Photo of
December 4, 2018

As reported in several earlier blogs, the Crolla family's Vittoria Group has spent the last few months working on Bertie's, a new fish and chip restaurant with bar on the capital's Victoria Street.

The 300 cover restaurant has announced that it will open to the public at midday on Monday 10th December.

The Crollas' other restaurants include Divino, Vittoria on the Bridge and Taste of Italy.

Having started life as St John's Church, Bertie's Restaurant and Bar will be the group’s first foray beyond Italian food. The original Vittoria opened on Leith Walk in 1970 and is still going strong. The main pic shows Tony Crolla standing in front of Bertie's exterior.

Ever since the new project was announced, the intention has been to serve 'proper' fish and chips along with contemporary, lighter twists on chip shop favourites.

Fish supper and new twists

Naturally, haddock and cod suppers will be on the menu along with Whitby scampi, battered pork sausages and white or mealy pudding suppers, all served with twice cooked chips.

Less traditional options will include Bertie's Malaysian-style curry; a seadog made with battered cod on a brioche bun with a Marie Rose sauce plus a variety of vegetarian dishes and a vegan take on fish and chips.

The cocktail menu 'aims to balance Scottish ingredients with the zest of the seaside'.

One translation of this would be that it has all the cheeky glitz of a kiss-me-quick hat. Options include an Irn Bru Spritz - Barr's Irn Bru with Prosecco, Aperol and Angostura plus a Buckfast Bramble - a head-spinning combination of gin and Buckfast.

The Perch replaces Dogs home

The interior of The Perch.

The interior of The Perch. Pic: Restaurant Facebook.

In other Edinburgh news, The Perch is now up and running in the Hanover Street premises which previously housed David Ramsden's Dogs restaurant.

As well as a colourful makeover of the interior, there is a fresh menu. Menus are here but typical dishes might be the lobster mac 'n' cheese; the grilled halloumi and Mediterranean vegetables or the confit of duck with potatoes, black pudding, beetroot and a red currant sauce.