Popina goes Italian
Popina restaurant at Circular Quay, which has been going since 2016, was a pairing up that combined the Italian-style Salt Meats Cheese and North Bondi's Israeli diner, the Shuk cafe.
But now Popina is going full-Italian with Shuk ending the partnership after just seven months.
Tasmanian chef Massimo Mele is now joining the restaurant group as co-owner and executive chef.
As the former Hugos and La Scala chef, Mele certainly has the runs on the board.
He is excited to be working with owners Stefano de Blasi and Edoardo Perlo.
The plan is to bring the new restaurant into line with the Italian providore group Salt Meats Cheese.
“I’ve worked with the boys before on some of my own pop-ups,” Mele told Broadsheet. “It’s so exciting to be working on our first venue together.”
He will be working on the transformation of the eatery over the next month with a view to relaunching it on August 1 as Salt Meats Cheese Sydney.
So Popina's mix of Turkish, Lebanese, Israeli and Argentinian cuisines will be replaced with Italian food.
And diners can expect new dishes with plans to add gnocchi acqua pazza, which is a broth of boiled octopus with potatoes and celery, not to mention classic pizzas such as pork and fennel sausage with charred broccolini and fontina cheese.
Former Alpha head chef James Roberts is being brought in to run the kitchen.
According to Mele, that will set the future direction of the group.
“Once the food and culture are correct here we can start work on the other venues,” Mele told Broadsheet.. “All the venues are quite different and this is about collaborating to create one offering across the group.
“When I first walked into Salt Meats Cheese they had so much wonderful produce. When people walk in to this new site I want them to see the chefs preparing the food, the beautiful smoked meats. We’re really going to showcase those wonderful products.”
by Leon Gettler, July 3rd 2017
