Medusa Cucina Siciliana
664 Selden St.
Jan. 29
The best new restaurant in Detroit just dropped.
It’s Medusa Cucina Siciliana.
If I were a betting man, I’d safely bet the house on this being the first restaurant that manages to work at 664 Selden St., a location that so far has killed every other spot that’s tried (Smith & Co., Vigilante Kitchen + Bar and Epiphany — Nain Rouge Kitchen).
Medusacomes with a pedigree. It’s the new spot from chef Anthony Lombardo, who has already proved a smashing success with another Italian spot SheWolf Pastificio & Bar that’s barely a block away.
Here, chef Anthony is focusing on the cuisine of Sicily with more seafood than you would find on the menu at SheWolf but the same quality pasta you expect from its sister restaurant.
The decor is warm and intoxicating; a space well-designed enough that even as the quiet happy hour crowd gave way to a full house of dinner time diners, it was hardly distracting or getting too loud.
The menu was delivered on all cylinders. My Italian date (brought to confirm the quality of the Italian fare here; she approved) thought my order was a bit too feast-like – ordering a bunch of dishes to dip into to get an idea of what Medusa is trying to accomplish – but it really did work out.
First up, the panelle, which is quite filling for those thinking this is going to be a light dish to start with. It’s on the di strada (street food) part of the menu at the top. Chickpea fritters with an olive oil aioli and a sweetness from a Calabrian honey spilled on top of a stack of fritters. We washed these down with six baked clams, red chili butter and a crunch from oregano crumb on top. If you don’t like seafood, there are other options, but this is a very seafood heavy restaurant.
Next, we’re diving straight in the sea with the insalata di mare, a mixed seafood salad with grilled octopus, shrimp, calamari, plus banana pepper and potato all in a caper dressing.
The best dish of the night, however, goes to the trapanese couscous di pesce – and it wasn’t even close. This is comfort food with glamour, depth and warmth. We’re talking handmade couscous in a rich lobster broth and finished with juicy shrimp, scallop and mussel. This is the type of dish you dream about the next day.
