BESA — Restaurant in Detroit

I went here Friday night for date night with my boyfriend with dinner reservations at 6:30pm. I realized we were running a tad late and felt bad so I called to let them know we were running behind. Whomever I spoke with was really understanding and pleasant basically just saying to get there when we could.

When we came in and sat at our table the host offered to take my coat for me, which was really nice! Our server started us with fresh focaccia bread which was amazinggggg ( super soft light fluffy bread cubes 🥺♥️) ! It was really great to dip in the seasoned olive oil on the side. I literally could of eaten an entire basket for myself!

Our server took real great care of us for the entire night! I never got her name ( I wish I did), but she had short hair that was shaved along the sides, rainbow colored glasses , and a nice quirky personality. She was very knowledgeable about the dishes and timed everything for our meal perfectly! Nothing seemed rushed or felt too long to get, it was perfect! She did a great job!

The appetizers that we got were incredible! I've never really tried much octopus before. Only once or twice but never served on its own. That first bite was everything! Cooked and seasoned perfectly , I could of eaten a whole entree of it! The other appetizer we got was the pulled lamb shoulder with the brown butter hummus and pomegranate reduction. Let me tell you that lamb was so rich and tasty! The hummus paired with it reminded me of a mashed potato but a nice spin on it. The flavors were similiar to a hearty pot roast dinner but a new take on it!

Our entrees did not disappoint! I ended up getting the double cut lamb chops and my boyfriend got the creekstone filet mignon! I didn't think much of it at the time but ordering two lamb dishes might of been a bit redundant. I'm really glad I did because the flavors were so different and beautifully executed! The appetizer was savory and hearty. The lamb chops were seasoned well and came with a nice vibrant refreshing salad that made the dish well balanced and not too heavy ( beware of the red chiles though behind a little hot 😆) . The yogurt sauce paired great with the lamb! I'm not a big yogurt fan but really favored it for this dish. My boyfriend completely cleared his entire plate for the filet mignon. I had a small bite of his , and it was really delicious and tender with the jus over it ( which our server got for him additionally). Everything was phenomenal!

Lastly, I ended up caving with my big sweet tooth and ordered the hazelnut frappe bar dessert. Our server came back and cut it in half for me and my boyfriend since it's mostly a bar of coffee flavored icecream with the chocolate shell on top. I appreciate her doing that because it was hard to break through at first, looking at it was a bit intimidating 😆. Overall it was really really good! I love a solid coffee icecream! Tasted like a mocha ☺️.

I'm really glad I ended up trying Besa! Had a fantastic time and was really impressed! Thank you to the staff and cooks that contributed into a...

Besa is an example of a restaurant that relies on pretense over substance, a disservice to Detroit’s vibrant culinary landscape. Visiting on a weeknight with friends to celebrate, I was struck by the disconnect between Besa’s reputation and its actual offerings. Despite boasting a sommelier, the wine list was both disappointing and unimaginative. As someone who has extensively studied wines and traveled to esteemed wine regions, I was genuinely shocked by the lack of depth in their selection. It was almost insulting to find many bottles that one could easily pick up at a local grocery store, offered here at a staggering markup.

While their description claims to be globally inspired, the food and wine selection lacks dynamism. One glaring oversight is their only acknowledgment of natural wine: an Oregon Pinot Noir from McMinnville. Given that Oregon is producing remarkable wines, it’s disappointing that this is their sole offering. If American wines are to be featured, there should be a commitment to showcasing exceptional winemakers who prioritize minimal intervention. If that proves too challenging, it would be wiser to focus on European wines, where there is a historical legacy of upholding low-intervention standards and honoring the authenticity and individuality of their terroirs.

Even more disheartening was the service related to the wine. Despite a sommelier being present, our server, though gracious and attentive, struggled to guide us through the list. At no point did the sommelier visit our table, which in retrospect, might have been for the best, given the uninspired selection. It felt as if Besa was catering to an audience interested in prestige over quality or authenticity, prioritizing a brand of exclusivity while forgoing true curation and expertise.

This disconnect extended into the food as well. A restaurant’s wine list often mirrors its culinary philosophy, and Besa’s menu was a predictable reflection of its wine offerings: passionless and derivative. The dishes lacked both originality and cultural nuance, seemingly designed for patrons looking for familiar ‘fancy’ dishes rather than innovative or thoughtful cuisine. A beet and cheese appetizer, for example, felt like a dated country club staple rather than a modern reimagining. Nothing about the food demonstrated the creativity or attention to detail that one expects from a high-end restaurant. Each dish felt like an echo of dated dining trends, with neither authenticity nor a genuine sense of place.

In sum, Besa left me with the impression of a restaurant focused on optics rather than a rich dining experience. For the cost and reputation, one would expect a journey of tastes and a thoughtful connection between wine and food. Instead, it seemed Besa’s primary focus was on maintaining an illusion of sophistication without the substance to support it. Detroit...

Fries: excellent choice of seasonings, but unfortunately they taste a little over-fried. Wonderful taste but a too crispy and too fried after-taste. Oysters: wonderful taste with excellent choice of spices and pairing of sauce. Somewhere fishy aftertaste. Scallops: overwhelmingly creamy taste when paired with the sauce. 2 scallops and 2 half scallops served on a tray overwhelmed by creamy sauce. Wild Ahi: very small portion served cold and with a great taste. Ribeye: cooked to perfection, with excellent texture, bu served cold and with disappointing pairings on the plate. Southern Fried Chicken: surprising portion size with a good taste. Overwhelming dominated by chicken with little complimenting pairings. Halibut: great taste but cold fish leading to a disappointing experience Ramon pasta: excellent, served warm, wonderful taste and filling.

Cocktails: good taste but underwhelming on the booziness. Made almost to please someone looking for a simple mixer, but some disappointing as a full bar.

Overall experience: Besa is far from the accommodating and friendly service promised in the description. It’s slow at responding to orders and the service is nice but disappointing. We waited 30 minutes to be noticed, over 2 hours for food. It took a long time to get anything from the waiter. The food itself is lackluster on the whole with cocktail options being a far cry from competing with surrounding restaurants. A dinner totaling 3 hours spent in the restaurant and with it’s services is unacceptable. During the dinner the waiter and host promised food a few times, promises which we not kept for at least 20-30 minutes. The tables around us received similar service and some of the guests had suspicions that the night’s dinners were served from a truck which arrived in front of one of the windows and offloaded several containers late in the meal. With such a disappointing visit I not only plan on not returning, but I plan on recommending each of my friends to post...