Swing around the other corner of Chippendale, and there’s another gallery displaying contemporary Australia art. But nestled in the street floor of this old church is Mission Bar & Restaurant. Push through the refurnished french doors is a modern eatery with shiny polished floors, slick wooden furniture, bright orange feature walls and intriguing pieces of hanging art.
The menu is dynamic. From the blackboard specials showcasing chef specials for the day, there’s a range of dishes to cater for everyone’s tastes and nibbles. For lunch, there are fulfilling toasted sandwich options, while the menu dives into Mediterranean flavours that packs a punch. Not your everyday lunch spot but perfect for something a little special.
Slow roasted lamb shoulder with green cardamon, chilli & tahini
Minute steak with caramelised onion, cheddar cheese & capsicum jam
To avoid falling into food coma, I opted for the safe option of the minute steak sandwiched between fresh seeded turkish bread. The steak was slightly overcooked, even for my raw phobia, but the juicy caramelised onions and house made capsicum jam made up for it. I did linger over my colleague’s lamb shoulder with envy, because it was absolutely delicious! Melt in your mouth meat with an abundance of flavours and textures. Delicious!
On a second occasion, I am back and it’s nice to see the feature walls with new pieces of intriguing art. We grab a seat on the casual couches as we’re both opting for some sandwiches that are only available for lunch.
Balsamic braised corn beef w/ provolone, dijon mustard, tomato & pickled coleslaw
Piri-piri roasted chicken w/ roasted corn, watercress & aioli
My lunch companion opts for the corned beef sandwich which sadly I didn’t get to pick at, it did get gobbled down quite quickly. Feeling clucky, I choose the piri-piri roasted chicken but unfortunately it felt like the chef accidently dropped the salt shaker into the mix. Hopefully this was a once off and my chicken isn’t salty next time…
Another great gallery cafe in a little alleyway for a little bit of artsyness and delicious food.
Mission & NG Art Gallery
3 Little Queen St
Chippendale, Sydney
www.missionbar.com.au
