Just Open: Mr Ottorino, Fitzroy

Old friends Matt Tine and Matty Miceli are nothing if not resourceful. A couple of months ago they took over the site formerly known as the Commoner and spent almost no money turning it into Mr Ottorino, a smart Sicilian restaurant named after Tine's pastry chef grandfather, which opened at the end of April.

"Desperation architecture", the friends call their zero-waste approach to renovation. Doors have become shelves, a private dining room has been decked out with encyclopaedias Miceli persuaded strangers on Gumtree to give him and an old cashier's desk has a keg in it.

The most impressive resurrection is a fridge-turned-smoker that can still keep beer cold.

Keeping with the upcycle theme Tine, who worked at Grossi Florentino​ for 11 years, has created a modern take on Sicilian food inspired by family recipes: ocean trout smoked in coffee grounds atop fregola, a "polenta" made from rice, enriched with parmesan, butter and a confit egg yolk centre, and cannoli filled with sweetened ricotta, candied fruit and pistachios.

Miceli, who previously owned Lucky's Pizza, has plans for the pre-existing courtyard wood-fired oven. For now Tine is cooking chickens in it using his grandmother's recipe for a whole baby bird stuffed with short-grain rice and lemony crumbs.

There's a short, quirky drinks list – Sardinian beer; Veneto prosecco; McLaren Vale Nero d'Avola – and don't miss the paper-wrapped parcel of Cioccolato di Modica; 70 per cent cocoa chocolate tempered with brown sugar, hazelnuts and lime.

Open Tue-Wed 6pm-10.30pm; Thu-Sun noon-10.30pm.

122 Johnston Street, Fitzroy 03 9415 6876, mrottorino.com