Coming Back to the Restaurant of Our Dreams
Bar Gabi just returned from summer break, and we had a long conversation about summer, our wonderful staff, and what we’re learning as restaurant owners. Enjoy!
Gabriel: During break, we took the kids and went to see my sister in South Dakota, on the west side of the state. We visited Badlands National Park, caught some really beautiful scenery, saw some bison, and then ate some bison (bison burgers are big in South Dakota).
It’s nice to get a little break in the summer. The entire staff was off, so everyone got to recharge.
Gabriela: The first day back at the restaurant, everyone hugged each other! That melted my heart. The best feeling in the world is to realize that wow, I missed this. I missed the people. Our people. The fulfillment we get from running this restaurant with our staff. I think it’s important to acknowledge every moment in time, and right now we’re doing a lot of things right.
Since opening almost a year ago, we’ve maintained nearly the same staff. They’re proud and happy to be working with us. That means so much. At the end of the summer, we’re going to have a big barbecue with the whole staff, and everyone seems so excited to hang out together. I personally feel so connected with our people here.
Gabriel: Everybody’s on the same page. I’m thrilled about that. We try to give them the opportunity to showcase their talents. For me, to foster and grow young chefs is important. I’m trying to do for them what chefs did for me at Bacco.
At Bacco, I remember when they put me in charge of doing the vegan menu. I mean, you know I love meat. But, I was very intrigued by the idea of stepping out of my comfort zone. Doing the vegan menu was a big move up for me as a chef, and they’re the ones who gave me the opportunity.
When Gabriela and I did pop-ups together at Frame, I think my vegan menu was always the most popular. I love the challenge of cooking with only vegetables (see: our Romanian summer salad). They’re so versatile, and it’s fun to come up with something tasty and special without meat. I wouldn’t have discovered my love of vegan cooking if somebody at Bacco didn’t say, “Hey, you’re in charge of this.” That’s what I try to do with our cooks here. It’s important to nurture young chefs and challenge them, because I was a young chef once.
Gabriela: We just trust everyone here. For me, I never thought we’d be able to take off work during the first year of Bar Gabi. You would think that, realistically, we’d have to be here all the time overworking ourselves. But, the truth is that it's been easy for us to step away when we need to. And that’s not something that comes very easily for us. We’re so used to touching every little thing. Gabi and I are both control freaks. Is that fair to say?
Gabriel: [laughs] Yes.
Gabriela: But we found our own way. I like to say that my guard isn’t down, it’s gone. We have so much trust in both the front and the back of the house. It’s incredible.
Gabriel: We’re a unit. I’m happy to say that. Of course, summers are a slow time for restaurants in Michigan. It’s crazy hot outside. The smoke is bad. People are on vacation. But, it’s going to pick up again very soon, and when it does, we’re going to be ready.
We’re still running specials everyday. Last weekend, I ran Nantucket bay scallops with peas and serrano ham. Our cooks are also all contributing specials. Stretching their creativity. Our pastas keep evolving with the months, too. July was all about chittara-cut spaghetti vongole with clams and capers, plus a wild mushroom trottole. The octopus has been a big hit since it appeared on the summer menu. One of my signature dishes.
We’re also finalizing a consistent brunch menu. On the last Sunday of every month, we do brunch. We normally like to play around and experiment with the menu, but now we’re taking all the hits from the last three or four brunches and putting them together. Come in on Sunday, July 26th, to see what our finalized brunch menu looks like. It’s really, really good.
Gabriela: I just want to say that this past month we’ve really grown alongside the staff. We’ve begun a lot more staff training. We’re more invested in pre-shift meetings. And we make sure we’re interacting with everyone. We’re growing with them. Discovering what they need. We’re really invested in their lives, and who they are as people. And they’ve got our back as well! It’s really beautiful to say, “I hear you, and you hear me.”
Customers mention all the time how wonderful the staff here is, and that makes me so happy. After a short break, I think we both realized that this is the restaurant of our dreams. And our people — both our wonderful guests and employees — have made that dream a reality. So thank you guys so much.
We can’t wait to see you soon!
Gabi & Gabi
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.