It was a hot, no, it was a sweltering day. At my instigation, dinner was rashly booked for 7pm. That's when the sun, in the midst of a heatwave, is still out, in her less harsh glory but still capable of leaving you listless. Yet my, oh my, it was a noble thought that somehow made me book our table at Contessa at The Phoenicia Malta at that hour.
Dining out is - at least in its pure essence - all about the food (more about that appetising stuff later). But there's more to food than just its essence, especially when Contessa offers not just a feast of food but a feast for the eyes, and balm from the fiery heat out on a terrace offering a spectacular view. You can admire lush greenery, flowers, bastions, sea, a church, even a vedette, and a sky which - if you are there early enough - transforms itself from brilliantly bright to a nighttime palette. Summer might give us excessive heat and listlessness but we're usually assured of scenic skies.
Photo: Mark Soler
The terrace at Contessa is an elegantly designed conservatory, which is left open on these clear days. When we dined there, a breeze cooled the air, cleared the spirit and made the sights on view so much more enjoyable.
Obviously, perhaps mundanely, if sitting on the terrace had been too hot to handle, or if the breezes had not been breezy enough, there was always the airconditioned interior of Contessa. The partial loss of the view and the theatrical setting would have been compensated by the cool comfort, and the lushness inside makes it a memorable experience, nonetheless.
It is all rather magical. In fact, it makes you wonder: could the real countess - the one who gave her name to the place - have actually been a magician? Is this theatre of visuals, of comfort, of breezes or airconditioned ease, all Contessa is about? Far from it. All is complemented - again as if by magic - by food from a higher realm.
Photos: Albert Camilleri
Every detail, however small and seemingly trivial, is given its due importance. The oil at the table is delicately good; the salt, sourced from Malta's salt pans, has a zesty taste; and the bread crunches delightfully. The best ingredients are sourced, with emphasis, wherever possible, on local produce.
Each part of the dining experience is specially curated. But curated in a way which does not intrude or give the impression of stuffiness, over-elaboration. It's all as natural as the service, seamless, courteous but never overbearing.
The food at Contessa right now is a festa of summery delights to suit the palate with a lightness to it that is perfect for the season. There is a vast array of fish, shellfish, pastas, salads, meats and gloriously tempting sweets. All is fresh, breezy, cooling. And tantalisingly tempting.
The standout items are the oysters au naturel, the local red prawns which melt deliciously in your mouth, the local octopus with the right mix of chilli and garlic, the Calamarata pasta with squid ink, and the ratatouille of seasonal vegetables.
Together with the local fresh fish of the day, all are delicately flavoured, all an added joy to the perfect scenery and surrounding theatre.
It is such a delight to see people who work in hospitality and seem, sound and act happy in what they do. Because besides the scenery, the food, and the drink, you do need - while enjoying a meal, be it celebratory or just a night out with your partner or friends - to feel surrounded by a good vibe. At Contessa the vibe is not just good, it's great.
Nothing is rushed, nothing is met with blank faces, no request is too much. And the concluding magic was the tableside theatre preparation of Contessa's signature dessert, a light, flavourful, tiramisu. It all happens next to you and the server did it not as part of her day's routine, but with panache, love and a heartfelt smile.
A final thought about the terrace. You can be enjoying the most scenic place, the breeziest enclave, accompanied by great fare, but being enveloped in cigarette smoke is rather off-putting. At Contessa, smoking is not allowed in the conservatory, which lets you enjoy your meal in comfort. Smoke-free, and odourless, which is how it should always be. Smokers, however, need not despair about missing out: there's a part of the terrace where smoking is allowed.
Taste is hardly the easiest of senses to describe, to be objective or to be universal. But the chefs and their entourage at Contessa at The Phoenicia Malta seem to have hit on what the universe needs to keep smiling while feeling truly sated.
For more information, visit https://www.phoeniciamalta.com/contessa/