- September 12, 2024
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From pizza to pasta, Wheat + Water Italian Kitchen offers a full spectrum of Italian American dishes. It’s the brainchild of Mike Herley and his wife and business partner, Kim. Before opening it in 2015, Herley was an executive for top restaurants around the nation. He brings all that experience (and a zeal for experimentation) to their venture. In the following conversation, Herley shares his recipe for culinary success.
The space became available about nine years ago. Kim and I didn’t want to duplicate what other restaurants were offering. We looked around and asked, “What’s missing in Lakewood Ranch?” At the time, our community didn’t have that many Italian restaurants. We said, “Well, heck, I’ve got a lot of background in Italian food. Let’s do this.”
Kim handles the front-of-house operations. My main role is developing the menu. I spent six months perfecting our recipes at home before we opened. We tested it out on our neighbors throughout the process.
The key ingredients in Italian cooking. Wheat and water are what we use to make bread, pasta and pizza dough.
There were lots of unhappy customers when we discontinued it last January. We’ll also be rotating specials throughout the summer. They’ll change every two weeks.
High-quality food. Then add first-rate service and a totally relaxed attitude. We’re a place where you just be yourself. You can get all dressed up or come in shorts and a T-shirt. You’ll feel welcome and comfortable either way.
When the public’s expecting something from you, you have to deliver. Like my grandfather said, “When people go to McDonald’s, nobody walks away unhappy. They know what they’ll get and it’s the same every time.” We set a higher standard at Wheat + Water. Now that we set it, we can’t fall below it. We’re not just great — we’re consistently great.
My idea of great Italian American food. I say “Italian American” because that cuisine isn’t the same as what you’d find in different regions of Italy. “Italian” and “Italian American” are two very different animals.
Our meatballs are to die for. And, when it’s available, our osso buco is hands-down the best there is around.
Chris Bianco has done great things with pizza and pasta. He taught me that you don’t have to pack a recipe with everything in sight. He lets the simplicity of the ingredients speak for itself. Make sure it’s all great and let that sing the song. David Chang is another hero. He’s done a lot to bring Korean street food to a wider audience across the country.
Well, I usually cook at home. But we do eat out occasionally. Apollonia Grill and Connor’s Steak House are our two top choices.
Baking sourdough bread. I have my own starter and it’s now 5 years old. I’ve always done a lot of barbecuing, but I’ve also recently taken up smoking. About once a week, I’ll be smoking chicken, fish or meats. I guess my hobbies don’t fall too far from the tree.
