Get a Sneak Preview of Brush Park’s Catalan and Basque Restaurant

The team that brought Detroit the subterranean speakeasy Shelby to a bank vault in downtown’s Financial District is drawing inspiration from two renowned culinary regions in Spain for a new restaurant, Leña, in Brush Park. Spanish for firewood, Leña is gearing up to open in a new-construction mixed-use development 2720 Brush in the coming weeks. Behind the project are partners chef Matt Tulpa and Tarun Kajeepeta, who met in 2019 and went on to open Shelby in 2021 at a time when pandemic-related capacity restrictions were still in place. The cocktail bar realized nearly immediate success for its moody vibes, expertly crafted cocktails, and ambitious food menu and was named a semifinalist in 2022 for a James Beard Award in the Outstanding Bar Program category. A team of industry veterans will helm the kitchen and operations at Leña. Mike Conrad, a New York native who’s held positions at the short-lived Core City restaurant Magnet as well as at Takoi — is joining the team as the executive chef. Eater Young Gun (’18) Lena Sareini — formerly of the critically-lauded Selden Standard and a two-time semifinalist for the James Beard’s Rising Star Chef of the Year award (now called Emerging Chef) — will lead as pastry chef. Gabe DeFlaviis, another Selden alum will work as the general manager. Mindy Lopus, who’s worked in fine dining for more than 20 years, was tapped to serve as director of hospitality for Piquette Partners — Kajeepeta’s hospitality management company. Previously, Lopus was a former owner of Tallulah Wine Bar in Birmingham and worked as an acting general manager at Shewolf. The centerpiece of Leña is its open-air kitchen, which Kajeepeta refers to as the restaurant’s “central energy space.” It features a hearth fueled by Michigan-sourced oak, cherry, and applewood. The aesthetic leans on neutral tones and natural lighting, thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows, and is divided into two sections: a dining room and bar and living room area. The inspiration for Leña was derived from the founders’ time spent visiting Spain, but also the limited options for Spanish cuisine in Detroit. The menu is focused on traditions from the Catalan and Basque regions of Spain and diners can expect an array of seafood and vegetable-forward offerings — all cooked over an open flame. While the menu is being finalized, customers can expect items like anchovy skewers, octopus and charred scallion with crispy potatoes, middleneck clams a la plancha, chorizo-stuffed half chicken, and smoked mushrooms tartines. Ordering is based on one’s budget and appetite, from a la carte dishes, and smaller tapas and pintxos. As for the bar program, expect traditional Spanish cocktails, sherry, vermouth, and aperitifs — including gin tonics. Kajeepeta, a University of Michigan graduate, moved to Detroit in 2014 and previously founded Condor Detroit, a month-to-month car subscription service, before focusing his attention on hospitality. He went on to do a brief stint as a host at Hopcat to learn more about the food and beverage industry. In 2019, he met Tulpa — who’s enjoyed a long career in the area’s food scene — and spent the next two years on construction, transforming a derelict basement in the 10-story U.S. Mortgage Bond Building on Shelby Street in the city’s Financial District into a celebrated cocktail bar, along with Coffee Down Under, which serves as an all-day walk-up cafe at the speakeasy’s threshold. Tulpa helmed the kitchen and Eater Award-recognized Andre Sykes led the bar when the speakeasy was named a semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program. Kajeepeta tells Eater that he hopes to be able to open the week of May 6. In the meantime, Leña has been holding a series of pop-up events to introduce diners to its offerings. The restaurant plans to open with a limited menu of pintxos, porrons, and cocktails from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday to give NFL Draft goers a sneak peek of the place.