Chef Yossi Shitrit has opened Berta, a kosher chef restaurant in the food court of Ofer Mall, better known as Ramat Aviv Mall in Tel Aviv. Shitrit says he chose the unusual location because he wanted a site that would keep working “in every situation,” after years marked by the pandemic, wars, protests and missile fire from Iran. The restaurant is positioned near a candy store, an Asian chain, a bubble tea bar and, soon, the Jagger burger chain from Kiryat Ono, with McDonald’s only a few meters away.
Shitrit, sometimes referred to as “Yossi Shitrit the second” to avoid confusion with the food-reality TV figure, first rose to prominence with David VeYosef on Montefiore Street in Tel Aviv. After a two-year break from city life, he returned to TV in the Passover special of “Come Dine with Me,” where he also spoke about personal change, saying he had worked through anger and temper issues and was now “in a better place.” Expectations for Berta grew further, especially after recent military operations and attacks from Iran.
The menu mixes Italy and the Middle East in a loose, nontraditional way. It is dairy and fish based, kosher, and built around an open kitchen with a large oven turning out breads, pizzas and roasted fish. The review praises the food as elegant, well seasoned and worth the mental hurdle of eating in a mall. Recommended dishes include the focaccia with crushed tomatoes and aioli harissa for 28 shekels, the zucchini salad for 62 shekels, and the grilled whole fish, the most expensive item on the menu, at 128 shekels.
The standout dish is the sea bass hareyma, priced at 118 shekels, described as deeply flavored, mildly spicy and served with soft chickpeas and a side of focaccia. Other options include handmade ravioli with spinach and mozzarella, soft gnocchi and cacio e pepe. Dessert is tiramisu served from a dedicated tiramisu drawer, and the reviewer calls it a must. Berta is at 40 Einstein Street, Tel Aviv, and is open Sunday through Thursday from 12:00 to 19:00.
