Romano Perella, owner of Amore in Glasgow’s city centre, will open his latest venture, Malocchio, on 18 September. The new restaurant focuses on sociable dining with a flexible format built around house-made pasta, pizzettes, and mid-sized sharing plates. It occupies the former Mediterraneo site, which has undergone a full internal fit-out.
“We’re really excited to finally show people what we have been working on for so long,” said Perrella. “This is a big moment for the team as we get to show off our menu.”
The concept moves away from traditional courses in favour of a relaxed sharing format with portions deliberately sized to encourage variety and group dining.
“It’s pretty much three-quarter sized portions we call sharing plates. Each dish is more than a sample, more than tapas, but not a full-size main meal,” he said.
The pasta, which is made fresh in-house daily, forms the core of the menu, with a range of shapes and sauces matched for texture and balance.
“That has all been very carefully considered to ensure the perfect dish every time. The right pasta to go with each sauce, consistency, subtlety or impact and so on”, adds Romano.
Dishes are described by their ingredients rather than stylised names to keep the ordering process simple. Additional options include chicken Milanese, flat iron steak and aubergine parmigiana while Pizzettes provide a smaller-format alternative to standard pizza.
“Everything is premium. The food is a very, very high quality, but we have worked hard to keep pricing very affordable because we are for everyone.”
The restaurant will operate a hybrid booking system with walk-ins welcomed, but guests can also reserve online, explains Romano, “Some people need to know they’re booked, others love to be spontaneous, so we will work our system for each date to ensure we offer both.”
The interior has been fully redesigned, with natural materials and touches of heritage such as real olive branches incorporated into the fit-out. A Mr Whippy-style dessert station sits alongside the house tiramisu, designed to offer both fun and familiarity.
Romano said, “It may seem like contradictions, but it’s just offering everything. Catering to the different parts of each of us in a place built around positivity and love.”