearing on
the lengthy appetizer list are scampi
Provençal and escargot served in mushroom
caps topped with garlic butter.
“Our sand dabs are the best in Monterey
County,” Lelah said. “I guarantee it.”
Lelah’s enthusiasm for being a restaurateur
in Carmel-by-the-Sea is undiminished
after four years in business in Carmel
Square, a tiny courtyard off San Carlos
between Ocean and Seventh Avenue. There
are only a handful of businesses in the small
court, and the Gem is recessed at the very
back. At night, it’s a little difficult to find,
given the city’s rules against sidewalk menu
boxes and lights that attract the eye.
Lelah appreciates and even harbors The
Gem’s reputation for being a “hidden treasure”
in Carmel. In fact, he said, his regular
clients like to keep The Gem a secret, believing
that when a great restaurant is discovered
and gets flattering reviews, it can become
difficult to make reservations.
“We have a personal relationship with our
customers,” he said. During the AT&T
National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach, he is gratified
to welcome again many a familiar face
— visiting diners who eat at The Gem three
or four times a week during the Pebble
Beach golf event.
Recently the restaurant has been refurbished,
with $40,000 spent on updating the
kitchen alone.
Dining room decor is inviting, with warm
apricot-colored walls and dark, hardwood
ceilings reminiscent of a curved, roll-top
desk. Modern abstract acrylic on canvas
paintings by Lauryn Taylor decorate the
walls. White table cloths are adorned with
fresh flowers, and mustard-colored napkins
are folded into decorative shapes and placed
in wine glasses on each table.
A consummate restaurateur, Lelah loves
his work. Open six nights a week, but closed
on Wednesdays, the Gem is
often visited by Lelah on
Wednesdays because he
likes to be there, fine-tuning
his place. “The Gem is my
passion,” he said.
Growing up in the San
Fernando Valley, he dedicated
himself to varsity basketball
in high school, then
went on the USC, majoring
in business administration.
But along the way, he
couldn’t wait to go to work.
He left the university and
moved to the San Francisco
Bay Area, finding work at
well known Scott’s Seafood
in Walnut Creek. His training
was classic. He started at
the bottom, working in the kitchen, then bussing tables, then climbing to
waiter and manager, culminating his career
at Scott’s as banquet manager and arranging
many a wedding feast.
It was at that point he knew he was ready
to open his own restaurant and discovered
The Gem in Carmel was for sale.
Besides Lelah and Bull, Danny Andrews
is The Gem’s head waiter, which also has two
to four servers. “We work as a team,” he said.
“I love this business and I look forward to
each day.”
The Gem Restaurant is located in Carmel
Square courtyard on San Carlos between
Ocean and Seventh, Carmel-by-the-Sea. It is
open every night except Wednesday, from 5
until closing. For information or reservations,
call (831) 625-4367. |
