The Thousands

If you haven’t read about Berta yet, you will. It’s a foregone conclusion. I know this for a number of reasons: it’s in a devastatingly innocuous location, with fat windows onto a laneway, an open kitchen and casually generous staff. More crudely, I know this because when we were in there messing around with the wine list the other night, we got sat smack between at least two tables of food critics. That, combined with its innate qualities, tells you the place is going to be wild stuffed from next week until maybe forever. So move fast and early.

Berta takes a lot of cues from its Vini pedigree: the focus is Italian, but not ‘Italian’; the space is small but smartly outfitted; and they don’t take bookings. A chalkboard menu and wine list are set on opposite walls, both displaying interesting choices for modest sums: the dishes are mostly south of $20, and you can cop 75ml sampling glasses of the wines for just over $4. The menu is designed to be shared, as is currently wont, but servings are more generous than tapas menus. So by all means try the oxtail broth with wild green tortellini, and fill up on the suckling pig, lentils or lamb. Or all three. Or everything.

A final note: definitely, absolutely, investigate the wine list. I’m now a huge pecorino fan, which I had previously thought was just a cheese.