Date of Last Visit: Tuesday 01st December 2009Image0292

No of victims: Five

The Damage: EUR 26 each (but only one bottle of wine and no liquors)

The Entrance: This is one of those restaurants that I have until the date of visit ….underestimated!   ok…but now I take it all back and blame it on the grapevine!  Once you walk up the stairs and turn round, you get the beautiful view of the Vittoriosa Marina.  Food was not served on the terrace due to bad weather.

Once you enter the main door, you find yourself in a medium sized room with a couple of tables, the bar, a display of wine on the right and a trendy sofa on the left…another larger room interconnects with the latter room, where the kitchen is, along with a number of other tables.    I fell in love with the décor!

The Service: We did not get immediate attention from the staff once we arrived, but it was a busy Tuesday night!  Once our

Rib eye steak

Rib eye steak

reservation was confirmed we were seated.   The service is ‘with a smile’, and efficient though you do not get the

owner/manager asking whether everything is fine.   I wonder why he was continuously walking around the restaurant.   Anyhow….the two girls in charge that night did a magnificent job and managed to assist the busy restaurant impeccably.

The Food:  The selection is vast from antipasti, platters, salads, pasta, pizza, meat, and fish, and for every item displayed on

mixed bruschetta

mixed bruschetta

the menu there is a suggested wine to complement the food.

For starters,  we shared Mixed Bruschetta (Garlic Bread, Tomato and olive bruschetta and bigilla).

For main I was the only one who opted for the ribeye, whereas the rest chose Berto’s cheesy chicken (chicken breast topped with provolone cheese and pancetta served with mushroom or sweet chilly tomato sauce).

The chosen dishes were very well presented; meat and chicken were based on a bed of peppers, eggplant and marrows and topped up with fried onions and carrots.  The main dishes were complemented by roasted and fried potatoes.   My rib-eye was perfectly cooked as requested, though I have tasted better quality meat.   I also savoured the chicken which tasted good, but could have been much tender.

Disappointment: Soft drinks are served on the table, in half litre bottles, which in my opinion ruins the standard of this place.  We were charged for EUR 3 per soft drink bottle, which I think it’s a rip-off!!

berto's cheesy chicken

berto's cheesy chicken

Another Disappointment: I don’t think there is decent extraction as I got home smelling of food from top to bottom.  Oh another thing — the room temperate — at some point it got a bit suffocating.

The Verdict: I want to go again :) to taste the Ravioli Crab & Lobster or the Fagottini stuffed with pear and tallegio cheese tossed in a creamy gorgonzola and walnuts fondue….and the pizza!!

Apart from the price of the soft drinks…this restaurant is good value for money!!

Web: www.donberto.com

Tel: +35621808008