omerta – darlinghurst

235 Victoria St,
Darlinghurst, Sydney
www.omerta.com.au

If you ever find yourself in Darlinghurst looking for a groovy bar with and excellent wine list and some delicious food – have I got the place for you.

Omerta has been one of my favourites since it opened last year. Another project from the wonderful people at a tavola across the road, it’s just the thing that Darlinghurst needed. A little bit New York, a little bit Italiano, it’s a hip bar with an interesting wine list serving Italian style spuntini (snacks).

My wine merchant mate Tobes gave the wine list a big thumbs up for variety but thought it a little on the pricey side for the vino. Not that that stopped us sampling many of the delights.

loved

the sardines
the quail
the proscuitto(!) – sweet sweet pig
the really interesting italian wine list
the decor especially the sandstone bar & the big marble communal table
the mood lighting
the engaging and honest service – it’s not often you get a waiter in a wine bar to admit to being afraid of a drink – but understandable when the drink in question is an artichoke liqueur
having a chef behind the bar doing some of the last minute food prep – fun to watch
that the kitchen was still open at midnight

didn’t love

that tasting plate quail was served whole so we had to cut it with a spoon – the upside was that it was so tender that we didn’t really struggle.
the really interesting italian wine list leading to over consumption (see drank section)
completely overripe pear on the cheese plate

ate

sicilian olives & grissini
proscuitto san daniele – aged 24 months
pan fried sardines, eggplant, herbs, hazelnut & preserved lemon
quail alla brace, pearly barley, green beans, salsa verde
vacca rosso reggiano – served with bread, crackers, muscatelles & fresh pear

on previous visits have enjoyed:
duck liver pate with brioche & cornichons
salt cod & potato crocchette, garlic mayonnaise,
sauteed ndujia salami, potato, cavalo nero & chickpea puree
wagyu rump alla brace – tagliata with salmoriglio
rocket, grape & parmesan salad

drank

tapetto volante birra
carpene malvolti prosecco-veneto
2008 piras vermentino di gallura
morgante nero d’avola
montenegro amaro (bitter artichoke based liqueur)

value

OK about $80 for 2 + drinks & service

reservations

taken by phone or email

perfect for

a late night casual italian fix

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