StepinsideoneofJakeSmythandKennyGraham’s restaurants
andyou’llcomeoutwitha fullbellyanda nighttoremember.
Theduois settokeepthefungoingwithMary’sUnderground.IF ANYONEKNOWScomfortfood,it’s
SydneyrestaurateursJakeSmythand
KennyGraham.ThepairbehindMary’s
in NewtownandtheCBD,TheUnicornin
PaddingtonandtheLansdowneHotelin
Chippendalehascarvedouta spirited
empirebasedonheartyandfeel-good
faresuchaspizza,burgersandfried
chicken– witha twistoflouchestyle.
Buttheirlatestfun-filledforay,Mary’s
Undergroundin theCBD,willoffermore
plant-basedoptions,too.“Wetrytobeas
inclusiveaspossible,”saysSmythashe
preparedfortheopeningofthenew
venturein lateMay.“Previously,theonly
groupwhohadnoreasontovisitMary’s
werevegans.Butthey’llbeabletoeat
delicious,luxurious,richfoodaswell.”ALL IN
GOOD
TIMES
Mary’sUndergroundoccupiesthe
one-timeTheBasement,themuch-loved
livemusicvenuethatcloseditsdoorsin
2018 after 45 yearsofmerriment.Atthe
newincarnation,patronscanorderburgers
andbeersatthebar,oystersandclamsat
anintimatelyscaledseafoodbar,andmore
substantialofferingsin thesubterranean
diningroom.Thepithivierrecipein these
pagesis a sneakpeekatthemenu.
“Wearecallingit Euro-Australian,and
disheslikethepithivierticka lotofboxes,”
saysSmyth.“Theyarecomfortingbutit’s
alsorefinedandtechnique-driven.”
Is theduofeelinganypressuretorestart
Sydney’sflaggingnightlife?“Nah,”says
Smyth.“We’rejustgonnacookourasses
offandthrowkillerparties.I can’twait!”MARKETBASKET
PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY
LEYLA MURATOVIC
MARY’S UNDERGROUND PHOTOGRAPHY
STEVEN WOODBURN
Therevelrieskeep
rollingatMary’s
Undergrounddining
room.BELOW:Jake
Smyth(left)and
KennyGraham.IN SEASON.
@marysunderground