Cafe Paci to set up a permanent home in Newtown

Chef Pasi Petänen is setting up permanently in Sydney’s inner west after wowing diners with a temporary venue six years ago.

Since closing Cafe Paci in 2015, the former Marque head chef did stints at Lankan Filling Station, Automata and the now-closed Acme.

The new Cafe Paci will be located Newtown next door to pizza hut Bella Brutta. The set menu format has gone with Petänen opting for a "more spontaneous" à la carte menu.

"It's inspired by the Italian That's Amore pop-ups I've been running with [sommelier and wine importer] Giorgio De Maria," he said. "There was a really good energy with people just coming and going all day. The new Paci is somewhere where you can come for a glass of wine and oysters for 20 minutes, or stay for two hours."

Not everything is being ditched, with the rye and molasses bread set to return, but the "photato", a Scando-Vietnamese hybrid of pho-as-potato, is off the menu.

"I'm keen to do larger dishes, and it's hard to eat 200 grams of potato noodles," he said.

In its place will be his take on Janssons frestelse, a Swedish-Finnish gratin of potatoes and anchovies served with horseradish cream and pickles.

Luke Powell (Bella Brutta, LP's Quality Meats) has been signed on to make mettwurst, a north European fermented pork sausage, and his version of spiced devilled eggs.

De Maria will be in charge of the wine list which will focus on small producers and food-friendly drops.

The original Paci designer George Livissianis has been picked to deck out the new space.

"We're going to spend a bit more money than just painting the space," said Petänen. "The design brief is a French-European bistro and wine bar for the inner-west."

Sheridan Randall - 16-08-19