SUD

After running Five Dock’s wildly popular Gatto Matto, chef Paolo Gatto turned away from higher-end Italian dining in favour of the humble cuisine of south Italy’s streets.

Gatto’s meatballs are based on his nonna’s recipe and come packed into a panino or doused in passata and pecorino with toasted bread on the side for clean up. They’re rich, simple and filling. There are also ragu-and-pea-stuffed arancini and panzerotti, (mini fluffy calzones) filled with ham and provolone.

The pastas and mains carried over from Gatto Matto are more refined than the street fare, but no less enjoyable. Paolo’s favourite is the spiedinu di pesci: swordfish, prawns and baby octopus skewered and grilled.

The thin-based pizzas are varyingly crisp or messy, depending on how quickly you can eat them. For dessert there is cuzzoli, Italian doughnuts sprinkled with cinnamon, icing sugar and fat snakes of Nutella.

SUD offers weekend breakfasts such as baked eggs, breakfast calzones and tomato, buffalo mozzarella and basil served over Italian bread from local Calabrian Pino Dolcetti.