The last time I resettled in Malta after living abroad, I used to laugh at people’s comments about the great distance I had to travel to and from my first residence at Mellieha Bay. Then after just a few months, as may be expected, I fell into synch with everyone else and all things became relative. This was therefore the feeling we had, akin to a great expedition, to travel from Burmarrad to Smart City. And although we resisted the urge to break up the journey by spending the night in a hotel somewhere half way, we still left nice and early and stocked up the car with water, survival food, first aid kit and blankets. You can never be too sure and as they say, better safe than sorry.

I must also admit that due to the enormous distance and the lack of any previous particular reason to visit, this was actually my very first time not only to this restaurant but also to Smart City as a whole. We normally wait for a valid reason and a firm occasion to visit such places and meanwhile quite easily bear any fleeting curiosity with very little difficulty.

So several days after our departure, we finally made it to Smart City, situated in an isolated location between Kalkara and Xghajra. As I have already read several times in different places, the signage once you get there is simply nonexistent. So we just drove all the way down the main road which is unstylishly sided by rust coloured corrugated iron solid barriers, until we reached the large car park at the bottom and just parked there without having any idea whatsoever whether we were anywhere close to our final destination. Even once in the car park, we looked around for any signage or indication of where the restaurant might be, however there was absolutely nothing to direct us in any possible direction. So after some aimless wanderings, we were finally lucky enough to spot from afar the name of the restaurant and thankfully headed in that direction, wondering why patrons have to go through such a tough obstacle course just to find a restaurant when installing a couple of small simple signs would be so easy and effective.

We were the guests of our dear friends Jeremy and Michael, who got there a few minutes before us. So after hugs, kisses, hello’s and how are you’s, we all decided to start off our long unwinding process with a couple of well deserved gin and tonics. Keeping a keen eye open on as much detail as possible, I immediately noted that the drinks were very stylishly served with plenty of ice, several segments of lime rather than lemon and a neatly cut straw. I love it when drinks are also served to such a high standard. It gives an establishment that added oomph.

What was a bit concerning, on the other hand, is that while we were very obviously happily chatting away between ourselves and catching up on gossip and other scandals, the waitress simply insisted on coming to our table over and over again asking whether we wanted water and if we wanted to order. We indicated to her that we required a few minutes to regroup our random thoughts, but even this clear instruction was sadly bestowed in vain.

I have always supported the saying that you get a good feel of a hotel immediately upon entering the lobby and I think that the same is also true of a restaurant, although perhaps to a slightly lesser extent. But you do get some pretty distinctive vibes immediately upon entering. Here I instantly noted that all we got was a semi nod and less than half a smile – not the best welcome on Earth I must say. The place itself is spacious, airy, obviously very modern, but perhaps a bit too monotone and mainly displaying many shades of grey, if you’d excuse the play of words.

So let’s get the service part out of the way, as this has already been mentioned. As I have already stated in previous reviews, it is admittedly not the role of all servers to be overtly hospitable and charming and it should be expected that in many cases their main function is to serve in a rather robotic manner. However at a certain level of restaurant I then expect to have either a head waiter or a proper maitre d’ who is capable of fulfilling those other equally important functions. Also to be able to guide their robots as to when a table should be approached and when not, that excessive and constant water and wine pouring can be bothersome, that empty plates need not be removed within less than a second that your fork has been placed down onto it and to add that little bit of charm and welcoming feeling that such servers so desperately lack.

I must also point out that initially we were the only table there and later on during our meal we were only joined by one other table of three and that was it. So there really really was no apparent rush to feed us and get us out of there asap either.

As for the menu, I am a firm believer that in a restaurant of good category the choice should often be very limited. Here it was down to three fish or three meat main dishes, which is absolutely fine with me, although admittedly I would personally think that four of each would provide that little bit more choice, especially to the more fussy eater.

The wine list on the other hand, should feature a very good selection when trying to lure in a discerning clientele. Unfortunately this was not the case at Wejla, where the wine list is limited and disappointing. Moreover it is poorly presented as it is totally devoid of both vintages and any wine descriptions.

Now that I got all of that off my chest I can finally come to the food. Let me start by saying that it is undoubtedly of a high standard and most enjoyable. Jeremy most kindly ordered some nibbles to start off with, in the form of calamari fritti and deep-fried anchovies. Both were excellent and the calamari particularly were deliciously light and fluffy.

Since I have been writing these reviews, I have learned a little trick which avoids me a lot of constant note scribbling during my meal, allowing me to truly enjoy the outing. What I always do is to check beforehand whether the restaurant has an online menu and as in most cases they do, I then only have to remember the dishes we took, rather than all of the ingredients. However in the case of Wejla, I am now noticing as I write that their online menu is not updated and that many of the dishes we took are unfortunately not featured there. I am therefore unable to give full descriptions and will have to be a bit more generalistic in my approach.

For starters there was a raw monkfish dish which was lovely and fresh and served in a pleasant and relatively subtle lemon foam. A trio of oysters each served in a different interesting marinade which was highly praised by Michael. Jeremy had a pea soup which had exceedingly fresh flavours and was also much enjoyed. And I went for one of the specials in the form of a pork cannelloni served with a small braised onion and a scallop on the side. This was also a splendid dish with extremely tender and tasty stringy pork and served in a pork and mushroom emulsion which had simply divine flavours.

We had three types of different main courses. I had local king prawns and langoustine with couscous. Although I would not classify it as outstanding, it was very pleasant and the couscous was also very tasty although there wasn’t much more than a tablespoonful of it. There was a rack of lamb which was described as perfectly cooked to order and of very good quality. And a mixed shellfish plate with mussels, razor shells, clams, prawns and langoustine which were all fresh and enjoyable.

Our meal was accompanied by the Chilean Cefiro Sauvignon Blanc, which is adequate and although not a grand wine by any standard, it is far above the normal abysmal level of plonk Michael and Jeremy are used to drinking. I must say that Jeremy our host most graciously and fortunately asked me to chose the wine and as they didn’t have any Corton-Charlemagne in the house I went for Cefiro instead.

As for dessert we had two very interesting sounding concoctions, which again I am unable to find on their online menu. They were complex dishes with many ingredients and what they lacked in intense and exceptional flavours they made up for in lightness and subtlety and were therefore thoroughly enjoyed.

In summary, yes Wejla has some good food in the form of interesting dishes and cleverly combined ingredients, produced by very obvious talent in its kitchen. If it improved its service, upgraded its wine list and moved out of such a godforsaken location it would undoubtedly be the perfect restaurant.

This meal came in sharp contrast to our previous one at il Galeone, as The Italian Job is a new Italian themed, concept restaurant in Bay Street, presenting every possible sign of popular, in vogue and contemporary decor, style, service and cuisine. It is a sprawling eatery with different sections which offers quite a varied and interesting menu for a casual and fun time out. It can also very easily fit the bill for a number of different occasions, from an uncomplicated meal, to a family outing, to a larger group function.

Our lunch was very much of the group function type and to define it better it was of the very disorganised and dysfunctional type indeed. As we were meant to be a group of well over thirty persons, the restaurant very rightly advised us to opt for a set menu, so as to facilitate service, quality and comfort for our group. Although we initially approved of the idea, as unfortunately often happens in these occasions, nobody could agree on anything. Some found the menu too much, others too little, and everyone agreed to disagree. So the restaurant very kindly consented to us going a la carte.

We were meant to arrive at 12:30, however incredulously a full hour later, there were still the last stragglers making their way in calmly and lethargically, while I for one continued drowning my frustration in more and more gin and tonics. Needless to say, several didn’t even bother to turn up at all, without as much as a call or SMS to the organiser. Then being such a large group the only place we could fit on one table was on the terrace outside. However once we were seated several of us there were feeling rather cold, so we all just stood up and went back inside, all sitting haphazardly at different tables without much thought or design. By the time we all managed to find a seat several others arrived, and upon realising that there was absolutely no more space left for them to sit, we all stood up and went back outside.

So this is what could be very safely defined as a restaurant’s nightmare and in my book is ample reason to be reprimanded, if not shown the door. However much to my amazement, the general manager Jason, along with his superb team of staff, didn’t even bat an eyelid. They went about their business assisting us with drinks, resettlements, stampedes and no shows, until at some time in the mid to late afternoon we were finally seated, for the last time, with menus in hand.

The food on offer is nicely varied and ranges from pizzas, pastas, burgers, top quality meats and more. As may be expected, orders ranged tremendously and covered virtually the entire menu, which I am sure was most thrilling for the kitchen! However again, much to my amazement, service was quick, efficient and as far as I could see totally devoid of any error whatsoever. No mean task with such a large, chaotic group.

Both the very original presentation and the quality of the food left nothing to be desired. I asked for comments from different diners and to my knowledge everyone was more than satisfied. I shared a lovely massive 800 grams flank for two, which was cooked very rare as requested, was of top quality and also extremely tasty. This was accompanied, as were many of the dishes, with lovely thin and crispy fries, as well as a nice fresh salad. So definitely a thumbs up for the quality of the food also.

I would highly recommend this establishment for that fun group outing right in the middle of town, and would like to end by thanking Jason and his team once again for their exceptional patience, customer care skills and professionalism.

There were five of us meeting up for dinner. And as we were all going to be in Sliema, one of our party suggested that we dine at Galeone, which was perfectly fine with everyone. We have been there several times before, but not for many many years.

This restaurant has been operating for a great number of years, and as is often the case in such situations, there are a few evident signs of this. However what Il Galeone lacks in modernity and novelty it certainly compensates for in the sound, traditional goodness of its dishes. It offers quite a varied menu featuring a number of old favourites and classic dishes, gravitating around general Mediterranean cuisine.

For starters we had escargots which were served in the customary manner. They were well prepared and served in a tasty garlicky sauce. There were also two portions of lobster ravioli which were nicely filled with fine tasting lobster and a lightly creamy sauce. Also an avocado, artichoke and mushroom dish which was pleasant and tasty. So I would safely say that all starters were very decent.

As for the main courses there were two calf’s liver in a simple veneziana sauce which I very much enjoyed. The liver was very thinly cut, which makes a pleasant change from the usual more chunky and sometimes chewy preparation. The sauce was well prepared and nicely complimented the liver. We also had a duck breast which was served nicely pink, succulent and well enjoyed. A beef stroganoff which proved to be of a very good standard, made up of tasty and tender beef accompanied by an unctuous sauce which presented all the expected flavours. And finally a vitella milanese which was truly excellent. It was very thin and perfectly cooked to produce a lovely, tasty and crunchy dish.

As for dessert there was only one tiramisu which was ordered and although I have had much better, it was still quite pleasant.

Definitely my main gripe with this restaurant and I must say that it is a very justified one, concerns their wine list, the likes of which I must admit I haven’t quite seen before. It is presented in the form of a small two paged card and besides offering a rather limited choice, all of the wines are literally accorded between one and three words in total. This means that under the heading by country you just have a list of words such as Chateauneuf du Pape, St Emilion, 35 South, Carmenere (spelt wrongly). So not only was there absolutely no description whatsoever, but the word list consisted of a mishmash of either place names without indicating the name of the wine, or brand names without grape variety or vintage, or just varietals with absolutely no other information! I really don’t think that it is necessary to dwell much further on this very obvious shortcoming and that a wine list worth its name should include for each of its wines – place name and/or appellation, brand name, producer when applicable, vintage and finally description.

So all in all the food was much enjoyed, especially as many of these renowned classic dishes seem to be slowly and regrettably fading away, as more and more new establishments open up offering more contemporary fare. The service too was smart, efficient and friendly and left nothing to be desired. We were also very graciously offered a free drink on the house before our departure, which is always appreciated. And provided that whoever produced that wine list is slowly and painfully burt at the ‘steak’, I would gladly return.

We have been very happily dining at Tmun for many many years now, first in their original location followed by their second premises in Xlendi, then at their present location in Mgarr, Gozo. Naturally the advantage now is that you can very easily just go for a lunch or dinner by leaving your car at Cirkewwa, walk across, treat yourself to a wonderful meal, then sail back to Malta, without even having to drive across, making for an overall lovely outing.

So we were very pleased when Nicki Stivala decided to organise his 47th (or was it 48th?) birthday luncheon party at this esteemed establishment. And being the organiser extraordinaire that he is, he as always managed to arrange for a wonderful set menu, along with very decent wines, and all at extremely good value!

Now I must admit I wasn’t expecting much, in the sense that judging or commenting about a restaurant when serving a set menu for some 25 guests is not quite the same as doing it with an a la carte table of two. In such circumstances I usually set ‘adequate’ as my highest expectation. Similarly I would never dream of reviewing a restaurant on say Christmas, Valentine’s or Mother’s Day. In any case, this is even more unlikely to happen as I have long learned to avoid such occasions like the plague and make it a point to go out a day or two before or after.

So after having missed our intended ferry, as a direct consequence ofJeremy Cope and Michael’s morning wooziness, we finally made it to Tmun where the party was already in full swing. Several glasses of prosecco later, we were seated at three separate tables and in spite of our many desperate efforts, my poor wife and myself ended up at what very clearly turned out to be the bad table. This consisted of Jeremy and Michael, two nice gentleman – one of whom was Julian Boffa, and two rather annoying women whose sense of humour was just as exaggerated as their dizzying height. I am of course referring to Francesca Farrugia and Lillian Chetcuti Riolo, who simply insisted on being seated right next to me, in spite of my many desperate attempts to avoid them. Moreover, not that it makes a great difference, but it is always a nice added bonus when you are sitting along with the host. On this occasion however, this was clearly not our case, as Nicki very effectively steered clear of our freaks and outcasts table.

To return to more pleasant matters, having frequented Tmun for so many years, we have been able to observe their very marked progression in the form of a gradual transformation of their overall cuisine. What started off as relatively straightforward and uncomplicated, good, wholesome home-style cooking – and I say this with every joy and respect, in memory of so many very delicious meals back then, eventually started to gain in momentum in the form of refinement, finesse and sophistication, To unfold the whole picture, this daunting kitchen has been in the firm and unrelenting grips of chef patron Jane, while the front of house is most efficiently managed by seasoned, suave and savvy husband Emanuel Buttigieg aka Leli. Upon their relocated to the new custom-built venue in Mgarr, Jane insisted on having an open kitchen. This allows for the easy flinging of frying pans straight onto Leli’s head, just in case he might as much as even hint that he’s the boss with any of the diners…

But as most other intriguing stories, this one doesn’t end here. What we originally remembered to be a little urchin back in Xlendi, who on busy nights was usually in the way, going not by the name of Paul but Pawlu, as his mum used to point out, starting taking interest in his mum’s ample skills and craftswomanship. And this is where the story becomes the most perilous and where I have to use extreme caution in the words I choose. The incidental, or should I say accidental, uses of that open kitchen might in certain cases not remain limited to husbands only… So this brings us to that proverbial master and pupil dilemma, which I definitely will not entertain. Mother and son are without a doubt working as a formidable team, in perfect harmony, to produce some stunning food with all the marks of a great kitchen. It must obviously be a classic case of them perfectly complimenting each other, one with decades of solid experience and the other with the introduction of new progressive ideas.

Suffice to say that since Paul Buttigieg has matured into a great talent equalling that of his mother’s stature, the cuisine at Tmun has attained even greater heights, adding that contemporary flair and latest cutting edge, to make their kitchen today second to none. And this was on a bad day with our group set menu!

This glorious meal started off with a very tasty and somewhat daring amuse bouche in the form of Maltese sausage in barbecue sauce with a wild fidloqqom flower (blue borage). This set the scene for very cleverly combined, unexpected ingredients and above all intensely tasty food, from the word go. For starters we were all served a magnificent mixed dish, aptly labelled as Antipasti. This consisted of tuna carpaccio, tempura battered prawns, monkfish arancini, fried calamari, lamb curry samosas, Asian pork rolls, fried brie and pea soup. In short, these were fortunately ever so tiny bite-sized portions, which impressed not only by their astounding variety, but also by their goodness and above all by the fabulous and eclectic abundance of so many lavish and bold tastes. Just to mention a few highlights, the Asian fare offered lovely strong curry flavours, the soup was overflowing with natural goodness topped off with lovely seasoning and the tuna carpaccio was among the finest I have ever eaten.

As for mains there was a choice based on the logical options of either meat or fish. The fish was again a stunning medley of swordfish, calamari with an Asian sauce, and king prawns with a beurre noisette. Now I must admit that I am not aways too keen on such wildly hybrid dishes in the name of the once trendy fusion cuisine. But in cases like this, where all ingredients and flavours blend in together to somehow create a harmonious dish which is even better than each of its individual and seemingly incongruous components, I realise why fusion was actually created.

The other main was one of the house’s signature dishes – a Uruguayan beef tagliata, prepared from the bavette cut or flank, which happens to be very popular in France, but seemingly less in Malta. It was served with ruccola, parmesan, pine nuts and olive oil. At this point, Julian my left hand neighbour, explained to me why he prefers, and was indeed served, a whole steak rather than a tagliata. His main reason being that tagliata cools down quicker. And while I will not argue with him on this point, I found that contrary to common belief sliced steak can in fact present many advantages. Firstly for people like me who are very easily intimidated by massive slabs of meat, it is much more pleasing to the eye. As I like beef either blue or rare, depending on the amount of fat and marbling it contains, tagliata actually allows for more variety in textures, rather than one relatively huge and raw chunk of never-ending meat. And also this allows for a much greater surface area which will be seasoned and in direct contact with the grill, all making for a tastier way of eating your steak. So needless to say this dish too was plain and simple enjoyment and a meat lover’s dream.

To end this stunning meal we were given a choice between what is aptly termed as Jane’s famous cheese cake, which I have already sampled on countless occasions and a heavenly chocolate and orange fondant with Marsala zabaione ice cream. I personally found the latter to be superior. And this not in any way due to any shortcoming from the cheesecake, which as always was flawless, but purely due to the exquisite presentation, intense tastes and the remarkable and pronounced flavours of the fondant and accompanying ice cream of the latter.

For wines we were served the very decent Corvo Glicine and/or Castillero del Diablo carmenere as part of our set menu. And when we very quickly finished our allocation, Leli very kindly offered his expertise first by suggesting a Chilean De Martino carmenere Maipo Valley, which was smooth, silky and well balanced, but perhaps lacked just a little bit of body. Following this he proposed a finer Chilean Sol de Chile Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Carmenere, which was more intense and tannic, with a spicy and smoky character. In normal graceful Leli style, many of the extra drinks we were purchasing were definitely being charged at well below normal list prices and our proposals to top up our payments were firmly refused.

Believe it or not, the set menu including water and the initial half bottle of wine, was charged at € 40.00 per person, For such a splendid menu this was simply a giveaway price, leaving us all wondering what sort of extreme favours Nicki must have offered to obtain such a wonderful deal. But besides the food I would also like to mention the fact that the service was absolutely impeccable and in spite of our loud, rowdy, unruly and often even vulgar behaviour, we were treated like royalty. So much so that Martina, one of the exceptional waitresses there, manifested a sense of humour which was inversely proportionate to her height – and believe you me she is not at all a tall person. This came in stark contrast to the two ogresses at our table, who also insisted on lowering the level of the conversation to abysmal depths, something I personally find very shocking and always firmly refuse to participate in.

So I would like to end this review by thanking everyone at Tmun primarily Leli, Jane and Paul, but also Martina for being such a great sport, as well as all the other staff, for what can only be considered as a truly splendid meal. And also last but not least, I would of course like to thank Nicki, our remarkable albeit aging host. I love him dearly and even if he refused to sit at our table, I will continue to thank until the day I die, which, based upon all this eating and drinking…

Cafe del Mar is the large and impressive facility down below the National Aquarium, not to be confused with the cafeteria at street level. This very large, crescent-shaped venue comes complete with adjacent infinity pool, open sea views, loads of space and light, pleasing modern decor and open kitchens.

We have had several meals there which to date were always very satisfactory and which very easily surpassed our lunch there this Sunday. This is an informal style venue which does not attempt to position itself above a smart and trendy casual establishment, however up until this episode we were always very pleased with the outcome.

We were five adults and two young children at table and the children had your standard chicken nuggets and chips and fish fingers and chips, which were both fine. For starters four of us had octopus carpaccio which was tasty, nicely prepared, accompanied by fresh ruccola, cherry tomatoes, orange and capers, all very nicely seasoned. Also a pizza dough focaccia which was also very acceptable and impressively copious.

The main courses on the other hand could have been of a better standard than we encountered this time round. I had a tuna steak which was served very rare as requested and which proved to be very pleasant. It was of good quality and also nicely flavoured on the exterior. Two at our table had pan-fried fillets of sea bass which were rather disappointing, as they were exceptionally thin, overcooked, dryish and perhaps not particularly fresh. The other two had grilled prawn salads which were fairly adequate although they lacked flavour and zest and the prawns were seemingly not grilled at all.

Two at our table tried their luck with desserts and selected from the long list of coupes which were the only option on offer. Although initially the choice sounded quite grand, it turned out that they were all very similar home-made desserts with similar tastes and consistencies, all served in the same coupe fashion, save for slightly varying combinations of these components.
They also proved to be far too sweet, rather heavy and slightly stodgy.

On the other hand we were very pleased to see that the service has remained very much on the high side and we were served throughout by a very pleasant and accommodating young woman, at times assisted by her manager. This in spite of the fact that the restaurant was very busy and there were very few staff around. Despite this we were very well served and at no stage of the meal were waiting times too lengthy.

Also we first ordered a bottle of French syrah wine and were accidentally served an Argentinian syrah instead. However as testament of the waitress’s good manners and concern, she apologised over and over again, in spite of our repeated assurance that we had realised it was simply a genuine mistake.

On our way out. and after having received yet another apology from the waitress, the Manager also expressed his concern to us regarding the overall service. He kindly took the initiative of excusing them for perhaps not offering their normal standard of service, due to an unexpected shortage of staff that day. I assured him that this was not at all the case and that the service was actually pretty good. By then the two kids were restless, agitated and tired, so it was much more timely to leave it at that and to head home.

In different circumstances I would definitely have taken the time and the trouble to explain to this very helpful and well-meaning gentleman that the problem did not lie in the service, but in certain of the dishes being a little bit off their normal mark. I do hope that this will not be a lasting trend here and that some attention will be afforded towards regaining an overall higher level of cuisine. We always enjoyed going to Cafe del Mar especially as it opens for lunch when you can appreciate the magnificent vista, while always being served by efficient and cheerful staff.

I feel that I should start off by reassuring everyone that you really need not remove your underwear before entering this restaurant. I went as far as confirming this when reserving our table. And just in case anyone is thinking that I have totally lost it, to an even more severe level than my normal self – if this is at all possible, then I suggest that you look up the name in an urban dictionary…

Without wanting to dwell too much upon the name, I do feel that it is quite an odd and unlikely one for such a good restaurant. Although it is in no way connected to the Army & Navy Bar in Sliema, I am told that it does originate from a previous establishment housed within the same building, which was called the Commando Bar, and which was mainly frequented by British services personnel.

But although admittedly such a name does not somehow evoke images of the finest cuisine or a top refined restaurant, this is exactly what Commando proved to be.

The seating arrangements are nicely laid out, whereby tables of four such as ours consist of a comfortable semicircular settee for the ladies and two opposing chairs for the gents. This already sets the scene for a convivial meal and certainly beats normal tables and chairs in both comfort and general atmospheric feeling.

Immediately upon being seated we were very efficiently asked if we would like aperitifs, and while three of us decided to go directly to wine, one followed the distinct recommendation of the waitress to take a whisky. Strangely enough he was automatically served a Laphroaig, which to me is a legendary and inimitable whisky and simply to die for. However I cannot understand why he was served a superior and therefore more expensive whisky and more so one which is infinitely more appropriate as an after dinner drink. Furthermore this whisky is not appreciated by all due to its very pungent, super peaty and even phenolic taste and is probably one of the most unlikely whiskies one would ever expect when ordering a simple plain whisky.

I am perhaps insisting on this point as it seems to have become a recurring problem we are encountering more and more in many restaurants in recent times. When ordering a normal generic drink we end up being served the most expensive brand in the house. We will definitely start to look out for this in the future and no matter how petty it may seem, I will certainly start to enquire as to the exact brand and category of spirit we order from now on.

We can now move on from these relatively insignificant matters and proceed to what I feel should be unreserved exaltation towards every other aspect of this astounding restaurant.

We were served by two young, efficient and extremely pleasant servers, who not only did their best to laugh at my stale jokes, but who were also very helpful and looked after us very professionally and attentively. I think that they managed to achieve that rare balance between smartness and friendliness, which can often be so hard to reach.

And now to the food! I am not easily impressed, but this is probably as close as I can get. The quality of the food served was totally amazing, very refined and full of lovely flavours.

For starters we had a duck leg croquette, which had a lovely rich and tasty shredded duck filling and a crispy, delightful crust. This was served with a prune purée, pickled apples and nuts. Two of us had seared Scottish scallops with a cauliflower purée and lentils. These were absolutely sublime and although it is a dish we have had countless times both in Malta and abroad, I simply cannot recall ever having eaten any better than these. They were cooked to perfection, very moist and succulent while also retaining their very delicate natural flavours. We also had the starter special of the day, which were potato gnocchi made with ricotta and truffles. This dish too had the distinct signature of greatness through its very delicate yet striking flavours, clearly manifesting the work of a very talented chef.

For main courses we had a grilled Irish ribeye with herb butter, which was clearly of very good quality and cooked to perfection. Two of us had the main course special of the day which was breast of caramelised duck sided with parsnip and vanilla purée. This was an unmatched rendition of this seemingly simple dish, which elevated it to new heights of perfection. Not only was the meat impeccably cooked and absolutely succulent, but it was also extremely tasty and beautifully seasoned on the outside. The fourth main was an equally well prepared oven roasted rack of lamb, which was of the same exceptional level of quality as the other dishes and boasted lovely flavours and textures to produce yet another great dish.

All starters and mains were prepared to a truly unexpected level of finesse, yet all displayed very marked and sometimes intense flavours, one of the hallmarks of an exceptional kitchen.

We complimented this remarkable meal with very palatable Côte du Rhône Château de Boussargues, which was a grab at € 16.50 and proved to be more than adequate.

As for desserts we decided to share two dishes between the four of us, being a lovely silky and tasty crème brûlée and a delicate white chocolate mousse. Both desserts were of the same excellent standard as the rest of the meal.

We also chose our after dinner drinks from the dedicated section of their dessert menu, and sure enough one of the principle suggestions here was Laphroaig. So we went for a Macallan just to change…

So my recommendation for anyone who hasn’t been here yet is a loud and resounding GO!

For our second meal in Paris we followed the recommendation of friends who were joining us on this occasion. When asked what we would prefer, we simply told them that we were game for anything and that the choice was entirely in their hands. So they chose an Italian restaurant.

Our first reaction was one of mild surprise, especially as we virtually never eat Italian when in France, probably because we eat so much of it when we are not. But then we thought, why not? This should be an interesting experience and even if we are served with Frenchified Italian cuisine, this would probably result in a very delicious combination.

I must first point out that this was anything but your run-of-the-mill Italian pasta and pizza style trattoria. In fact it very much lies at the other end of the dining spectrum. I would not quite class it as fine dining per se, which is a term I tend to use very carefully and sparingly. But it was very evidently a sophisticated, quality restaurant, tucked away in a tiny quiet street, well off the beaten track, and mainly catering for its own loyal patrons and aficionados.

We were seated in a delightfully secluded alcove-like recess, providing us with a lovely exclusive and private feeling. I also must point out that the service throughout was a remarkable combination of Parisian efficiency and Italian warmth and cordiality.

At first glance the menu proved to be a breath of fresh air. An Italian restaurant with a very limited and focused menu. A lovely and rather rare thing indeed. I always find that as a general rule of thumb, a restaurant’s quality, or at least it’s aspiration towards it, is inversely proportionate to the length of its menu. Similarly, its wine list should be at least ten times longer than its food list. These are all very vast sweeping statements to which countless exceptions abound, however we all know that there is a lot of truth and probability in this reasoning.

If a restaurant can survive and thrive while offering only a tiny menu, then the chances are that the very few dishes available are in all probability simply sumptuous. If the restaurant is a top establishment catering for a knowledgeable and discerning clientele, then it would probably want to offer an excellent choice of wines to match most people’s tastes. The opposite is also just as obvious. When you have a choice of 60 starters, 40 mains, 30 pastas and 25 pizzas, complimented by a total of two wines – red or white, then you know you are in trouble!

Our Italian restaurant in Paris actually turned out to be more of a Sardinian restaurant after all. The chef himself was in fact Sardinian and as could be expected in such circumstances, the menu was greatly influenced by his regional provenance. They had in fact a very interesting combination of mainstream Italian dishes with a good dose of Sardinian specialities. This was fine with us as we are quite fond of Sardinian food and familiar with their dishes.

For starters we had a delightfully tasty vitello tonnato which was very well prepared with paper thin veal topped with extremely tasty tuna paste. We had carciofi alla romana, which were divine, a spaghetti bottarga, which I always find a bit too salty for my personal taste, but which was also thoroughly enjoyed. Also a straightforward and very decent beef carpaccio. All were overflowing with lovely genuine flavours and very well prepared.

Our mains consisted of a vegetarian lasagne di verdura, which boasted lovely silky and subtle flavours, probably the best such lasagne I have ever eaten. Mallereddus, which I personally find to be a rather simplistic dish, but which was also very happily devoured. This is a Sardinian dish consisting of small sized pasta in a rather plain tomato sauce. Frittura di scampi e zucchini, which was a great delight and nicely light and fluffy. Also ravioli di granchio in an unctuous creamy sauce, which had a delicious filling and equally tasty sauce. And a spaghetti vongole which I was told was rather great, both in terms of the pasta as well as the freshness of the clams and accompanying olive oil based sauce.

We had tiramisu and cannoli for desert. Both were lovely, particularly the tiramisu which had all the pronounced expected flavours of mascarpone, coffee and amaretto.

The wine list was exclusively Italian, but featured a very good selection from various regions, with a marked focus on Sardinia. We selected a Sardinian Sella e Mosca Cannonau Riserva to accompany our meal. This proved to be well balanced, smooth and plummy, with very light hints of oak and was a good choice, although rather overpriced at €40 a bottle. We finished off our meal with strettos, grappas and limoncellos, in proper Italic manner.

My final verdict would most definitely be – a very pleasant meal with very good dishes, all prepared in a refined manner, to produce an overall high culinary standard. It was pricey, even very pricey if you would very mistakenly and pointlessly compare this to a good Italian meal in Malta, but yet another very enjoyable dining experience. We ended this excellent evening by complimenting our friends on their fine and well-informed choice of restaurant and for providing us with a new dining insight – Italian in Paris.

Paris – so where do you start? This is about the only place where we usually choose not to research restaurants, ask for recommendations, or check up ahead, unless we expressly want something totally out of the ordinary. We know our quartiers well and know in general what to look for, and are therefore happy just wondering around and trying out a place that catches our attention.

This impromptu attitude to dining, or as the French themselves call it à l’improviste, provides that little added excitement of not really knowing what to expect, as well as allowing one the freedom of deciding on the spot rather than being tied down to previous commitments and reservations.

We have very rarely had a bad meal, usually end up having very good meals in most places and have even landed a couple of stunners, in spite of this seemingly haphazard manner. The vast number of restaurants in most central areas, our intricate knowledge of Paris, as well a good nose to suss out the good from the not so good, usually pays off handsomely. So in reality there is some sense to our madness.

Our first meal in Paris during this trip was an excellent example of this method. A rather long walk in the centre starting off in Saint Germain des Prés, through Place Saint Michel, to Notre Dame, the Hôtel de Ville, Rue de Rivoli, past the Louvre and into the Jardins de Tuileries, was starting to take its toll on our weary legs, as was the freezing cold wind on our exposed faces. So we decided to have a short rest and a warm drink.

I knew that there wouldn’t be anywhere to go in Place de la Concorde or the bottom end of the Champs Élysées, so we had to make do with one of the kiosks cum bistros right in the gardens themselves. As we entered we were instantly hit by a mouthwatering aroma of food, which made our stomachs rumble and which we simply couldn’t resist. So we decided to have a quick snack while we were there. Now keep in mind that this is a kiosk serving snacks and has no pretension of being anything else but that.

A quick look at the very basic and limited menu revealed that besides the obligatory baguettes and the croques, they also served tartare de beouf and steak frites. Two of the top Parisian favourites which also happen to be two of ours. So that is exactly what we took – two tartares and one steak frites. An unlikely choice you might think in a kiosk, but both dishes were lovely. The tartare steaks were expertly prepared with excellent quality meat chopped up to perfection and served with the habitual raw egg on top and sided by chopped shallots, gherkins and capers – pure bliss. And in case anyone here is thinking that it is rather hard to get raw meat wrong, I would immediately point out that this most definitely is not the case. The quality of the meat and above all the way it is chopped up and never minced, both make a very big difference indeed. As does the choice and quality of the accompanying items.

The cooked steak was succulent, tasty and tender and having requested it rare – in expected French fashion, it was anything but over cooked, even a bit under, which is exactly how we like it. The lot was washed down with a cheap and cheerful Merlot du Pays d’Oc. And that was it – just hit the spot.

This is the Paris we love. Not that there are several truly outstanding top restaurants which may be carefully researched, planned beforehand and booked well in advance. Such top eateries exist in all major cities around the world and sometimes in small towns and even remoter places. These are what I would call “destination restaurants”, as the establishment would be a destination in its own right. We love Paris because of the very high average level of quality you can expect wherever you eat, as well as the sheer impressive number of restaurants everywhere, which all makes eating well so easy and inevitable.

I am very pleased to be able to report a lovely dinner we were fortunate enough to have at the Medina Restaurant in Mdina. This came in stark contrast to the very poor lunch we had in Valletta on Monday. After a couple of weeks stuck at home following my eye operation, I was more than glad to finally start going out again and decided to kick off the week with lunch in Valletta, thereby combining some necessary errands with a nice lunch.

My initial idea was to try out somewhere we hadn’t been to before. I therefore went straight for a few of the establishments which were suggested elsewhere on this page. However much to our dismay, every restaurant I called was actually closed on Monday! So failing all of this we decided to return to a restaurant we know well and where we have had many a decent meal in the past. Although admittedly our last meal there was not quite up to scratch, we had wrongly put this down to them having a bad day.

Very unfortunately for us, the entire lunch was one disappointment after another. We were four in all and I can very seriously say that from four starters and four main courses only one of the eight dishes was in any way acceptable. The rest was simply very poorly prepared, unpalatable and unpleasant and was without a doubt the product of a very untalented and/or a disenchanted chef. It was not a matter of a dish being overcooked or mistakenly served underdone. Neither was it a case of a sauce or certain ingredients not being to our personal tastes. It was simply all very unrefined, uninspiring and very poorly put together food, of an overall low standard for any level of restaurant. Amazing how an establishment can suddenly slip down into rather abysmal depths.

But enough on this and onto much more pleasant circumstances. The Medina Restaurant offers without a doubt that perfect romantic setting for a stylish and cosy dinner for two. It is housed within a splendid, ancient Norman building, complete with vaulted ceilings, fireplaces and typical courtyard, offering tons of authentic charm. It is also one of those rare establishments in Malta where you are first stylishly invited into the separate bar area, where you are served aperitifs while you look at the menu, and only ushered to your table shortly before your food is ready to be served. A very civilised procedure indeed.

We were very warmly welcomed by the owner Noel Debono, a true gentleman if there ever was one. After ample consultation with Noel, we made our choice of food and wine and after a short pause we were smartly shown to our table.

The service throughout the meal was professional, attentive and fully committed, perfectly choreographed by three very seasoned gentlemen who knew exactly what they were doing. The increasingly rare added touches did not go amiss, such as the individual serving of bread with the use of thongs, the similar serving of lemon slices into our glasses after the water was served, the grating of parmesan cheese at table straight into my pasta – all little gestures which together make for that added level of overall service which in today’s normal dining world have all but disappeared.

As an amuse bouche we were served a totally delicious celeriac velouté with cream and topped with a cured clove of garlic. For starters we took a Tiroler speck with mozzarella di bufala and a tagliatelle with duck rillette. These were extremely different starters insofar as the former was a rather plain and straightforward dish bursting with uncomplicated wholesome goodness, simply emanating from the excellent quality of its ingredients, whereas the latter impressed through the intriguing complexity of its countless flavours. Both the speck and notably the mozzarella were of exceptional quality and were rightly unceremoniously served with a few berries, salad leaves and cherry tomatoes. On the other hand the tagliatelle were prepared with very generous quantities of tasty shredded duck, caramelised red onions and mango, all in a slightly sweetish, creamy beef velouté. This produced a rather unexpected and appealing combination of tastes, which married well with the perfectly cooked tagliatelle.

As for the main courses we selected a local pork dish and an Aberdeen Angus rib eye. The pork was a medley of fillet and belly, served in apple cider and pan juices, and was plated along with a variety of perfectly prepared, chunky yet elegant vegetables. Although both meats might have been cooked ever so slightly less, the sheer variety and goodness of the vegetables, coulises and garnishes made this a most enjoyable dish. The ribeye was of irreproachable quality and was also served with an impressive array of accompaniments, all ready plated.

Without wanting to enter into any polemics and keeping in mind that although the trend in now finally changing, it is obvious that many Maltese people are still exceptionally big eaters by most standards. Well, to our own personal weights and measures, we found the portions at the Medina Restaurant to be very much on the large side. Admittedly this is extremely good news for many of my compatriots, however we would have been more than satisfied with smaller portions both with the starters and more so with the mains. But then again this is a very subjective matter I suppose. And in any case, in our particular predicament with seven ravenous canines at home, nothing ever goes to waste. Not that I am advocating that any excess of such fine food should necessarily end up as dog food. But we are so accustomed to asking for any leftovers to be packed for us for our beloved pets, that this has now become somewhat of a ritual. So even in a case such as this when we left with perfectly edible pork and a slice of delicious rib eye, it is inevitable that it will be our dogs who will be enjoying this notable feast back home.

On the wine front, after some hesitation I decided to go for the Alexis Lichine Saint Emilion 2012. I was already quite familiar with this wine and rightly so did not have any tremendous expectation in its regard.

Following this copious banquet and in spite of some terribly scrumptiously sounding descriptions, we really didn’t have any space left for dessert. So we had what could possibly be considered as a three-in-one – a dessert, a coffee and an after dinner drink, all combined in one, in the form of a delicious Irish coffee. This was more than enough to stamp out any lingering greed or desire for anything more. So we paid both our bill and our respects and thoroughly enjoyed a walk around the enchanting, magnificent streets of Mdina by night, before heading home, doggy-bag in hand and stomachs full, pleased with our choice of restaurant this time round.

I must start off by making it crystal clear that if I sound in any way complimentary about Tarragon Restaurant it is only because the ownerMarvin Gauci is probably going to read this and I heard that he has some very vindictive lawyers…

So on Sunday morning my wife Maria was sitting around the kitchen table with the most horrific mud mask smeared across her face. And I had the wise idea of using this lunch at Tarragon as leverage, convincing her to allow me to post a pic of her on my timeline. Admittedly I have never been a very clear thinker first thing in the morning and this will be remembered as yet another indication of my poor judgement at this time of day.

Many of our FB friends, unaware that Maria had very astutely and successfully bargained her way to my posting of her picture, predicted that I would lose an arm and a leg to her rage once she found out. Little did they know that these limbs would in fact be lost when paying the bill at Tarragon Restaurant, that afternoon.

But to be totally honest, I cannot think of any better way of spending my money than a lovely meal at Tarragon. So it was money very well spent and naturally, as anywhere else, the bill simply reflected the extravagance of the diner and I must admit that this place somehow pushes my self-indulgence buttons more than anywhere else.

It might have become somewhat of a cliché, but I fully concur to the dining experience ideal and to its three main components – ambiance, food, service. I do not particularly enjoy having good food in what might look like a former garage painted in fancy colours, and certainly I do not enjoy good food served badly. So in my book a restaurant that ticks all three boxes definitely has a lot going for it.

Tarragon is without a doubt one of these. It is obvious that a lot of thought and probably even more money has been put into the place, its furnishings and décor. And perhaps more importantly, the establishment is suitably housed within a seafront building, overlooking the sea, the coast and St. Paul’s Islands across the bay, offering its patrons beautiful views while dining. I firmly feel that every grand restaurant should have a grand location, or at least a grand building, or some other redeeming feature to match its patrons’ overall expectations. Is seems logical to me that fine dining should be served in fine surroundings.

After the obligatory welcome greetings and hellos, we were whisked to our window table and immediately asked whether we desired an aperitif, even before we were seated. I hate sitting awkwardly at table upon arrival, twiddling my thumbs waiting to be served. Based on this and admittedly on my alcoholic tendencies, I find it so practical to be asked and served an aperitif immediately upon arrival. More so as you can enjoy your drink while you are looking at menus and wine lists, before you order. Once this is done, I find that the welcome drink slot is truly over, especially once you have ordered wine and water.

So while we were sipping our prosecco, we were handed over the ample literature by the now rather heavily bearded manager, Joshua. As he very aptly pointed out, Tarragon is now presenting a brand new menu – and what a truly exciting menu it is. They have retained the same concept of offering a main and a daily specials menu and I must say that the choice of sumptuous sounding and intriguing dishes is just spectacular.

I always prefer the matter of ordering to be a bilateral affair, between me and the maitre d’, whose job it is to advise, describe and recommend. So we had a good discussion with Joshua, who as always did a splendid job of directing us to our very difficult final choice. No mean task with so many delicious sounding items on their new menu .

For starters we went for a medley of different items comprising of oysters, scallops, smoked moulard duck breast carpaccio and several gin and tonic molecular spherifications. No I am not just making words up, this is Tarragon we are talking about remember! So if you would bear with me for a few moments, descriptions will follow soon…

I would strongly recommend diners here to follow suit, by selecting a bit of this and a bit of that for starters, This is a brilliant idea as it obviously allows you to sample so many different delicacies. And Tarragon makes this an even easier task as several starter items are very cleverly priced and served by the piece, as are oysters and scallops. A far cry from the rigidity of many restaurants which often refuse to modify the size of their dishes and servings, even when so requested. Moreover it is customary at this establishment to provide a useful and elegant table stand, where your various starters are conveniently placed.

The scallops were perfectly cooked and succulent. The oysters, which in typical Tarragon style were chilled at our table by the pouring of liquid nitrogen into the dish – were lovely and fresh. The duck carpaccio was very slightly chewy, but presented beautiful smokey and gamey flavours and was accompanied by a lovely contrasting sweet red currant and apple chutney with walnuts.

Now to the gin and tonic spherifications. Just in case there is anyone out there who is still unaware of molecular gastronomy, this is the culinary discipline dealing with the chemical transformation and reconstruction of food items, which was largely pioneered by a French gentleman (surprise!) named Hervé This. Tarragon has been mastering this art for some time now, especially with its distinctive reconstructed olive amuse bouche. Incidentally this has now been replaced by a tasty soup shooter and a luscious salmon paste on toast.

Not being able to resist an item with the words gin and tonic in it, we ordered four of these magnificently refreshing balls served on half a lemon. What a delight gently sliding them into your mouth while biting into the lemon and being treated to a burst of very subtle but distinctive gin and tonic flavours. As Joshua initially suggested, this makes the ultimate entremet and offers a great alternative to the long established and slightly monotonous sorbet. Incidentally the oysters too are each served with a lovely lemon spherification.

For mains we shared a john dory which was steamed in foil for perhaps just a few seconds too many. However Michael, who is Tarragon’s illustrious head chef, still did an excellent job to produce a delicate, tender fish which was expertly filleted at our table in grand gueridon pomp and ceremony. This was accompanied by roast potatoes and a lovely macedoine of very tasty steamed vegetables.

This grandiose meal was equally opulently matched by two bottles of the sensational Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc. For the very unfortunately uninitiated, Cloudy Bay may be considered as the quintessential sauvignon blanc (a lot of) money can buy. This highly acclaimed wine from New Zealand offers a truly dazzling array of aromas and flavours to produce a uniquely textured, refreshing, intense yet elegant wine. In others words if you haven’t yet tried it then you really should. At € 49.90 a bottle it doesn’t come cheap. But then again nor do most of the magnificent things in life. It is not something many can afford to drink on a regular basis, but when you start your day by challenging your wife’s vanity, you can be sure that this will somehow end in your virtual ruination.

Upon being served our first bottle, I passed a small comment that it was not perfectly chilled. This prompted Joshua to fetch a large pitcher of liquid nitrogen which he aptly poured into our ice bucket. No only did this instantly do the trick, but it also resulted in our table being partially engulfed in swirling vapour, making us look like a couple of mad scientists.

I think that by now it has become pretty obvious that the service throughout the meal was simply second to none. This was mainly orchestrated by Joshua and Donald – the head waiter. Donald is another suave, skilled and seasoned pillar of Tarragon fame, whose charm and helpfulness never goes amiss.

Yet another sublime touch at Tarragon, as if they needed any more – is that they also provide diabetic desserts upon demand. By now my blood sugar levels were soaring at a rate only second to our wildly increasing bill. So some respite was much needed and this came in the form of an absolutely exquisite muffin which included fine strips of courgette, to make an exceedingly light and delicate dessert, accompanied by a sugar free vanilla ice cream. Maria had a crème brulée which according to her was equally exciting.

I must point out that our meal lasted several hours, hence the two bottles of wine. However we always like to finish off with something stronger, so Maria went for the good old calvados, while I fancied an armagnac. So Joshua pulled out an outstanding Montesquieu X.O. which was very hard to resist, in spite of the additional severe damage it inflicted both to my inflaming liver and to my shrinking pocket. Even I don’t have the audacity of stating here how many armagnacs I ended up having. Suffice to say that I made a very serious dent in the bottle by the time I staggered out of there.

But this was mainly the fault of my dear childhood friend Tonio Fenech and his stunning wife-cum-photographer Anna Fenech, who were sitting at the table right beside us throughout the lunch. Initially I understandably thought that Anna was Tonio’s daughter, based on looks, charm and vigour… So at the end of our meals we laughed and chatted on together for ages, every so often making a small gesture towards the bar for a refill. When we finally realised the time and our vastly deteriorated state, it was time to purchase a handsome stock of shares in this restaurant. I should probably own about half this establishment by now, but as I clearly mentioned in the beginning, this is not based on the restaurant’s pricing, but purely based on our wild excesses.

So that is how posting a picture on FB can lead to so much adventure, pleasure and expense. A quick word of advice to all the husbands out there – never, just never, try to get the upper hand on your wife. This invariable ends in you spending a little fortune one way or another. And a small tip for the ladies – if you want to be spoilt rotten, then get your husbands to take you to Tarragon. I’m sure you’ll easily find a way.