The Restaurant Awards Ceremony Gala Dinner, sponsored by the Malta Tourism Authority, Global Payments, Nestlé (Malta) representing Buondi, is always a glittering and exciting affair especially for chefs and restaurant owners.
This year the event was held at Xara Lodge now with a proper road leading to it. Dress code is always Black Tie though a handful do break the rule but there were no sloppy jeans and trainers. The ladies too, rose to the occasion. Let's face it, the average woman needs little encouragement to dress up on these islands. We love it, sometimes even tending to overdress but we always make an effort.
Official Commemorative plate presented to Malta & Gozo’s top survey rated 40 restaurants
I turned up late, through no fault of my own and during the speeches. I finally pulled up a chair at a table where MTA officials and two young men who said they were from James Caterers were already seated. The young men from Lovin' Malta and Lea Hogg, the popular creator of Maghkom on Net TV turned up slightly later, due to deadlines and so on, so I didn't feel so guilty.
Well, I was born before vinegar went balsamic and yoga became fashionable and when eating out was a veritable treat. Since then restaurants have proliferated. As the array becomes more bewildering and eating out has been the new past time for a while now, we need guidance as to those restaurants in which we can let go of our hard earned cash and not come out disappointed or be downright fleeced.
Luke Laurenti and Tim Diacono of Lovin’ Malta
It is hard for me to believe that the Restaurants Guide is now in its 23rd year. I well remember those first dinners with Colin Best presiding. It was him and Lisa Grech who had the vision and courage to start it all.
After welcome drinks and opening speeches dinner started being served. Three cold canapés were followed by Cold Red Snapper and delicious bits and pieces. Very delicate but the Asparagus & Parmesan souffle with a slight taste of fennel seeds and thyme which followed was excellent. The Aged Fillet marinated in Gin with delicate accompaniments, the main dish, looked delicious and those on my table were obviously enjoying it. However, I am no lover of rare meat or fish and I was soon served a vegetarian dish without much ado. The absolutely delumptious dessert was Alpaco Chocolate. It had a filling of fermented dates, pears and raspberries. It really was very special. I felt like rushing into the kitchen, kissing the pâtissier and asking him for the recipe but resisted. I can't rush anymore.
The four wines served were from South Africa which pleased me no end as I have drunk South African wines in my time both in Mauritius and in South Africa. The husband of one of my two South African friends in Mauritius imported SA wines and we drank them during our weekly lunches in one of our homes. I am so happy they are being imported to Malta.
By the time dessert was enjoyed many were too full to help themselves to coffee and petits fours. Some were waiting for their taxi to go home and hit their bed.
Luke Laurenti, your Diarist and an unnamed young man who shared our table
There was much excitement as winners were about to be revealed. The Awards celebrated the outstanding achievement of Malta and Gozo's top survey rated restaurants as voted by diners out who participated in the Malta & Gozo Restaurant Survey online in September. It is all very democratic. Based on diner voting only 150 restaurants made it to be included free in The Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants in Malta and Gozo and on its official portal www.restaurantsmalta.com
Congratulations go to the team at Root 81 who were rated Top Overall restaurant for 2022. That's the restaurant on the old stairs leading to Rabat with views of the Rabat countryside. I will have to pop in and try it after the festivities and a strict diet.
The results were revealed by Lisa Grech Managing Director of the Guide and presented by Carlo Micallef, CEO of Malta Tourism Authority, Adrian Cachia from Global Payments, Giulia Isolani and Cost Spiteri from Nestlé (Malta) and Mark Ciantar of Continental Purchasing on behalf of Schönwalk, Germany who supplied the commemorative awards plates for the occasion.
The latest edition of the Guide sees 27 new restaurants in the The Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants in Malta & Gozo which was launched on the evening. The information in the guide is also included in its newly revamped portal www.restaurantsmalta.com also launched that evening.
The Top 40 Award winning restaurants were taken from the highest rated restaurants taking into account their overall rating, the number of people rating, comments and other data from the survey.
Adrian Cachia and Denise Briffa
The Restaurants Guide has proved to be indispensable both to those to whom eating out (and I don't mean pizza and pasta) is a treat, like myself, and even more so to those to whom eating out regularly is part of their lifestyle. What we are all after is good food in a pleasant ambience and an acceptable, discrete and informed service. I don't want to be flummoxed by menu descriptions of "dry-farmed" fruits, "grass-fed" beef and "farmstead" blue cheese. Complicated menus don't impress me. Good food does.
The two Polish musicians, Emilia and partner
A few days ago a daughter's father-in-law was here to visit. Some years ago he had taken his family to Spain to experience the then famous El Bulli. Ferran Adrià was head chef of this restaurant on the Costa Brava. Adrià's stated goal was to "provide unexpected contrasts of flavour, temperature and texture. Nothing is what it seems. The idea is to provoke, surprise and delight the diner." El Bulli had three Michelin stars and was one of the best restaurants in the world. You had to book a table soon after you were born, almost. It closed in 2011 and reopened as a creativity centre to foster innovation like the chef's own and entirely new ideas in 2014.
My daughter, husband and father-in-law had enjoyed the experience and continue to reminisce about this shared memory. However, I must admit that I am a traditionalist when it comes to food and on the whole prefer the tried and tested with very little experimentation. "You are so boring, Ma!"
I want to end my story by giving tribute to the two skilled polish musicians who played beautiful background music throughout the evening. I congratulaed them during the interval and took them a hurried photo. Her name is Emilia. She never replied to my email as I wanted to know more about them. They played Piaf in the first half of the evening, which made my heart flutter and I asked them to play another Piaf in the second half and they gave us La Vie en Rose, the world's favourite. This is the kind of music we should be having at most events and not noisy bands and singers which do not allow us to have a conversation and ruin our evenings. Is anyone listening? This is a cri de coeur and I speak for many.