Berta

6.3 Average

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  4      Value  5     

If the trend these days is for 'slow food' I think Berta's need to apply this to their service, which we felt was extremely rushed.

We felt pressured to order our wine within 5 minutes of being seated, plates were being whipped away from us before we had finished and it was 'elbows off the table' whilst our crumbs were cleaned up around us. We were very surprised they didn't set the table for the next guests.

I think there is a place for over-efficient service and this wasn't it. It's a shame because the food was delicious.

May 21, 2012 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  10      Value  8     

Having read a couple of the reviews below, I wonder how our experience could be so different. We are big fans of Berta's big brother Vini and we love the Melbourne-esque, hole-in-the-wall Berta just as much. It can be challenging to find, but it is well worth it.

The service we received from attentive and interested staff, who took time to explain the entire menu, was wonderful. The vitello tonnato was mouth wateringly delicious as were the main of mussells. As usual, the Italian wine perfectly matched these and the other dishes.

The only negative is that the seating is rather close. Larger people would find negotiating their way around the tables somewhat challenging.

Jan 21, 2012 

5.3 Average

Food  6      Ambience  5      Service  6      Value  4     

I was here for my birthday last night and I'm disappointed to say the whole experience was a let down.

One can tell what Berta aspires to - it's laneway "blink and miss it" location, dark interiors, cramped seating, tiny tables, blackboard menu and focus on wine. Unfortunately, it missed the mark when it came to food.

My wife and I went for the 10 course tasting menu for $69pp. This is 10 sharing plates, not 10 plates per person.

We started with pickled carrots with cumin, 4 slices of carrot. We then went onto to equally miserly portions of one small slice of bruschetta (to share), 2 spoonfuls of cucumber salad with fergola. Then one oyster each. Each of these small plates counted as a dish. They did say they would start with small plates, but this was truly miserly. We were up to dish 3 and had not had more than 3 spoonfuls of food in total from 3 dishes.

The woeful miserly small plate trend continued into 4 slices of kingfish with squid ink (remember, this to share), a small plate of prosciutto with fried pastry, a slightly bigger bowl of mussels, then mouthfuls of salad and finished with a sharing plate of six finely sliced pieces of pork.

Dessert was one slice of gelato to share between 2 people. I had 10 small dishes to share and by the end of the experience, I was left hungry. Together with a glass of wine each (great), the bill came to $170 and I was still famished.

There is also a fine difference between restrain and under-seasoning food and, unfortunately, Berta wandered too many times into the latter. If only Berta put a little more thought in their tasting menu, a sprinkling of more generosity and this could have ranked at least as an average experience.

Best food of the night came from the Lebanese takeaway down the road. 3 succulent beef kebab skewers for $9.

Jan 06, 2012 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  8     

The food is very good here and it's a good place to meet up and have a drink.

Nov 17, 2011 

3.3 Below Average

Food  2      Ambience  6      Service  2      Value  3     

Sorry to say, we tried this little place out as it is within walking distance and was hoping for it to be a regular. The waiters were unwelcoming, impatient and down right impolite with the attitude that we were lucky to be in their company! The food was the worst Italian I have ever tasted and their food was luke warm as opposed to the cold staff. It may have been a bad night for them, but it was a long night to remember for three of us who fell ill.

Nov 17, 2011 

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  8     

This is simply a great place to eat the food was excellent and the service the same, will go back again for sure. Whoever heard of serving Brussels sprouts like that, I could have eaten 3 servings just for myself.

Nov 12, 2011 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  8     

Can be a bit noisy at night / hard to talk so have been heading to Berta's for Friday lunch - perfect!! Am totally besotted with the great, fresh and creative food all done simply yet exceptionally well. Wine is always and adventure there, but the team are great at guiding you through them.

Nov 12, 2011 

7.5 Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  7     

This is a funky place, even if you just stop in for a glass of vino. It is very inconspicuous from street level, and admittedly I walked past it about 3 times before I realised it was where I was meant to be. They host regional dinners, as well as using a seasonal ingredient, 4 courses for $55 and $35 for matching wines. I could not fault any of the wines I drank, all imported and all beautifully matched.

The food was mixed. I thoroughly enjoyed the beef short rib with celeriac and parsnip puree with an iceberg fennel and mint salad, and a wonderful dessert of poached pear honey chocolate and walnuts. A dish of vongole with pasta cooked "en pappillote", however, left a little to be desired. It was slightly dry, and must not have created enough steam in the cooking process to open the vongole with half of them remaining unopen. A shame. I also think the addition of grappa to a delicate seafood dish was way too overpowering. The menu changes daily, so I will definitely give this place another try, the service was faultless.

Sep 01, 2011 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  8     

I go here regularly for after work drinks, it's a gem as it's close to the CBD yet different from many of the city bars, intimate, secluded with a simple list of cocktails and some great Italian wines and there's always some nibbles at the bar. I've had dinner here a couple of times too and have found the staff to be warm and efficient, and the food is fantastic. Scallops tomato saffron butter, suckling pig, and burrata dish are just some of the delicious plates I've sampled recently.

Aug 10, 2011 

7.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  7     

I had a really good experience here with great food. Contrary to many reviews here, we had good waiter, with good suggestions, and just the right level of service. I was there for a Friday lunch, and we felt welcome to linger. Upon reflection the tables, are awfully close together, and, perhaps, this is off-putting for some people particularly for an intimate dinner, but for lunch it was fine. It's such a small space, I am guessing 10 tables max?, which has its advantages and disadvantages.

Jul 18, 2011