Despite having been open for less than a year, Essence, the ultimate fine dining restaurant at the Radisson SAS Golden Sands Resort & Spa, won a number of awards at the recent Definitive(ly) Good Food Guide Awards. The most prestigious accolade was that of being voted into first place on the Island for service, coupled with being awarded the overall joint second place for the best overall restaurant. Essence was also awarded the Wine Award for The Best Presentation & Accessibility.

The awards were presented by Tourism and Culture Mini-ster Francis Zammit Dimech, during the annual Food Guide gala dinner on 11 December.

A hotel statement said that this was a very proud moment for all the food preparation and service team of the Radisson SAS Golden Sands Resort & Spa, who managed to achieve such outstanding results with Essence in its very first year of operation. First-class food, magnificent wine and expert service are the hallmark of a truly fabulous restaurant. These are the pillars that support Essence, a unique and exceptional restaurant that is the top end venue in the Radisson SAS Golden Sands Resort’s portfolio. Bringing together beautiful décor and views with the cream of local gastronomic talent, this restaurant is what a truly great dining experience is all about.

Resort general manager Raphael Cauchi commented: “I would like to congratulate everyone who was in some way involved in the creation of Essence for achieving so much in such a short time. Essence is a great product, with cutting edge service, and we are honoured to have had our efforts recognised by our patrons during our first year of operation. I am very confident that we will continue to build on this great start in 2007 and look forward to welcoming our esteemed clientele to enjoy the Essence experience.”