Few deliver heart-warming, uber-comforting food with chef precision and an eye for provenance better than Mike McEnearney. The ever-smiling chef took his rustic shared plate flair to the inner ‘burbs first at Kitchen by Mike, and now over a year on at No 1 Bent Street the evolution of his convivial, communal offering is better than ever.

It might be in the beating heart of the CBD, but it’s got all the trademark atmosphere of a chic industrial warehouse that’s been given a lick of paint and a bit of love. Think polished concrete, Tasmanian oak, Moroccan tiles and exposed beams above diners sitting on stools at the bench top, along banquettes or at communal tables elbow deep in the daily changing deliciousness cooked mostly over fire.

It’s got all the trademark smart, casual modus operandi of the new wave of dining that places emphasis on good ingredients, cooked simply in an environment that’s as comfortable as your own home; the kitchen island separating diners from the hearth captures it perfectly – as if Mike’s come round to cook.

Jamon Iberico and romesco sauce added salt and savoury to the sweet heart of blackened leeks. Avocado and black bean sauce play a stellar supporting role to gorgeous grilled Moreton Bay bugs. Spit roast chicken appears with seductive tacky skin, while the earthiness of wood-roasted hapuka benefits from grapes and tarragon, and braised lentils make good bedfellows for a sizable grilled pork chop.

There’s nothing ground-breaking going on here, just ingredients of the day cooked simply to let their beauty shine, all served in generous portions from the most generous of chefs.

Must eat dish: Wood-roasted hapuka fillet, grapes, tarragon
Instagram: @1bentst