Sarasota Restaurant Reviews | Dining Guide | SRQ | Florida dining

Selva 1345 Main Street Sarasota, FL 34236 Phone: 941-362-4427

9
Food Presentation Decor Service Value
9.5 10 9 8 8

Innovative, Sophisticated, Latin Fusion, Simply Delicious

Located on the lower end of Main near the intersection of Palm Avenue with a subtle understated sign is Selva Sarasota.  Formerly known as the Selva Grill, Selva provides an upscale dining experience with a distinctly Latin savoir-faire.

Upon entering the restaurant one is immediately impressed with the large open spaced dining room, open aired seating area and the cozy bar and lounge space.  The atmosphere oozes Latin sophistication not to mention the selection of drinks, wines, and menu choices!  Latin fusion blends the exotic flavors of Latin America, in particular Peru, Asia, and the United States into wonderfully flavorful and colorful cuisine.  For our meals we chose the following:

La Buena Causa:  Jumbo lump crab, cilantro infused potato salad, avocado and rocoto aioli. $13.00 Fresh, flavorful, and very refreshing.
House Chopped Salad:  Spring mix and romaine lettuce with tomato, onion, avocado, Cuzco corn, black beans and queso fresco with honey orange chipotle vinaigrette.  $9.00
Ample portion, great combination of flavors, and the vinaigrette pulled it all together deliciously.
Spanish Caesar:  Romaine lettuce, manchego, red onions and plantains with a rocoto dressing. $9.00 Large sized fresh salad with full flavor and texture.
Tuna Tiradito Nikkei:  Fresh sushi grade tuna marinated with ginger, soy sauce and cubes of fresh watermelon.  $13.00
Fresh, flavorful, a tremendous combination of flavors and textures, one word; wonderful.
Veal Chop Americano:  Bone in twelve ounce veal chop with wild mushroom, eggplant ragu, braised garlic puree and Argentinean chimichurri.  $39.00
Tender, rich, and flavorful.
Braised Pork Osso Bucco (Special):  Pork osso bucco slowly cooked in a Peruvian white bean stew with chorizo and tomato red onion slaw.  $28.00
Tender, fall-off-the-bone meat, smoky and rich.
Arroz con Pato:  Grilled duck breast, cilantro and green pea beer risotto, with a roasted red pepper salsa.  $29.00
Tender pieces of duck with a smooth sweet and slightly spicy sauce; delicious. One of my faves!
Selva’s Famous Skirt Steak:  Skirt steak over sweet plantains, beet relish with Selva’s chimichurri. $29.00
Rich, tangy and sweet…delicious.
Mirin Roasted Sea Bass:  Chilean sea bass filet with corn custard flan, sauteed bok choy and black bean sauce.  $35.00
Beautifully presented thick piece of fresh fish, bok choy and bean sauce added flavor and texture. The corn custard flan was off-the-charts delicious.

Selva offers a full bar service with specialty drinks and happy hour everyday from 5:00-7:00pm.  The wait staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive.

In addition to the regular menu, Selva offers a late night tapas menu from 10:00-11:00pm, Sunday through Thursday and 11:00pm-1:00am Friday and Saturday.

Selva is not your everyday dining experience.  It is a tad expensive; however if you seek a sophisticated, tasteful, unique dining experience, one that any foodie would enjoy, then Selva should be a serious consideration.

SRQ Reviews, the restaurant guide you need to find the best dining in Sarasota, Florida.

Insider Tips

Categories: Latin, Peruvian
Styles: Fine Dining, Happy Hour, Zone – Downtown

Breakfast: N/A
Lunch: N/A
Dinner: Monday – Sunday 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Late night: Friday – Saturday 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM
Entrees: $20.00 – $41.00
Reservations: Recommended
Open Air Space: Yes
Date Reviewed: 04-01-2011

Click here for directions or a larger map.

URL: http://www.selvagrill.com

Back to Review Listings