Owned and operated by Joe Tallarida, My Vicino is a local neighbourhood espresso bar that serves amazing coffee, all day breakfast and lunch by day then transforms into an Italian street food eatery by night. For Joe, his dream was to create a place that reminded him of his childhood; a dream that became a reality in June 2016 when he opened the doors to My Vicino in the suburban town of Wimberley Perth.

“I grow up an Italian home where friends and family were always welcome; the door was always open and people dropped in at any time of the day,” recalls Joe. “I wanted to create an eatery that made you feel like you were eating at my place. That’s why we are not located on a main road or in a busy shopping centre; I wanted something that was tucked away within the neighbourhood and village.”

Reflecting this Italian home style mantra, the dinner menu has been designed to be shared and is simple, fresh, and served quickly. It comprises of all the traditional Southern Italian dishes; meatballs in rich Ragu, antipasto, arancini, fresh pork sausages, the list goes on.

In order to produce this share styled menu, Joe knew he needed a multifunctional piece of equipment that would allow him to cook in various ways all from the one unit (and fast!). After researching the market, Joe knew a RATIONAL XS would be the perfect fit.

“We have designed our operation around equipment that helps us deliver quality food quickly,” said Joe. “We have over 30 different dishes on our menu and 2 chefs on staff in the evening; however, the RATIONAL XS is just like having a 3rd Chef.”

“We have designed our menu and prep around the RATIONAL XS being the hub for what we do – 80% of our menu items are cooked in the RATIONAL XS. One chef can manage breakfast and lunch and also prep for dinner using the RATIONAL XS during quiet times. You can do so much in this piece of equipment. It allows us to serve over 70 covers in an hour-and-a-half seating with only 2 chefs. If you could put a hat on it you would think it was a chef.”

Joe and the team at My Vicino have definitely created an urban café with a relaxed home style feel. It’s just like going to your Italian mates place and never wanting to leave!