Here is a quick rundown of a few of the more notable venues where I attended group meals and parties this December so far. More to come…

TERRONE, Marsaxlokk

I have had the occasion of dining there on an a la carte basis many a time and have really never been disappointed. This restaurant offers an original and refined take on Italian cuisine, miles above your average trattoria. This was a semi-set menu for about 25 of us, starting off with a selection of Italian style starters to share, then individually plated main courses which each one of us selected from a restricted choice. The quality of the food throughout was identical to our previous a la carte small table experiences, which in theory should always be the case, but in practice in many restaurants, often isn’t. Here it was exactly the same – exceptionally good. From a service point of view, our table was assigned two dedicated and talented servers who were with us all the time and served us to perfection. A large table needs attention and having its own dedicated staff is always a great idea.

CAFE JUBILEE, Gzira

We chose this place for its great pubbish ambiance and party atmosphere. There were nearly 20 of us there and we wanted a venue which would only reserve the space for us without pre-booking anything else. This was just a get-together where we wanted everyone to do their own thing and decide and pay for what they wanted to consume there and then. Not an easy task at all, as most places would tie you down to a minimum spend in one form or another, either in food or beverages items. But Cafe Jubililee were kind and obliging enough to accommodate our request, and it all turned out perfectly well. Everyone ordered their own drinks and most also selected a plate or two from their extensive menu, with everyone paying for themselves as we went along. The establishment was also kind enough to provide us with various complimentary nibbles out of their own accord. This is the perfect party place which also enjoys an excellent central location.

MUNCHIES, Mellieha Bay

Being a Sunday lunch, the place was absolutely packed and heaving with people. Although there were only 12 of us, I am still considering this as quite a large table. We went for normal a la carte and all had full meals from their regular and speciality menus. I personally chose both starter and main from the specials menu, consisting of chowder soup and duo of rabbit. Both were very good as were every single starter and main served at our table. In spite of them being absolutely full with all types of tables and functions, the service was impeccable. It is obvious that there is a very effective and multi-leveled hierarchy managing this place in a very professional manner. This has become one of our all time favourite eateries this Winter, and along with their outstanding location they will surely be seeing us many times over the coming months. Ian was also gracious enough to offer us coffees and drinks on the house! How can we not return?

BACCHUS, Mdina

What a marvellous facility this is for group functions. Firstly being in Mdina adds so much charm, although admittedly parking has become a nightmare and the greedy wardens are having a field day, not with those who park dangerously or obstructively, but with anyone who doesn’t abide perfectly to their illogical, ill-thought ground markings! The restaurant is housed within the actual bastion walls, giving it tremendous historic and aesthetic value. It also has enormous capacity and a number of varied areas which can be used differently by groups. This was a standing reception, followed by a pre-ordered set menu for about 50 guests. We started off with drinks and canapes outside, right on the bastions, which was lovely and refreshing, rather than spending all our time inside. We were then seated indoors for our set menu, which in my case at least, consisted of beef carpaccio and braised shin of beef. I thoroughly enjoyed both dishes, which were tasty and well prepared. Admittedly there was a small mixup with my requested diabetic desert, but this was immediately sorted, showing goodwill and care from all sides. Service was swift, efficient and friendly, in spite of the size of our group, as well as many other tables there at the time. The only pity was that very exceptionally Mario was not there, so I had to purchase my own drinks at the end, rather than bumming them off him!

CONCLUSION

I believe that the main point to take away from the above, is that a professionally run restaurant can always get it right, no matter how busy and how full they are and no matter how large your group. Only too often we make large concessions in our mind to excuse mediocre food and bad service, simply because the venue is busy. Quality should not suffer based on quantity, it is all a matter of proper organisation, as may be perfectly seen from the above experiences.