Highgate Drink & Dine: Mexican/Caribbean set to rise in Perth

As one restaurant closes, another is late in gestation. What’s cooking on the culinary scene?

Alex Cuccovia has fused Mexican expertise with a long stint in the Caribbean.

As one Perth restaurant closes, another is late in gestation. Ace Pizza, in Highgate, closed Saturday night with plans well advanced for Highgate Drink & Dine to open in its place next month with chef Sam Ward at the kitchen’s helm under boss (and sole owner) Alex Cuccovia. Cuccovia has fused Mexican expertise with a long stint in the Caribbean. It will apparently manifest itself on the new HD & D menu alongside Ward’s better known Mexican flavours. They open mid May.

Still in the west, is the plan for Paul Aron and Michael Forde to take on the site of the long defunct Steve Scaffidi restaurant Bar One back on the table? Bar One closed in April 2014; First Bite reported the El Publico/Mary Street Bakery team’s interest later that year. But then? Well, perhaps with the hope of luring tenants to the Harry Seidler-designed QV1 building on St George’s Terrace, commercial property leasing guys are telling prospective tenants “it’s on.” Again. Says Aron, who recently closed Mary’s, the restaurant above the Mary Street bakery: “I should be able to let you know soon if this is actually happening.” So that’s not a “no.”

It has been a major hit in Perth, but when will Sydney see Long Chim, the David Thompson restaurant brand? This one is being micromanaged on the publicity front but one thing certain is the location: Angel Place, very close to Pitt Street, next door to Pit Stop Cafe. With Mercado recently opened nearby, Maurice Terzini’s Da Maurizio, MoVida and 1821 all opening soon within a chilli’s toss, it’s going to be a busy old neighbourhood. Thompson’s corporate connections are a bit of a mystery, but we understand Perth businessman Adrian Fini, the farsighted developer behind that city’s State Buildings (among many interests) and a partner/landlord with Thompson in Long Chim Perth, will also be involved in the east. Given the (justified) success of Long Chim west, it would seem a sound business strategy.

One of so many young Melbourne chefs with a debt to one-time boss and mentor-chef Philippe Mouchel, Sascha Randle has quit as head chef at Carlton’s Epocha to take the reins at Joe Vargetto’s new Massa. Randle and Vargetto worked together at Langton’s under Mouchel early last decade; since then she has continued to work with both Mouchel and the McConnell group. “She is hard working and very diligent,” said Vargetto of his new CBD head chef. For her part, Randle says she is excited about her imminent return to the city. “I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with Joe again and the place has great potential,” she says. “and a lot more big operators are taking places in that part of the city (the legal district) and seeing the potential of the area.” Vargetto will concentrate on his Kew trattoria Mr Bianco once Massa is up and running. Epocha, meantime, has appointed Clinton Camilleri, formerly of the disastrously short-lived Woody P, to the role of head chef.

Tasmanian chef Steve Cumper has put his Red Velvet Lounge on the market. The Red Velvet, in Cygnet, made headlines locally when it was razed by fire in November 2014. The restaurant and cafe was subsequently rebuilt and relaunched last year.

In a deal that sees Brown Bros, one of Australia’s largest family-owned wine companies, establish a strategic presence close to Melbourne, wine entrepreneur Phil Sexton has sold his Innocent Bystander brand in the Yarra Valley’s Healesville. Innocent Bystander, under the Brown family, will move into the site once occupied by the White Rabbit Brewery, adjacent to Giant Steps, the brand Sexton will retain and develop. For Brown Brothers, it means new wines, new cellar door and a new informal eatery/pizzeria with an already strong tourism market. For Giant Steps, which stays in the building it already occupies (hitherto shared with Innocent Bystander) it means refurbishment later in the year concentrating on improving the kitchen. Sous chef Heath Farrow currently runs the GS restaurant but according to general manager Suzanne Tyzack, the company will be recruiting for the head chef position later in the year in line with the relaunch.