Chef Lorena Corso has moved from Napier Quarter to Sig. Enzo in Brunswick, where she's pushing the menu into more sophisticated wine bar territory and adding a clear Sicilian accent.

Corso, who grew up in Alcamo, Sicily, is good friends with owner Vince Mazzone, and the two have collaborated on pop-ups and other projects in between Corso's stints at Anchovy and Estelle. When Mazzone's daughter left the Sig. Enzo kitchen for a career change, he tapped Corso.

Being her own boss without the risk of opening her own place was a no-brainer, Corso says.

"I feel more confident cooking my own food now," she says. "I never worked in Italian places, I never wanted to. I wanted to go somewhere and learn some new techniques."

While she's maintaining Sig Enzo's neighbourhood bar focus, the snacks are now fresher and the flavours a little more surprising.

Working with small producers such as Dreaming Goat Dairy and Wildwood Organics, the chef is making Sicilian mainstays such as panelle (chickpea fritters) lightly spiced with fennel seed, and handmade cavatelli, cooked to order with swordfish, eggplant and tomato.

Her friend James Mele of The Meat Room is making pork sausages to her specifications, which she grills and pairs with salsa verde.

"With all the food I'm thinking about a glass of wine or another drink to go with it. I think that's the mentality you need to have in a wine bar," Corso says.

Upcoming dishes might include mussels pickled in white wine, honey, paprika and garlic, or baked custard using dried mushrooms for a more savoury dessert.

Three weeks in, the response has been good. "We already have a lot of regulars and I think we're going to get more. I can see people are quite happy and they love the food."

Mazzone has recently honed the Sig. Enzo drinks list to focus mostly on Victorian wines, spirits and liqueurs. Wines on tap, available by the glass or 500ml carafe, cut down on glass waste, and he and Corso are working closely together to maximise ingredients across cocktails and dishes.

Open Wed-Sat 5pm-11pm.

1D Michael Street, Brunswick, 03 9388 8718

• Michael Harden reviews Sig. Enzo