Kitchen by Mike is an all-day canteen serving seasonal and wholesome food.SuppliedAre we in a downtown New York food hall or Sydney? It’s hard to tell inside this concrete-floored canteen where smartly clad workers queue for lunch.
Up front,a smiling Mike McEnearney talks them through which sides will best complement the chermoula-spiced mackerel fillets – perhaps cucumber,mirin,ginger and sesame salad,or a bronzed wedge of roast pumpkin glistening under a caramelised maple dressing.
“Bread and butter?” McEnearney asks each diner. The bread in question is his legendary sourdough,all warm and pudgy and served with Pepe Saya butter. Then there’s wood-roasted chicken,slow-cooked chimichurri-sharpened pork shoulder,and a damn fine lemon drizzle cake.
Later in the week,there’s a cosy sit-down dinner service too,featuring a longer menu of seasonally driven dishes such as lamb breast “katsu” with mint sauce,corn-based penne with spring peas,and a pasture-reared steak to share.
We like Mike a lot.