I know Malta has something of a reputation for its questionable customer service at times. As someone who has holidayed here often I make allowances for it and enjoy myself. Indeed, I have just had a wonderful three weeks here, including a week on Gozo.

Unfortunately the holiday ended on a very sour note on Saturday, when three of us went out for a farewell meal at Al Molo in Portomaso. We had not eaten there before, but by all its appearances we were aware that this was probably a quality restaurant with fine food and good service.

It all went well up until the end of the first course, and then everything imploded from that point.

After waiting 40 minutes for our main course, having ordered an extra bottle of wine to keep us occupied, we summoned a waitress and asked if there was a problem. We were told our meal was four minutes away (but without an apology or explanation) – it arrived 15 minutes later.

If that – a 55-minute wait between the first course and the main course – wasn’t bad enough, one of the dishes was actually of an unacceptable quality and it was sent back.

On raising our concerns with the manager, she patronisingly pointed out that this was a ‘restaurant of fine foods’ and people ‘expected a leisurely meal’. Of course I understand the leisurely meal issue and we were not there to bolt down our food.

However, I pointed out that a 55-minute wait between courses was far from normal, however ‘fine’ the restaurant might be.

As a recently retired editor of a group of 13 London newspapers, I can say in all honesty, and in all humility, that I think I know all about fine restaurants and that the Al Molo fell far short of that benchmark on a number of fronts – in terms of service, management response and quality of food.

It just goes to prove, sadly, that you don’t always get what you pay for.

We shall continue to come back to this island we love of course, but one place is firmly crossed off our list.

Paul and Jo Mortimer

Buckinghamshire, England