Kissed by fire

Brush Park’s newest bar and restaurant, Lena, bills itself as “a Spanish-inspired neighborhood restaurant featuring fresh ingredients kissed by fire.” The restaurant is the latest project for partners Matt Tulpa and Tarun Kajeepeta who also own the Shelby, a subterranean speakeasy-style bar and restaurant in Detroit’s Financial District.  Lena’s team members include executive chef Mike Conrad, pastry chef Lena Sareini and sommelier Kody Stafej. The interior of Lena is crisp and contemporary with light wood tones, exposed ceilings and large windows. The dinner menu features a range of Catalan and Basque inspired dishes, including a variety of pintxos, tapas and shared plates. Some of the signature dishes include: Iberico secreto: Iberico pork steak, zucchini, with jamon vinaigrette; chorizo de pollo: chicken sausage, creamed leeks, sauce diab, chickpea, pine nuts and salsa verde; gambas: boat prawns, txakoli, pickled ramps, and piquillo; calamares rellenos: calasparr rice stuffed squid, squid ink sauce, mojo rojo and potatoes. The wine list is exclusively Spanish, offering the best representations of Spain’s various regions and varietals. The wines pair with Lena’s menu and focus primarily on organic, sustainable, and biodynamic wines.  Lena celebrates the Aperitivo hour with a selection of sherries and vermouths, and a signature Sangria.  In addition, the bar offers a wide selection of specialty cocktails, low ABV and alcohol-free drinks. 2720 Brush Street, Detroit lenadetroit.com