We’re Taking the Schnitzel Off the Menu

But wait until you see the summer dishes replacing it...

We’re nearing our first summer at Bar Gabi, and we couldn’t be more excited.

Last week, we dropped our brand new summer menu and we’d love to tell you about those new additions, so prepare to get hungry! (And for our schnitzel-lovers, stay tuned later this month for a 'happy' update.)

Summer can be a challenge because Romanian cooking is usually pretty heavy — lots of pork, hearty stews, dairy, and bread. With the warming weather, we’ve decided to move towards lighter, more refreshing dishes that still keep our Romanian heart beating. That said, the pork schnitzel is going to take a break. The goulash will be coming off the menu, too. We know some people will miss these items, but they’ll be back when the time is right. (And when they do return, you’ll appreciate them even more.)

Romania is a beautiful agrarian country where everyone has a vegetable garden, and in that garden is always eggplant. Eggplant is quintessential to Romanian summer, and salata de vinete is a classic eggplant spread that we enjoy every year. Think of it like babaghanoush, only better. Charred eggplant and fresh tomatoes with toast is simple, but also rich, smoky, and sweet. If there’s one dish that transports us back to Romania in the summer, back to our grandparents’ house and into their garden, it’s the salata de vinete.

Though it’s not traditional, octopus has become one of our signature dishes. When you try it, you’ll understand why. Incredibly tenderized octopus tentacles are grilled over fire and served with harissa aioli, scallions, pickled fresno peppers, and an olive & caper salad. People who have followed our journey know about our octopus. It takes time and skilled hands to prepare it properly, but when you do it right, it’s one of the most delicious meals a person can enjoy. This dish has been building and building for years, and the warm weather is the perfect time to introduce you all to it.

Of course, Bar Gabi isn’t just Romanian, and will always feature heavy influence from Italia. Abruzzo, a mountainous Italian region that’s just a little south of Romania’s latitude, is well-known for their grilled lamb skewers, also known as arrosticini. It’s very summery and light, and a natural fit for not only Bar Gabi, but also Detroit, a city that devours lamb in all of its various forms. Grilled meats are a theme on our summer menu, which is why we’ve also conquered baby back ribs. These ribs are rubbed & smoked, fried, then tossed in Gabe’s top secret barbecue sauce. They’re sticky (the very definition of rib-sticking), flavorful, and served with cabbage slaw and fries. Ribs are synonymous with summer, so we couldn’t resist.

We always joke that Romanian’s favorite vegetable is pork, and Bar Gabi wouldn’t be the same without it. Ceafa de pork — a pork steak with mini yukon golds and garlic sauce — is a common Sunday meal in Romania, and one of those classic dinners we like to have when the family is all together. This is a go-to dish during the summer, both for our household and many other Romanian households. You know how you grill steak here in America? We do pork steak. A boneless shoulder that’s tender and flavorful. It wouldn’t be summer without it.

But our most exciting collaboration is probably our new G&G burger. The homemade burger buns come courtesy of Gabriela — a soft, buttery milk bun that’s a lot like brioche. It’s tender, a little sweet, and the perfect bun for a 4-ounce filet. That’s right, this burger isn’t a ground meat patty. It’s a hunk of beautifully cooked steak topped with Hungarian hot banana peppers, caramelized onion, bacon, and a spicy aioli. The response to it has already been amazing. However, at first, people didn’t really get the idea. They were expecting a classic burger; not a filet. But every single person that’s had this burger has become wowed by it. It’s very tender. And with Gabi’s milk bun, this sandwich just melts in your mouth. We always work best as a team, and the G&G burger is proof of that.

Gabriela’s hometown is Cluj-Napoca, which she visited last summer. This is a beautiful city surrounded by forests and grasslands, with a temperate, mountain climate. It’s big, green and beautiful. About 20 minutes outside of the town there are many trout farms. In Cluj-Napoca, freshwater trout is commonly grilled in the summer, so we honor Gabi’s hometown by grilling this freshwater fish and serving it with chicory greens and a charred lemon. Oh, and Gabi is also adding her iconic diplomat to the summer dessert menu. A vanilla sponge cake with fresh orange, pineapple, and vanilla whipped cream. Legendary in Romanian cuisine.

We’re thrilled to share our first summer at Bar Gabi with you. As we continue to hone our identity, we feel more comfortable making changes to the menu. We trust you to trust us, and we want to thank you so much for continuing to show support. This is a place for community and connection and family. For people to come together. A place with Romanian fire and heart. Bar Gabi is many things, but above all else, it is our home. It’s your home, too, and we can’t wait to see you here.

Best,

G&G (Gabi and Gabi)

We’re Taking the Schnitzel Off the Menu

But wait until you see the summer dishes replacing it...

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