Their restaurant always has lines stretching down Lygon Street. Soon, there’ll be a grab-and-go spot nearby for panini, focaccia and little snacks that feels like walking into nonna’s kitchen.
More than two years after opening the forever-busy Johnny, Vince & Sam’s Ristorante on Carlton’s Lygon Street, comedy trio Sooshi Mango is planting another Italian flag on the strip – a sandwich shop called Sangaweech, three doors down.
Plans are to have the former hairdressing salon so steeped in nostalgia it will feel like stepping into a nonna’s kitchen.
Orange laminex benches, cream-based retro-patterned tiles, a dessert display, lace curtains and staff uniforms with an ’80s flavour will feature at the grab-and-go venue, set to open in the latter half of February. Adding kerbside seating is a goal.
The trio say the eatery’s name is an homage to how an Italian nonna pronounces “sandwich”.
Having spent 18 months on the project, Joe Salanitri, his brother Carlo and long-time pal Andrew Manfre say quality is top of mind.
“For us, the fourth member of Sooshi Mango is food.”
Andrew Manfre, part of Sooshi Mango
Business partner and chef Johnny Di Francesco (400 Gradi) spent time last year with a flour technician in Padua, Italy learning how to make the best bread possible.
“When you bite into a panino, the star is the bread and not many people focus on that,” says Carlo.
Both filled focaccia and panini will be on offer and everything will be made to order, with dressings and spreads also made in-house.
“We’ve come up with about 10 or 11 sandwiches that we think are next level and [are] going to knock people’s socks off,” says Carlo.
Dropping menu hints, Joe says he enjoys stacked prosciutto, mortadella, salami and capsicum. Another favourite combo is potato, sausage and peppers.
Research has included grazing on dozens of plates of different salami, mortadella, prosciutto, cheese, olives and sun-dried tomatoes, rating each out of 10.
“For us, the fourth member of Sooshi Mango is food,” says Andrew.
Joining the sangers are bite-sized chicken cotoletta, deep-fried mozzarella sticks and hand-cut nonna-style chips.
“When you were a kid, [those] chips were completely different to the chips that you bought at McDonald’s or Red Rooster,” says Carlo. “They were always hand cut, different sizes, crispy. We want to mimic that.”
Naturally, there’ll be a coffee machine for hot and iced coffees. A caffe crema with a Sooshi Mango twist is also on the cards. Thick shakes spanning pistachio to tiramisu will be served in collectable cups – “to put in the crystal cabinet,” jokes Carlo.
All three have fond memories of strolls along Lygon Street as children.
“We chose Lygon Street for Sangaweech to encourage more movement on the street. We’re trying to keep the street and the Italian heritage alive and we just want people from all nationalities to come visit the street and keep Carlton busy,” says Andrew.
The trio were recently in the news after sharing on social media footage of a break-in at their offices off Lygon Street and calling for tougher penalties for offenders.
Perceptions of the comedians-slash-restaurateurs have changed over time, say the trio.
“We’re a comedy brand so when we first opened the restaurant people thought it was a bit of a gimmick, a bit of joke, a bit of a circus,” says Andrew.
Joe adds that some people said they wouldn’t last six months.
Recently, they’ve knocked back offers to open restaurants in Perth, Sydney and Adelaide.
“We just want one location that becomes an iconic destination over time. We think there’s something magical about having just one spot,” Carlo says.
Sangaweech will open in February for lunch and dinner daily.
300 Lygon Street, Carlton, instagram.com/sangaweech
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Donna Demaio is a freelance arts, travel, entertainment and food journalist and broadcaster.
