KEY Milwaukee - Featured Restaurant

Attention to detail, quality emphasized

Selen’s House of Prime has something for all tastes

SELEN’S House of Prime offers “casual fine dining,” according to the Demakopoulos family that owns and operates the restaurant. But the attention to detail and emphasis on quality is anything but “casual.”

Obviously close to Mitchell International Airport and downtown, Selen’s location at 3107 E. Layton Ave. makes it convenient to the entire Milwaukee area via the expressway system.

While the restaurant is a Milwaukee institution that is familiar to Milwaukee’s visitors and locals, Paul and Tula Demakopoulos bought the restaurant a little over a year ago. They brought a fresh new décor to the restaurant and dramatically broadened the scope of the menu.

Tile and soft earth tones were used to coordinate with the restaurant’s stucco exterior. "We're not a Mediterranean restaurant, but the building has arches and a Mediterranean feel," said Steve Demakopoulos, the couple's son and the restaurant's general manager. "We wanted the exterior and interior to work together visually." Buttery earth tones, soft up-lighting and Mediterranean seascapes contribute to the atmosphere.

The variety of the Selen's menu also contributes to the enjoyment. There is something for everyone here! While always famous for its prime rib, the menu has now earned glowing recommendations for its steaks and chops, veal, pasta dishes, chicken, and seafood. Unlike many steakhouses or prime rib restaurants, diners have their choice of six chicken and six seafood entrees on the menu, not just a couple. There also are nightly specials to make it even harder to make a decision about what to order!

Everything is made on the premises–sauces, for example, are all homemade. The finest ingredients are used, with a nod to what is in-season and at its best. “We also offer the kind of value that Milwaukee natives and visitors appreciate,” says Steve Demakopoulos. Thoughtfully, dinner entrees include soup or salad and a choice of an accompaniment (baked potato, garlic mashed, French fries, sautéed vegetables or pasta with garlic butter or Marinara sauce).

The wine menu boasts a number of very reasonably priced wines from around the world. Broaden your horizons by sampling a vintage from France, Italy, Greece, Spain or Chile as well as California.

Lunch is available Monday through Friday, and features a stack prime rib sandwich and blackened prime rib spinach salad, as well as several low-carb entrees. A newly launched lunch buffet is fast becoming a favorite stop. Sunday brunch at Selen’s is a place to bring the entire family without breaking the bank. (Adults are $12.95 and children 10 and under are $6.95.)

On Monday nights, a Pasta Bar Buffet is an option, in addition to the regular menu. From 4 p.m. to close, patrons can have pasta made to order by the chef, and also sample from a salad bar and several other hot dishes. Adding to the fun are wine specials. Friday night fish fry is a Milwaukee tradition that is honored at Selen’s. Several fish options are served along with soup, cole slaw and choice of French fries, garlic mashed potatoes, baked potato or potato pancakes with applesauce and syrup.

Speaking of fun, live music Thursday through Saturday nights has made this a favorite “after dark” spot, along with the Selen’s specialty martinis.

Selen’s serves 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m.-11 p.m. Saturday. On Sunday, brunch is served 9 a.m.-2 p.m., lunch until 4 p.m., and dinner until 10 p.m. Contact Selen’s at 414-744-7890.

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