Sydney is doing the time warp again. The latest blast from the past is a 70s-inspired enoteca from the folks behind Restaurant Hubert, Frankie's and Shady Pines Saloon.
Called Alberto Lounge, the retro eatery has moved into Berta's old pad, and naturally, he's done a little renovating.
Celebrating the shades of the 70s — brown, brown and brown — the venue has been given a groovy new fit-out, which includes teak shelving, chocolate-coloured carpet and buff stucco walls hung with framed poster art. Design crimes they may be, but somehow the space manages to feel warm, funky and fun.
While the decor may be unashamedly old school, don't expect to find foil-wrapped garlic bread on the menu or curly parsley garnishes on your spag bol.
Leading the charge on the food front is the gran maestro himself, Dan Pepperell (Restaurant Hubert, 10 William Street, Attica), who has created an Italo-Australian menu that takes classic cookery and makes it cool again.
Forget watery table wine, Alberto takes its vino seriously, as you can probably guess from the wine menu-slash-manuscript, which has been painstakingly arranged by colour and weight. The list also includes a bright yellow section in the middle for nebbiolo, simply because "nebbiolo is awesome" explains our waiter. He's not wrong, Alberto's nebbiolo is awesome. As is its food, hell, even its decor. Alberto is certainly one hip joint.
Images: Kitti Gould.
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