At the Bar with Ken:

Fixing Drinks, Fixing Sinks

This month, we’re handing it over to Ken Laatz, our lovable and talented beverage director. Ken is crucial to Bar Gabi, and this place just wouldn’t be the same without him. We love Ken. And you will too.

Ken Laatz here, and if there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I love side projects. They’re the spice of life.

Yes, I’m the beverage director, but I’m also sort of a handyman around here. Troubleshooting wifi issues. Fixing the patio heaters. Hanging pictures. I love that stuff. When I was a kid, my dad owned a construction company. I literally grew up fixing sinks.

My dad and I were always obsessed with restaurants. We ate out together a lot, and we would always have these discussions afterward about what makes a great restaurant. What makes a great experience. We even talked about owning our own restaurant one day. My dad always had these amazing ideas, but they never really left the paper. It was just sort of this fun side thing we were always doing. Always dreaming about restaurants together.

I grew up just south of Traverse City, in Fife Lake. I came down to Flint in my early 20s and started bartending at a clubby bar/restaurant. One day, the owner said, “I think you’d make a good bartender.”

I think about that. What makes a good bartender? What did he see in me as a young man? Work ethic and organization, I hope. But I think he saw that I loved storytelling, too. I loved making people laugh. Back then, I used to tell these big, elaborate stories to customers. I don’t think it has a place in a proper restaurant today, but in a small bar it’s a cool thing. Bartenders should be sociable, dammit! Look, if you’re reading this, and you come into Bar Gabi sometime and ask me for a story, I’ll tell you one. But only if you ask.

I’m not sure if people really understand just how rare Bar Gabi is. So many restaurants in Detroit have deep pockets, but this is a truly chef-owned and operated place. Bootstrapped from sweat and passion. Soulful Romanian food. Phenomenally Italian. Elegant desserts. It’s a Romanian restaurant with a full bar. A deep amaro list. Bespoke cocktails with Romanian ingredients. That’s so f–king cool. Travel the globe, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anything else like it.

The more I learn about Romanian ingredients, the wider my eyes get at the possibilities. There’s a special Romanian liquor made from sour cherries called vișinată, and we’re going to try to make it next year. There’s also an herb that’s really hard to find around here, called lovage, that has a sort of celery flavor. Chef Gabe has located it, though, and I’m excited to start using it in our drinks. Side projects. You feel me?

Romania’s famous plum brandy, Țuică, is incorporated into our fall cocktail menu, in a drink we call Amintirea: bourbon, plum brandy, espresso, sherry, chocolate, and toasted walnut demerara. Dark and fruity. Of course, I draw a lot of influence from Gabriela. She spent a few years in Italy, and she loves limoncello. So, we started making our own. We also serve one of the best Hugo Spritzes anywhere. There’s a lemon and elderflower syrup that’s common in Romania, so it’s a natural fit for a Hugo..

Also, if you know Gabe, you know he adores Hungarian hot peppers. So I came up with a drink that combines tequila, cucumber, green Chartreuse, lime, and a little Hungarian pepper. Super refreshing. It’s called a Foc Verde. Try it next time you stop in. I’m proud of the bar program and where it’s going. There’s nothing else like it around.

As a bartender, I’m on the front lines of the restaurant, and I always explain Bar Gabi to people like this: Chef Gabe has a rustic, Romanian heart and soul, and Gabriela’s pastries are very elegant and beautiful. It’s this really cool yin and yang. Oh, and they’re both great people. They have a way of working at a high level without any ego.

In fact, the Gabis have as little ego as I’ve seen from anyone in this business. It’s truly something rare. One time, I watched a plate of food get sent back because someone said it was too salty. Gabe very calmly, and with humility, tasted it, made another one, and then brought it himself to the customer. That’s the type of guy he is. That’s the type of person I want to work for.

If there’s one last thing I want you to know, it’s this: Every day we get a new regular, or convert a new person to the restaurant. Every day there are more walk-ins. More reservations. More, more, more. We’re really building something here. And if you’ve read this far, you’re a part of that. A part of something special. So, thank you for that.

I truly and fully believe we’re on a path to becoming one of the best restaurants in the country. All the accolades and notoriety. It’s coming. So come be a part of that journey with us and get in on the ground floor. Come sit at the bar. For me, it’s the best seat in the house.

Your Bar Gabi bar manager and handyman,

Ken

At the Bar with Ken:

Fixing Drinks, Fixing Sinks

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