BAR HOP
By Sloane Carvell
(@crumbs_and_corks)
La Madonna Nera Mt Hawthorn
I
n the hub of Mt Hawthorn across the road from The Mezz on Scarborough Beach Road is a little bar with a lot of attitude. La Madonna Nera, as its name suggests, is an Italianinfluenced wine bar that will make you feel like you went to Italy without the expensive airfare or long queue at passport control. With old world Italian wine varietals, amaro by the glass, house-made negronis and small plates packing a forte Italian punch, you don’t need to go very far for a slice of la dolce vita. A friend and I arrange to meet on a Saturday evening for a long overdue catch-up over aperitifs. It’s a busy night as I arrive so I am glad we booked. Spoilt for wine choices, I was early for my girl date and was recommended by staff to start with a glass of Monte Schiavo Verdicchio. Verdicchio has been cultivated for hundreds of years in the Marche region of central Italy and this was my first tasting of this Italian variety. It is dry and crisp with lovely minerality and a sea-air freshness and perfect for the hot balmy evening; the ideal choice, as it turns out.
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Sometimes as a female it can feel awkward waiting in bars but the staff at La Madonna Nera were friendly and checked on me as I waited and made me feel comfortable. My friend
