(WXYZ) — A metro Detroit couple is bringing modern Romanian cuisine to Hazel Park with the opening of Bar Gabi this week.
Husband-and-wife chefs Gabriel and Gabriela Botezan will open Bar Gabi in the former Framebar location along John R. in Hazel Park.
The chefs have previously worked in Italian kitchens across the area, including at Bacco Ristorante in Southfield and Adelina in Downtown Detroit.
Both born in Romania, specifically Transylvania and Bucharest, Gabriel and Gabriela said that they want to highlight Romanian cuisine, which is rarely given high-level treatment.
“This is about sharing who we are,” Gabriela said in a statement. "Romanian food is almost overlooked in America. We want to showcase our food and hospitality at the level it deserves, and to highlight it and celebrate it more.”
“Opening Bar Gabi for me and my wife, it’s our longtime dream basically coming true,” Gabriel added. “This means everything to us because we finally find ourselves opening the restaurant that we always dreamed to have — to showcase our culture and showcase our food, our passion.”
Gabriel will oversee the savory side of the menu, while Gabriela will oversee the bread and dessert program.
Some of the menu highlights include:
- Tomahawk Schnitzel — breaded bone-in pork chop with smoked paprika and mustard greens
- Transylvanian Goulash — braised beef and potatoes, rustic and soulful
- “Vaca Moo” — a rotating steak with Hungarian peppers and hand-cut fries
- Rotating house-made pastas — fresh, monthly-changing, including ragùs, seafood, and vegetarian options
- Desserts by Gabriela — Romanian staples like Cremes (flaky pastry with vanilla cream), Amandina (rum-soaked chocolate sponge cake), and Albinita (layered honey cake with crème fraîche and honeycomb), as well as Gabriela’s famous tiramisu.
The restaurant will also have a cocktail program from Adelina alum Kenneth Laatz.
Bar Gabi will officially open at 5 p.m. Friday, and will offer weekly dinner service from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. They expect to add a Sunday brunch service later this fall. Reservations can be made on OpenTable.
