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Detroit is 
home to tons of restaurants, some in plain sight and some hidden gems. To help guide us through the Motor City food world, we've enlisted some of our city's many food luminaries to share with us their recommendations for Dining Confidential.
Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails is by far one of the more exciting coming attractions headed for Midtown this spring. Owner Sandy Levine recently recruited Terry B's chef Doug Hewitt to head the kitchens at Chartreuse after receiving a recommendation from chef James Rigato. When he's is not planning the seasonal menu for Chartreuse, chef Hewitt likes to visit The Root and Selden Standard. He's also recently become a fan of Torino in Ferndale.
Why do you love The Root?
The Root is absolutely one of my standbys. I hit it all the time. I take the 59 Highway. James and I have been really, really good friends for a really long time, so I tend to eat with James a lot.
What do you order?
Well it kind of depends on what I'm in the mood for, but if I'm there for lunch, I do the fried baloney almost every time, because I love it. But they do less lunch now, so I generally go there for dinner. I always get the pork belly and then whatever James [Rigato] sends out . . . James has a real knack for homey Italian. I generally go for noodles or anything that he's making that day . . . If I'm going there I want a pappardelle, I want a puttanesca, or whatever he's making. James has a really unique way of making ragu and pasta, so I basically go with that when I'm there.
Why do you go to Selden Standard?
Andy Hollyday is a genius, so I eat at Selden whenever I get a chance.
What are your go-to dishes at Selden?
When it comes to Selden you have to get the agnolotti and then everything else is just great. For our table there's always like three [plates of agnolotii] and then we get some other things. His octopus is off the chains.
What was it like eating at Torino for the first time?
Torino was hands down probably one of the best meals I've ever had probably in my life, start to finish. Garrett [Lipar] is really, really skilled, and his food is just incredible. And theirs is a tasting menu, so you just sit down and whatever is going on that day is what you're eating.
Photo: Kaila Marie Photography/Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails
