Paradise arrived quietly in May, sparkling under a pastel stained-glass sign by Poppy Templeton (aka Duck Ragu). And on its Potts Point corner the little wine bar – from brothers Gio and Enrico Paradiso, of Fratelli Paradiso and 10 William St – quickly became a go-to.
There are no bookings and the only menu, captained by chef Trisha Greentree, is scrawled across a blackboard. You’re in for an ever-changing line-up of homely Italian dishes from a teeny dark-green kitchen counter. The superb wines the duo’s other venues are known for, along with the smart, friendly hospitality, are in attendance too – and now there are Saturday morning baked goods.
“It was not the plan, but after working Saturday lunches I realised peak time on our little corner was 10am with wait times at Primary at full peak,” Greentree tells Broadsheet. “Everyone always pokes their head in to see what’s cooking and I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be lovely to offer a snack out the window?!’”
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From 9am, items from the Fratelli Bakery days and savoury sfogliatelle – spinach and Asiago, and mozzarella and prosciutto – will hit the corner, along with pizza in teglia (Roman pan pizza), sweet tortas filled with pistachio and nespole (a gently tangy fruit called a loquat in Australia), plus a few more sweets.
“We soft-launched two weeks ago, spreading the word through all the venues. We opened at 9.15 and were sold out in an hour, so this time we are baking four times the amount.”
The bulk of the cooking happens down the road at Fratelli. Prep starts on Thursday, Friday is for the “heavy-lifting”, and ovens are on from 5am on Saturday.
“People have been calling the restaurant to ask if it’s true that the spinach sfogliatelle is back, so we now have to deliver after a tease.”
Paradise Bakery will open on Saturday September 13 at 9am, until sold out. The plan is loose, but the team is looking to make it a fortnightly happening.
Dining and Cooking