• Original pasta maker Roberto Piacenti is back doing what he does best at Ruocco’s. Photo by Jeremy Dixon

RUOCCO’S PIZZA is back—with new owner Vijay Balagopal.

The iconic South Freo noshery suddenly closed its doors in August last year, catching peckish portsiders off guard and crying at the loss of WA’s best calzone.

While the Ruocco family mystery behind the closure may never see the light of day, new owner Vijay Balagopal says locals can expect much of the same menu from February 5.

“When I got approached to take over the place by the old man, I thought, ‘why not it’s a golden pass you can’t go wrong’,” he told the Herald.

“Customers will see its pretty much the same. We don’t want to change the image because it works. Ninety per cent of the menu will be same—all we are going to do is try and make it a little better.”

Mr Balagopal, who also owns Breaks Cafe on High Street, says that since he opened the shutters this week, he’s been blown away by how many people have asked whether he’s planning to fire up WA’s oldest wood-fired pizza ovens.

 by BRENDAN FOSTER