A Note From Gabriela, The Heart of Bar Gabi
Hello friends. It’s me, Gabriela.
Today, I’m hanging out with my daughters, and I’m happy.
Lately, I’ve been prioritizing rest and recalibration (that’s why I’m on the couch). I’ve been pushing myself pretty hard since we opened Bar Gabi. I needed a reset, and you know who reminded me of that? My daughters, Emma and Guiliana.
Emma turns eight this month, and Guiliana is 11. They are my whole world. Gabi and I both work a lot, which is a good thing — we love what we do — but it can also be tough with two children. Of course, I always rush home to see them after work. But sometimes you need a whole day. So today I’m staying home with my daughters to hide Easter eggs.
Spring is a great time to meditate on family and community — the things that make Bar Gabi so special. As Romanians, Orthodox Easter is huge for us. We go to midnight mass, and then first thing in the morning, we have communion with blessed bread and wine. It’s our time to reflect on sacrifice, family, and rest.
This year, I’ve gone through a lot of growth. My mom had a very important surgery in January, and it really put some things in perspective. Specifically, I want to cherish my family time. I want my daughters to feel treasured. Because, truly, they are everything to us.
Rest allows for clarity and peace, but it also fuels my creativity. At the end of the month, there’s going to be some fun changes to the dessert menu. Don’t worry, I’m keeping the papanasi. Whenever a table tries it, they ask me if it’s staying on the menu. I have to say, “Yes, yes, don’t worry!” For those who haven’t had it yet, our papanasi are farmers cheese donuts with a sweet, sour cream and a blueberry compote. It’s quite lovely — a real sin cleanser.
The cremes (pronounced krem-ish) is also here to stay. Cremes is actually Gabi’s favorite dessert, and the papanasi is my favorite. It’s fun to provide traditional Romanian desserts for our Romanian guests, but also to educate non-Romanians on our culinary history! I love that more and more people are becoming familiar with the food and culture that makes us who we are.
Another staple in Romania is the diplomat cake, which is a beautiful, staggering vanilla sponge cake. Very light cream — almost whipped cream but a little more dense — with fresh orange and pineapple. Think of it like an exotic tres leches without the tres leches. It’s quite moist. The soak is traditionally simple syrup and rum, but I like to make it with pineapple juice and a little passionfruit. Not too strong; just really refreshing with a hint of rum essence. The diplomat is the cake that first inspired me to get into pastries. In fact, one of the very first cake orders I got in Detroit (nearly 10 years ago) was from Romanians who wanted a diplomat cake. So, you have to order it when it joins the menu at the end of the month.
The other thing I want to put on the menu is the tăvălită, a traditional Romanian dessert that I used to make with my mom. In Romanian, the verb tăvăli means “to roll something,” and that’s exactly what you do with this square vanilla sponge cake. My mom would make the cake and briefly soak it in chocolate syrup. Then, she would roll it around in shredded coconut. Very simple and rich, but so delicious and comforting. Pastry in Romania is all about utilizing what you have around the house. We’re thrifty like that.
Tăvălită and the diplomat are two deeply meaningful desserts to me. Desserts that represent home, family, culture, and identity — things that have been on my mind a lot lately. I also think it’s so cool that you can order one of Gabi’s beautiful Italian pastas and a traditional Romanian dessert together! Where else can you do that?
At some point in the near future, I want to make special desserts on the weekends. As a way to express my creativity, and to voice my gratitude to the people who keep supporting us. Restaurants always have savory specials, so why not sweet? Dessert should be like everything else; it should be exciting and diverse. I hate that feeling of going into a restaurant, seeing the dessert menu, and thinking, “Well, there’s cheesecake again.” Although, I do love Basque cheesecake. It’s so light and airy. Perfect for the summer, or Mother’s Day (hint hint).
When we talk about this restaurant, we like to say that Gabi is the fire, and I am the heart. He is a burning light of warmth, and I am quite sentimental. I feel a deep connection to what I do. This is all so personal to me. Cooking is personal. I hope you can all feel that when you’re here. I hope this newsletter inspires you to come back to Bar Gabi, and I also hope it inspires you to take some rest and relaxation yourselves, too. You get one life. Spend it with those you love.
Now, I’m going to get off the couch and be with my Emma and Guiliana. With my daughters — there’s no place in the world I’d rather be.
See you soon!
Gabriela
Location
23839 John R Road
Hazel Park, MI 48030
Hours
Monday — Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday — Thursday: 5 - 10 p.m.
Friday — Saturday: 5 - 11 p.m.
Sunday: 5 - 10 p.m.
Please note: Kitchen closes 30 minutes prior to posted hours.