Overview
Sydney chef Mike McEnearney, of Rosebery's beloved and now-closed Kitchen by Mike, finally opened the doors of his much anticipated new fine-dining restaurant No.1 Bent Street by Mike today. A huge departure from McEnearney's beloved canteen style dining, No. 1 embodies classy eating with a casual air. The location, adjacent to the CBD's Wintergarden, may not resemble KBM in style — except for a few old favourites — but the food is very reminiscent of the canteen's simple, generous food ethos.
Mike's got a good team helping him steer the ship at No. 1 Bent Street, with longtime collaborator and general manager Greg Frazer (who has worked alongside Mike for around 25 years, including at Rockpool and Kitchen By Mike). He's also worked with David Lowe from Lowe Family wines to create the restaurant's house white, WHITE by Mike, and the house red (you guessed it) RED by Mike is a collaboration with Rose Kentish of Ulithorne wines SA.
The market driven menu will change constantly — nearly daily — and focus on fresh, local and seasonal produce, much the way KBM did. Ethical eaters will be glad to hear that all meat served at No. 1 is sustainably farmed, grass fed, hand reared, hormone and chemical free. That's one big mouthful of moral eating right there that we're happy to get behind.
Designed to share, the dishes just wouldn't work in a canteen style restaurant and deserve the fine-dining atmosphere they're given at No. 1 — KMB's beloved watermelon, haloumi and mint salad ($16) has made the journey, alongside blood orange cured mackerel ($19) and beef cheek, tail and suet pot pie ($36). The current menu includes a cup mushroom and chestnut soup ($15) that begs for Mike's homemade sourdough, back as an accompaniment ($4) served with Pepe Saya salted butter. The gorgeous desserts are on another level as well, like the woodfired quince, saffron custard and pistachio brittle ($17) that we hope claims a semi-regular spot on the menu, and the simple but delightful rice pudding with honeycomb and jam.
Mike's signature nosh comes paired with the aforementioned RED and WHITE by Mike, alongside a generous wine list from around 50 options from small producers worldwide — with a strong Australian focus, of course.
While McEnearney clearly has his hands full with this new opening and as the creative director for Carriageworks Farmers Markets, he hasn't given up on KBM either and is still looking for a new location in which to reopen his much loved canteen.
"Kitchen By Mike will always be my love and passion, however there are dishes I am unable to execute within a canteen format. The more traditional style of No.1 Bent St provides me with the opportunity to offer a wider choice of more composed dishes," says Mike. "As a chef, and as someone who loves to take care of people, I still want guests to feel comfortable and welcome, as though they are eating at my house."
No. 1 Bent St by Mike is now open at 1-7 Bent Street, Sydney. The restaurant will be open for lunch Monday through Friday and for dinner Monday through Saturday. Reservations are available here.