It’s Frugal Foodie Friends Friday! Be sure to check out Esther’s review too! If you missed it, here’s the post with our bucket list. And here is our list on Yelp if you want to check it out!

Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen – Brea
Instagram: @gabbis_kitchen

Arrived: 5:20 pm
Overall rating: 5
Ambiance: 5
Timeliness: 5
Service: 5
Quality of food: 5
Cost of meal: $39 each
Time spent: 2 hours

Esther and I were really looking forward to visiting Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen as our coworker had raved about it! And it was definitely a great place to go for our last Frugal Foodie Friends. We decided to make reservations the week of to make sure we got a table, but when we arrived at 5:20 the place was fairly empty. It definitely picked up around 6:30 though!

I absolutely loved the atmosphere of Gabbi’s – the brick walls, blown glass art, and lanterns make for a fun yet upscale environment. After sitting down, we were promptly brought menus and were offered something to drink. The servers were very friendly and our appetizer and drinks were brought out within ten minutes of us ordering.

Empanadas de Viento  –  $14
inflated tortilla, shrimp, nopales, green chorizo, crema, queso fresco

These empanadas were unlike anything I’ve ever had! The inflated tortillas were so crisp and the ingredients so fresh! They were warm, a little spicy and had great flavor. The combination was amazing and I would definitely order them again!

Duck Carnitas Tacos – $17
moscovy duck confit, chile quemado, tangerine, red onion, spinach

The duck tacos sounded so interesting and many Yelp reviewers said how great these tacos are! However I was slightly disappointed that the tacos weren’t more flavorful. The tangerine and spinach were interesting toppings for a taco and I appreciated the creativity, however the duck was fairly bland. I must add that the bacon infused beans were very tasty though!

Carnitas Norteñas – $18
braised berkshire pork, pico de gallo, guacamole, chicharrones, handmade tortillas

These carnitas were the star of the meal. In contrast to the duck, the pork was extremely flavorful! The guacamole and pico de gallo were amazing and the chicharrones added the perfect amount of crunch. I would recommend these 10/10!

Esther and I had a great time at Gabbi’s. It was the perfect place to sit and catch up after a long day of work or go out for a date with your S.O. I wish I was in Orange County a little longer to visit again!

Hope you guys enjoyed my review of Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen! Don’t forget to check out Esther’s post. And keep an eye out for more food reviews when I get to Virginia!