A compact Italian diner with Italian food seen through the dynamic lens of Matt McDonald, paired with an equally dynamic list of hard-to-source wines, which you can take away, too.
Finish off your meal with a digestivo from the extensive list.
Opened 2019
It didnât take long for the 60-seat venue to become a destination in its own right, with locals flocking for chef Matt McDonaldâs modern wine bar food and a drinks list stacked with boutique Italian and Australian producers. The space is often packed â the team started taking bookings after COVID-19 restrictions relaxed last year, but bar space is kept aside for walk-ins.
âOur main focus lies in the heart of Italian tradition based on our heritage, yet with a modern interpretation and ideas,â Nicolo says. Thereâs also a close connection to family â Monsterella was named for Nicolo and Booklessâ young daughterâs extremely cute mispronunciation of mozzarella, and Mummuccâ is for Nicoloâs grandmother (mummuccâ means mother in Abruzzese dialect).
McDonald, who has a cafe background and an Italian heritage of his own, transitioned across from the pizzeria to open Mummuccâ. âMatt aims to challenge the expectations of what’s on offer in your usual suburban wine bar,â Nicolo says. His plates are simple and direct, with unexpected twists â think whole prawns doused in butter with a lick of chilli vinegar, or hibachi-grilled leeks with ComtĂ© cream and wakame zaâatar. The menu becomes all the more impressive upon learning that McDonald is literally the only chef in the tiny open kitchen.
The wine list sticks to the same Italian-Australian vibe as the menu and features boutique West Australian and Italian producers. Itâs not exclusively natural or lo-fi, however Nicolo and Bookless are careful to source from producers with a minimal approach to winemaking and vineyard maintenance. In theory, anything that makes it onto the list must be approved by consensus, but Nicolo admits that rule goes out the window if she stumbles across something she really loves.
Otherwise, thereâs a selection of tap beers plus the kind of apertivo and digestivo youâd expect to see in a wine bar in Bologna or Venice, were it not for the smattering of Australian-made spirits â think Maidenii vermouth and Okar amaro.
Si Paradiso is a venue that takes it wine as seriously as it does its quest for good times. Slip into the bar or kick back in the sun-splashed courtyard till it surrenders into the night with good vibes â courtesy of DJs or live music â and three-day-ferment wood-fired pizza to keep you company.
Before Joel Rees and Danielle de Almeida opened Madalenaâs, they were Fremantle food truck pioneers. In 2013, they talked the council into approving a permit for their mobile offering of Brazilian Street Food, Comida do Sul. That van became a welcome site on Fremantleâs streets, as well at festivals, weddings and other events. Now with…
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