Gaby's was busy because it was lunch hour, but we were willing to wait to get one of the outdoor tables. We were waiting for a table for four when someone sat at the table the waitress was getting ready to clean up for us. She tried to tell him that we were already waiting for that particular table, but she was easily rebuffed when he told her that he'd already been sitting there and that his friends were on their way over. She did not argue and we waited 30 more minutes for a different table. She told us she could not do anything else about it.

This kind of service unacceptable in any New York City restaurant is commonplace in Los Angeles. I will experience more of this throughout my dining experiences in the city.

The food was excellent, however. We had Greek stuffed grape leaves, mixed green salad, lentils, and a chicken kebab sandwich. Maybe we were just ravenous after all that waiting.