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Rocky triumphs

Former St Katherine's head chef Paul Dunlop will oversee the kitchen at GG, at the site of the Mercy Hospital site in East Melbourne.
Former St Katherine's head chef Paul Dunlop will oversee the kitchen at GG, at the site of the Mercy Hospital site in East Melbourne.Eddie Jim

After three years sitting dormant, the restaurant space at the Mercy Hospital redevelopment in Clarendon Street, East Melbourne, is about to get a new lease of life.

Rocky Veneziano, of Veneziano Coffee and Groove Train, plans to open there by late February.

Veneziano has employed former St Katherine's head chef Paul Dunlop and Luca Montebelli, sommelier and former co-owner of Fitzroy's Town Hall Hotel, to operate a restaurant on the site originally linked to chef Ray Capaldi.

The restaurant will be called GG. ''I liked the name,'' Dunlop says. The title was inspired by being close to the ''G'' - the Melbourne Cricket Ground - with the second character derived from Rocky's grandfather Giuseppi. ''[The name] doesn't tie us to a particular cuisine,'' Dunlop says, though he mentions French, Italian, Spanish and Greek dishes.

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The interior is being designed by Port Melbourne-based studio Finschi PHD, with a central bar in the 150-seat space. GG will open from 11am Monday to Friday and from 7am at weekends.

* View full-length Epicure Espresso from January 22 here.

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