17-19 Alberta St, Sydney 02 9264 6133 www.berta.com.au
Walk down the sliver of hallway they use for an entrance and Berta opens up to become a chic wine bar and restaurant tucked away in complete privacy. This is the latest offering from Andrew Cibej – owner of Vini – and judging by the full seats at 6:30pm it is already a hit. The focus is on wine not cocktails and Berta offers an in-depth selection of Italian styles. They have at their disposal the talents of Georgio from Vini – who imports many wines specifically for the restaurants.
Berta offers the choice of either a full glass or a half glass which is a great way to taste your way around the various regions; try the Falanghina from Campania for a refreshing glass of white or perhaps a full bodied Dolcetto from Piedmont is more your style. The food is wine driven too and you can nibble on delicious treats like chicken liver pate, scallops or step it up to a suckling pig or lamb rump. Head down early and settle in at the bar where you can watch the action.