Berta
Berta is truly one of the hidden gems on the Sydney dining scene. Tucked in an inconspicuous doorway on Alberta Street, Berta offers one of the most beautifully crafted set menus every Tuesday evening: Sagra.
During Sagra, the chef takes one ingredient and curates a four-course menu around that ingredient. On previous occasions I have been to a pomegranate themed dinner and another one with artichoke, and both have been delicious. There is something very relaxing about giving over control to the kitchen team and letting them surprise you with their creations.
The Sagra menu I am about to review is slightly different to the usual Sagra format, because the theme, rather than a single ingredient, is 'St Stephens Day' - or Italian Boxing day. Being the day after Christmas, the kind of food created are those which may be considered 'leftover fare' - where you take the bits and bobs you weren't able to use up for the Christmas feast and create yet another feast.
The first course is in three parts. The first part is an ocean trout carpaccio, made special by the accompanying sauce which somehow manages to be refreshing yet warm at the same time - thanks to the cloves.
The second part of the first course is a salad of a light, creamy and mild cheese, beetroot and almonds. What this dish does particularly well is the play on different textures - the beetroot is pureed, the almond crunchy, and the cheese a happy medium.
The final part of the first course transitions us from light dishes to the more hearty ones we have come to associate with Christmas. It consists of pork fennel meat balls in a light broth. The meat balls were rather salty, but it was a welcomed saltiness coming straight after the sweetness of the beetroot puree.
The 'leftover' theme becomes more apparent in the second course, as pumpkin dumplings rest on a bed of vegetables. The chicory is quite bitter and that balances out the sweetness of the pumpkin.
The main dish is a beautiful sirloin with a salty crust and served with anchovies butter. Even though the meat is quite pink, there is no 'raw' taste at all. I didn't think I would enjoy anchovies butter, but I was wrong - its distinctive saltiness is the perfect match for hearty servings of meat.
The sirloin is served with a small mound of lentils with generous shavings of Parmesan on top.
Finally, my favourite course: dessert. The dessert is a semifredo with broken up chunks of brownie hidden inside, and served with hazelnut and rhubarb. The semifredo is so light and fluffy it is almost a mousse - but the brownie bits are hearty and sweet; balanced by the tartness of the rhubarb favour-wise; and the crunchy roasted hazelnuts texture-wise.
Score: 4.5 / 5
A beautiful spot for a quiet, elegant evening of good company and excellent conversation.
Cost: $105 pp with matching wines.
Address: 17-19 Alberta St, Sydney
Website: http://berta.com.au/
During Sagra, the chef takes one ingredient and curates a four-course menu around that ingredient. On previous occasions I have been to a pomegranate themed dinner and another one with artichoke, and both have been delicious. There is something very relaxing about giving over control to the kitchen team and letting them surprise you with their creations.
The Sagra menu I am about to review is slightly different to the usual Sagra format, because the theme, rather than a single ingredient, is 'St Stephens Day' - or Italian Boxing day. Being the day after Christmas, the kind of food created are those which may be considered 'leftover fare' - where you take the bits and bobs you weren't able to use up for the Christmas feast and create yet another feast.
The first course is in three parts. The first part is an ocean trout carpaccio, made special by the accompanying sauce which somehow manages to be refreshing yet warm at the same time - thanks to the cloves.
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| Ocean Trout Carpaccio, orange fennel clove |
The second part of the first course is a salad of a light, creamy and mild cheese, beetroot and almonds. What this dish does particularly well is the play on different textures - the beetroot is pureed, the almond crunchy, and the cheese a happy medium.
 |
| Beetroot, Fior de Latte, Almonds |
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| Pork Fennel Salumi |
The 'leftover' theme becomes more apparent in the second course, as pumpkin dumplings rest on a bed of vegetables. The chicory is quite bitter and that balances out the sweetness of the pumpkin.
 |
| Rotolo pumpkin chicory, rilotta duck broth |
The main dish is a beautiful sirloin with a salty crust and served with anchovies butter. Even though the meat is quite pink, there is no 'raw' taste at all. I didn't think I would enjoy anchovies butter, but I was wrong - its distinctive saltiness is the perfect match for hearty servings of meat.
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| Slow Roasted Sirloin |
 |
Score: 4.5 / 5
A beautiful spot for a quiet, elegant evening of good company and excellent conversation.
Cost: $105 pp with matching wines.
Address: 17-19 Alberta St, Sydney
Website: http://berta.com.au/
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