How Gabi Became Obsessed With Pasta
Gabriel here,
People often ask me about my obsession with Italian food, and you might be surprised to learn that it goes all the way back to Romania.
In 1986, in a small Romanian village called Vama Veche, my grandparents bought a cottage on the coast of the Black Sea. Growing up, it was our summer house. It still is, actually.
Next to that house lived an Italian man and his daughter from Firenzi (Florence). They barely spoke Romanian, but the daughter and my sister became fast friends. Often, they would invite us over for dinner — a true Italian dinner. He would make us fresh pasta, traditional appetizers, and even come over to pick fresh vegetables from our garden for the salad. The first time I ate his cooking I remember being blown away. The weight of his simple, rustic cooking made a lasting mark on me at a young age.
My love for pasta only grew in America, where Italian food is much different. When I moved to the U.S. in 2001, I landed in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. My first job there was at a mom and pop Italian-American restaurant — the type of place that churned out chicken parmesan, baked ziti, meatballs, ragu, stuff like that. All homemade, though. All served in this little 40-seat restaurant in South Dakota. That was my first experience cooking Italian food professionally, and I knew I wanted to continue my journey.
From there, I moved to Michigan, where I worked at a little farm-to-table restaurant in Port Sanilac in the Thumb. (Farm-to-table, by the way, is extremely Italian.) We would drive the two hours to Detroit early in the week to visit Eastern Market and pick up our ingredients for the week. Then we’d write the menu in the truck on the way back. That's where I really started to elevate my cooking. Once a week we would put an Italian dish on the menu, and I couldn’t help but notice how truly happy I was making fresh pasta.
The owner of the farm-to-table restaurant introduced me to Luciano del Signore, the owner of Bacco, where I eventually got a job. Bacco, which closed last year, is where I met fellow chef Marco Dalla Fontana, my mentor and friend. One day, Marco asked me to make him fresh pasta, so I did. He said, “This is good, but let me show you the right way.” Marco showed me the ways of pasta, how to properly knead dough, shape it to your will, and how to prepare simple, flavorful, Italian sauces.
My journey from Romania, to the Italian-American restaurant in Sioux Falls, to the farm-to-table one in Port Sanalac, to learning the secrets of pasta from Marco at Bacco all fused my Romanian spirit with Italian. I love Italian food with all my heart, which is why we’re doing the Taste of Italy events, a series of dinners every month exploring the different regions of Italy.
Italian food is part of Bar Gabi’s heart. It’s why we always have three pastas on the menu — one meat, one seafood, and one vegetarian. The short rib pasta will probably stay on forever due to high public demand. It’s inspired by the creamy, peppery nature of cacio e pepe. Cacio e pepe is my favorite pasta dish, by the way. It’s just so simple but packed with so much flavor, which is very Romanian. It’s also one of the hardest pastas to get right, but I’ve worked with my team, as Marco worked with me, and now they’re all experts.
I’m always excited to showcase rustic Italian flavors here at Bar Gabi. It just fits. The whole idea of buying this place was to showcase Romanian culture, but also who Gabi and I are as chefs. So, there will always be pasta on the menu, and I can say it’s some of the best pasta you can find in Michigan.
Bar Gabi is all about Romanian blood & American spirit. But look closer, and you’ll see there’s also a beating Italian heart within.
Ciao,
Gabriel
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.