Those looking for a new California-inspired restaurant should look no further than at the corner of 22 Mile and Romeo Plank Roads.
presents their newest culinary concept: Oro, which translates to ‘gold’ in both Spanish and Italian. The restaurant, led by Executive Chefs Gabriella and Michael Baldwin, will feature cuisine inspired by Latin-American flavors and laid-back California culture, but what makes Oro most unique is its nod to skateboard culture, an interest Mike and Gabriella have shared since their time at culinary school.
Mike and Gabriella have a long history of using their roots to create original dining concepts. Gabriella, a native New Yorker, is of Italian and Puerto Rican descent. Mike, her husband, is from Michigan. The couple met while attending the Culinary Institute of America and have been creating unforgettable food together ever since. Gabriella has competed in Food Network’s 24 in 24, and she and Mike are the brains behind , , and now, Oro.
Oro is largely inspired by the couple’s travel experiences. “We’ve been traveling a lot to California. We love Californian cuisine,” Mike says. “We kind of keep a little bit of that Californian lifestyle in our lifestyle here in Michigan, and we kind of want to share that with everybody here.”
Oro is all about enjoying meals together, so it will feature an array of shareable plates. These meals of Latin zest are made to be fun, casual, and delicious. Oro will also offer inventive cocktails and a wine menu crafted by sommelier Jeffrey Baldwin, Mike’s brother. This wine selection offers an explorative journey through the tastes of Northern California vineyards to the heart of Latin America’s wine country.
This unique dining experience will be housed within the familiar location of Testa Barra, The Baldwin Restaurant Group’s beloved Italian restaurant in Macomb. It can be found on the newly renovated terrace, offering an open, relaxed atmosphere.
Mike’s mother and CFO of The Baldwin Restaurant Group, Rosemarie Baldwin, describes Oro as a pop-up restaurant within a restaurant. “It’s very cool, very hip, and you’re definitely going to see some gold. There’s gold lighting and gold accents, and it’s going to be very unexpected.”
Rosemarie adds that the pizzas will be served on skateboards.
Oro will be open Thursday-Sunday by reservation only. Those curious about the new concept can mark their calendars for May 2, the day of Oro’s grand opening party.
Testa Barra is located at 48824 Romeo Plank Road in Macomb.
For more information, visit , and be sure to check out hourdetroit.com for even more metro Detroit food and dining news.
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