Cafe: Mid City Kitchen

Culinarily speaking, it’s the simple things that keep us coming back. Pizza, sandwiches, coffee: these are the things we need. And now they’ve just got a bit more convenient thanks to Chef Michael De Maria’s new venture: Mid City Kitchen.

Food Critic Michele Laudig on Mid City Kitchen:

De Maria’s cooking team works the L-shaped open kitchen efficiently, dishing up entrees and making sandwiches to order for customers who check their choices off a list and hand them in at each station. Even when they’re slammed during the lunch hour, the service is welcoming. There’s also a well-stocked salad bar (surprisingly hard to come by in these parts), self-service beverages, grab-and-go sandwiches and side dishes like potato salad, plus a small selection of pre-packaged hot entrees.

An espresso counter with bar seating stretches across the front of the restaurant, making for a quick pit stop if you prefer a sweet treat like a muffin or Danish with your morning latte. (There’s also a small ice cream fridge next to the pastry case.)…full story