Selden Standard, is a farm to table, small plate, shareable-style restaurant located in Midtown Detroit and led by Executive Chef Andy Hollyday. Selden Standard offers a regularly changing seasonal menu and full bar fully stocked with wines from small producers, brews that pair perfectly with each dish, and seasonal craft cocktails. Selden Standard was awarded Restaurant of the Year in 2015 by Detroit Free Press and again in 2016 by Hour Detroit Magazine.
It’s not often that I review the same restaurant more than once, but Selden Standard has got it going on! Fresh, seasonal ingredients, consistency across the board, and great service are just some of the reasons why this spot lands on my Top 3 Fav Restaurants list. I celebrated my birthday last month here with a small group of friends and our dinner was perfect.
Herbed Flatbread
Stracciatella, roasted garlic, Castelvetrano olives. One of my go to dishes from Selden Standard. I always order an herbed flatbread for the table because it has all the essentials: cheese, roasted garlic and olives! The warm flatbread, which comes out of the wood fire oven, acts as the perfect canvas for the creamy cheese, roasted garlic, and tangy olives. Selden also drizzles a balsamic reduction on top which really ties these flavors together. Perfect for sharing, but even better if you want to keep it all for yourself.
Smoked Potatoes
Raclette, creme fraiche, herbs. This one goes out to my girl, Inda! We recently busted out her raclette which is a table top grill and known for melting cheese (hence the name of the cheese). These potatoes were everything you wanted them to be, creamy, smokey, and cheesy, hit with some fresh herbs to brighten and lighten. The fresh herbs and creme fraiche take this dish from boring potatoes to fancy shmancy gourmet smoked potatoes.
Squid Ink Orecchiette
Squid, saffron, tomato. If you follow my blog, you know this dish is my favorite! Squid ink orecchiette pasta tossed with a rich tomato sauce, warm saffon, squid, and topped with toasty breadcrumbs. After having it for the first time a few years back, I was so blown away that I emailed Selden Standard asking for the recipe. Shout out to Chef Andy for actually sharing the recipe with me. Really cool guy for doing so! Of course, it was all in restaurant measurements so my execution wasn’t even close, but I tried! I think I’ll stick to Selden Standard when I get a hankering.
Cacio e Pepe
Lumache pasta, broccoli, Pecorino. I tend to go for bold flavors, but don’t be fooled by this “simple” pasta. It was delicious! Super creamy, light, and oh so satisfying. I couldn’t put my fork down!
Fried Perch
Curry mayo, snap pea salad, lime. So glad I ordered this dish. The curry mayo paired so well with the crispy perch. The fish was super crunchy on the outside, yet moist and perfectly cooked on the inside. The snap pea salad and citrus were perfect to balance out the fried component.
Halibut
Green curry, market vegetables, chili oil. Oh baby! This halibut was amazing. Delicate moist, flaky, halibut, with an outer golden crispy crust topped on a blanket of green curry. The chili oil was subtle, but added enough umph to leave your tastebuds wanting more.
Labneh Cheesecake
Cherries and mint. Cheesecake is my favorite and when I saw it on the menu, I knew I had to have it. Especially since it was Pastry Chef Lena Sareini’s creation. Labneh is a thick, creamy, Middle Eastern yogurt and using it in this cheesecake was brilliant! Lena is referred to the Lebanese Dessert Wizard of the Midwest and I agree. Nicely done, Lena!
I am being completely honest when I say that I have never had anything short of amazing at Selden Standard. The food, drinks, and service were so good. I was lucky enough to get to taste Pastry Chef Lena Sareini’s delicious desserts before she moved on to her next journey. Lena’s accolades include Food & Wine Best New Chef 2020, James Beard Rising Star Semifinalist, 2020 and Eater Young Gun 2017. I think I speak for most when I say I’m bummed to see Lena go, but can’t wait to see what she gets into next!
Selden Standard is located at 3921 2nd Ave, Detroit, MI, across from Honest John’s. Selden Standard’s dining room is opened Thursday-Sunday 11AM-2, 5-10:30PM and Monday, 5-10:30PM. During the pandemic, Selden Standard is practicing social distancing, requiring masks, and has an air filtration system in place to make dining in safer. Big thanks to the team at Selden Standard for making my birthday dinner amazing. You guys nailed it!
Additionally, September 30th is International Podcast Day! If you haven’t listened to my podcast, Vegetarian Detroit, you’re missing out. Vegetarian Detroit features interviews with the hottest Detroit chefs through a vegetarian and vegan perspective. I chat with some awesome guests including Chef Mike Ransom, owner of Ima Noodles and Manal Hussein, Baker and owner of For the Love of Sugar. Plus, more!
SUBSCRIBE & LISTEN TO THE PODCAST:
or say, “Alexa, play Vegetarian Detroit.”
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