No. 2: Leña in Detroit offers Spanish flair without usual suspects
When a restaurant draws inspiration from a particular country or region, it can be difficult not to veer into kitschy territory. Leña, the new Brush Park neighborhood restaurant with Spanish influence, strikes a beautiful balance.
There are elements that honor the most darling qualities of Spanish culture: tapas that embrace a penchant for sharing, menu items written in Spanish and interpretations of classic dishes you'd devour throughout the Catalan and Basque Countries. Still, meals at Leña feel entirely their own. The usual suspects are M.I.A. There are no gambas al ajillo or papas bravas.
The Spanish tortilla made an appearance in the restaurant's early days, but was bumped for a more seasonal item fancied by Executive Chef Mike Conrad. The brainchild of the team behind Shelby, Leña instead places an emphasis simply on wood-fired cooking and farm-fresh ingredients. Conrad takes squid to the fire, charring it until the tips curl.
He trusts Detroit-based farms, such as Core City's Fisheye and Hio Farms for produce that shows up in plates of ensalada verde, or bright gem lettuce punched up with fresh herbs, sweet Manchego and briny boquerones. And pastry chef Lena Sareini takes a playful approach to dessert. An early arroz con leche, or rice pudding with a walnut praline center and dots of fig leaf oil, was served in a colorful caviar tin.
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A winter dish, the butifarra, was a simple pleasure. A single swirl of pork sausage sat in a sea of stewed chickpeas, golden raisins and pine nuts for a sweet-savory world of flavors.
2720 Brush St., Detroit. 313-262-6082; lenadetroit.com.
Save the Date: On Thursday, May 1, Leña, the Detroit Free Press and Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers will host a Top 10 Takeover dinner. Stay tuned for ticket information at Freep.com.
For a chance to win five $100 gift cards to dine at restaurants on the 2025 Detroit Free Press/Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Top 10 New Restaurants & Dining Experiences list, visit chevydetroit.com/community/giveaways/roy25.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Best New Restaurants 2025: Leña in Detroit
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