Medusa Cucina Siciliana opened last week in Midtown and I had a chance to check it out this weekend. This is Chef Anthony Lombardo’s second Italian restaurant in the neighborhood — SheWolf, a Roman restaurant, is just one block to the east.
Medusa occupies the space that was formerly Smith & Co, Vigilante, and then the very-short-lived Epiphany. It is across the courtyard from Barcade and Roar Brewing on Selden Street, between Second and Third Streets.
The interior is light and airy, giving off Mediterranean vibes. White walls with blue accents and tasteful artwork surround a cozy central wrap-around bar. The exposed brick and ductwork are all white, so they fade into the background and don’t distract.
Interior shots
I made an 8p Sunday reservation and talked a friend into joining me. We decided to take seats at the bar rather than a table.
My friend and I each ordered two cocktails. First round, I ordered a Bird of Paradise with pineapple rum and bitter Campari (a variation of the tiki Jungle Bird, one of my favorite cocktails) and my friend ordered the Martini all’Olio, a traditional martini except the gin was washed with olive oil.
We ended up switching drinks as he was looking for something lighter. I was happy to have either drink. Our next round of cocktails followed the fruitier path — this time, he ordered a prickly pear and tequila Prickly in Pink; I had the Isola Verde made with milk-washed green chartreuse, rum, and tropical flavors. Both were very refreshing.
Clockwise from top left: Bird of Paradise, Martini all'Olio, Prickly in Pink, Isola Verde
Note to wine drinkers: They have a selection of wines from regions all around the Mediterranean, but as I’m not a wine drinker, it’s not my place to comment on it. The bartender seemed very knowledgeable as he was pouring wine for the diners seated next to us.
For food, we quickly decided on panelle (chickpea fritters) drizzled with honey and a side of olive oil aioli with Sicilian curry, insalata di mare (seafood salad) with an assortment of shellfish and the most perfectly-cooked potato cubes in a caper dressing, and a Sicilian classic: finocchio e arancia (fennel and orange) but jazzed up with olives, radicchio agrodolce, onion, and bottarga (fish roe) dressing. Each dish was a wonderful array of textures and flavors, from the crispy panelle, to the chewy seafood, to the crunchy fennel.
From left: Insalata di Mare, Finocchio e Arancia, Panelle
Our next dishes were recommended to us by the bartender and we were very glad we listened to him. We got the bucatini con le sarde (bucatini with sardines) and the agnello alla agglassato (glazed lamb).
Bucatini is a thick, hollow spaghetti (think cocktail straw) and it was perfectly cooked — gently chewy while the grilled sardines were delicate and flaky. The dish had Sicilian flavors of fennel and saffron, and crunch was provided by a pine nut crumble.
But our favorite of the evening was the lamb! We could smell it before we could see it. Rich, savory, oniony, heavenly.
The slow-cooked lamb shank was glazed with caramelized onions and Marsala fortified wine, served over olive oil whipped potatoes, and topped with crispy fried onions. The lamb was tender, the sauce full of flavor, and the crispy onions the right balance of texture. That plate went back to the kitchen empty save for the bone.
From Left: Bucatini con le Sarde, Agnello alla "Agglassato"
We concluded our evening splitting a cassata Siciliana. This traditional cake is a local favorite, and our bartender asked if we ordered it for nostalgia. Neither my friend nor I had ever had it, but it is apparently quite popular at East Side bakeries for Italian-American birthday parties.
It consisted of layers of delicate chiffon cake and chocolate-studded ricotta mousse wrapped in bright green marzipan and topped with candied fruits. It was sweet, but not too sweet — the bitter candied orange helped — and was a perfect sweet treat to finish the night.
Another possibility for dessert is ordering from the cannoli cart — empty cannoli shells are wheeled to the table and filled to order. It was fun to watch and definitely something I’m going to try when I go back.
The food and drink at Medusa were top-notch.
Cocktails range in price from $15 to $22 and food runs $9 to $58 per plate. Overall, it’s not inexpensive, but it’s also not in everyday-dinner territory.
I would highly recommend dinner at Medusa to celebrate a special occasion. When you visit, let me know what you think!
-Randy
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🍽️ News Bites
Before we go, a couple food and drink notes. Jer here with a bit of an assist...
🧑🍳 Six Michigan spots just landed on the prestigious James Beard Awards semifinalist list.
Ann Arbor’s Echelon Kitchen & Bar is up for Best New Restaurant, while Bar Chenin, the tiny eight-seat natural-wine bar tucked inside Detroit’s Siren Hotel, is in the running for Best New Bar.
In the chef ranks, four Michiganders are recognized in the Best Chef: Great Lakes category.
Detroit is represented by Javier Bardauil of BARDA and John Yelinek of Ladder 4 Wine Bar, joined by Andy Elliott and Emily Stewart of Modern Bird in Traverse City, and James Galbraith of PostBoy in New Buffalo.
Finalists drop March 31, with winners crowned June 15 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
The rooftop cocktail bar Pine Hall is coming to the 12th floor of the office tower at the Hudson’s Detroit this spring.
This is Union Square Hospitality Group’s first project in the city. The Danny Meyer-founded group is behind spots like Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern, both in New York City.
According to renderings it looks out over Comerica Park, Woodward Avenue, and the Detroit skyline.
Drawing inspiration from the old Pine Room at the former J.L. Hudson department store, Pine Hall says they'll lean into a classic tavern feel with a beverage program built around Michigan-made spirits and regionally sourced ingredients.
🎙️ Want more food talk? Listen to an episode of the Daily Detroit podcast where Detroit food news is everything we did. [Apple Podcasts] [Spotify]
Thanks for reading and we'll see you in the next edition!
-Randy + Jer
