Modena 88

The look: European chic, with alfresco seating and intimate booths. This compact bar and restaurant has a dash of Italian style, with sexy red lighting, Perspex stools lining the marble bar and luxury cars like the Maserati parked in the bar entrance so you can enjoy La Dolce Vita.
The soundtrack: music is tailored to each night’s crowd. Expect ambient music, deep house and upbeat retro. From The Budos Band to shaking your groove thing to Saturday Night Fever on the Plazma TV.
Signature drink: Dark rum scorched Mandarin Chilli daiquiri ($17). This unique blend of dark Havana club reserve rum muddled with char grilled mandarin is a taste sensation.
Peckish? The European bar menu is restaurant quality. The melt-in-your-mouth battered zucchini flowers are stuffed with delicious ricotta and garlic ($15).
Sweet tooth? Indulge in a creamy tiramisu ($10.50).
Best for: an understated glamorous hang-out for inner-city locals. There’s a mixed crowd from young professionals to groups of friends and families.
Wow factor: The enigmatic bar manager Aaron Powdrill has originated a ‘cooking with cocktails’ menu. This molecular mixologist actually changes the way fruit is prepared and tastes. New age and organic cocktails such as the Blackberry and sake flip ($16) are unique twisted classics.
If this bar were a movie star hang out it would be: for an enticingly elegant Sophie Loren.

By Kathy Buchanan

Address: 88 Crown St , Woolloomooloo, Sydney
Phone: 9326 0888
Open: Tuesday - Sunday