Restaurants of Malta No.7: ZEST RESTAURANT.

ZEST RESTAURANT, forms part of the Hotel Juliani in St. Julians, and rightfully describes itself as a chic venue where East meets West in both dining and decor.

As myself and my family were to spend the last weekend of 2011 at the Hilton Malta, and planning to welcome the New Year 2012 in style,  (checking in on Friday afternoon, checking-out on Sunday 1st of January afternoon), we were carefully considering at which venue we were to dine at, at St.Julians on Friday evening. The criteria for our choice was: The restaurant had to be up-market; It had to be at walking distance from the Hilton Malta as there was no way that we were going to vacate our free parking place at the Portomaso parking; and last but not least, the restaurant had to accept our restaurant discount card on a Friday.

Zest Restaurant Internal Overview.

I phoned three separate restaurants enquiring about dining reservations. All three had vacancies and were ready to reserve a table for us, for four adults for 20.30 hours (8.30pm), but when I asked if they would accept and honour my discount card of which all three are participating venues, two of them declined stating that they only accept discount cards between Mondays and Thursdays. The third one, answered that they would accept the card with pleasure, and that it was no problem for them to do so on any day. Bully for them. This restaurant was:

ZEST RESTAURANT

which turned out to be one of the very best restaurants that we had dined at during the past year.

Inner Section.

This modern restaurant is designed to provide patrons with a contempory, relaxed elegance in chic surroundings, which is pleasing to the eye, and focusing on comfort in the form of bench and sink-in sofa seatings and comfortable chairs in pleasant surroundings of soothing dark shades and very soft relaxing music.

We arrived on the dot at 20.30 hours, and were ushered to our reserved table by a very amiable waiter, clad in traditional, oriental black tunic, and our order for drinks was taken, upon which we were presented with the menus and the wine list.

The menu boasts a selection of dishes from Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, as well as some Continental dishes, all individually priced, but to assist patrons to make better informed choices, the Executive Chef created four different set-menus covering most dishes on the a-la-carte menu (each dish priced as the main menu), but giving a very good discount on each set menu.

The set menus offered consisted of the:

Continental Menu - offering marinated duck or Home-made artichoke agnioletti; Seared Salmon or Lamb cutlets; Espresso Mascarpone Parfait or a Selection of sorbets. This menu was priced at Eur33.95 per person.

East Meets West Menu - offering Red Prawn Risotto or Steamed Dim Sum Platter; Pan Fried Duck or Thai Steamed Sea Bass or Beef Teppenyaki; Creme Brulee Cheese cake or Bento Box. This menu was priced at Eur36.95 per person.

Sushi Appetisert to share.

Sushi with pickled ginger
and wasabi.

Asian Menu - which offered - Sushi Appetiser with pickled ginger and wasabi; Asian Platter consisting of Yam vun sen salad, Peking duck roll, rabbit and lamb satay manis and black pao accompanied with dipping sauces; Kheng Curry Kong consisting of king prawns cooked in a yellow curry and coconut sauce with Thai spices; Ayam Misau consisting of green chicken curry with sauted pak choy and mange tout; Indonesian Beef Renang consisted of a mildly spiced beef with chilies, aromatic roots and spices simmered in coconut milk; Dessert: Bento Box dark chocolate and chili fondant with rasberry sorbet or Banana and Ginger Tarte Tatin with coconut ice cream, sesame and dark chocolate tuille. Price Eur37.50 per person.

Degustation Menu - offering  a glass of prosecco; Sushi Appetiser with pickled ginger and wasabi; Red Prawn Risotto; A Trio of Tempura; Laksa a Singaporean prawn, chicken, and coconut soup with vermicelli noodles; Sesame Crusted Beef; Dessert: Passion Platter. Price Eur 45 per person.

The main menu offers a range of separate Western oriented appetisers, as well as a range of separate Asian appetisers; Easter and Western main courses priced individually;  a noodle bar; Shabu Shabu a typical Asian dish consisting of raw beef or fish or prawns, vegetables and bean thread noodles cooked by each diner at the table in a pot of hot broth - sounds like fun for the adventurous; and Sushi are also available for those wishing to order from the separately itemised a-la-carte and not from the set menus.

After going through the above menus our choice fell on the Asian Menu for three persons sharing, and one Thai Steamed Seabass from the main course menu for one person.

The Asian Platter to share.

Individual serving

Our selection of the Asian Menu, of which I have given a detailed description above, proved to be an ideal choice, also offering great value for money. Food served on trays in the middle of the table, for each diner to share and help themselves from, was abundant and cooked superbly. It was very enjoyable and the different oriental flavours blended together perfectly. This menu was complete in itself including desserts and our choice of the Banana and Ginger Tarte Tatin for two, and the Bento Box for me were very nice indeed.

The Main Course Dishes
of the Asian Menu.

Individual Serving:
Kheng Curry Kong; Ayam Missau;
Indonesian Beef Renang.

Thai Steamed Sea Bass.

Lemon Sorbet.

The Thai Steamed Seabass ordered by the fourth member of our group, was steamed in Thai lemon sauce, Kafir lime and lemon grass, and served with separae vegetables in season and rice. To complement this course, a lemon sorbet dessert was recommended and served.

Banana and Ginger Tarte Tatin.

Bento Box - Dark Chocolate,
Chili Fondant and Rasberry Sorbet.

Complementary Festive Season
Delicacies served with the
Espressos. A Nice Touch.

The dinner was complemented by two bottles of still and sparkling water, one bottle of an excellent Zenato Valpolicella Classico Superiore which was very reasonably priced,  after dinner espressos, and complementary limoncelos and Festive Season delicacies.








There is no doubt that Zest Restaurant, offers a magnificent ambience for that special romantic dinner, a special occasion, as well as for an enjoyable dinner with a difference with family and friends. Service and attention by both the managerial staff as well as the attending waiters was exceptional, even though the restaurant was very busy on the last Friday of the year.

Value for money if one has to order from the a la carte menu, choosing a three course dinner of choice which would consist of appetiser/starter; main course (either Asian or Western) and dessert, the bill is expected to reach Eur 40/45 per person, excluding wine, water and drinks.

Our bill for the above came out at Eur175.20 all inclusive ( food: Eur141.20; Wine, water and espressos: Eur 34). Working out at Eur35.3 per person for the food.

When I booked my 20 Knights Restaurant Discount Card was gladly accepted by the restaurant. This card gives holders a sulubrious 50% discount, normally on the food bill only, up to a group of four adults. On presentation of the card and the card voucher the management gave us a full 50% discount on the total bill ( viz: food, wine, water and espressos) thus reducing our final bill down to Eur87.59 on four covers for four adults. And as I have emphasised before, this was on FRIDAY, 28th December, 2011, and not on a weekday between Monday to Thursday when the restaurant is expected to be, or normally is,  less busy.

REVIEWERS IMPRESSIONS:

Ambience: Excellent;
Cuisine quality: Very Good +;
Preparation and Presentation: Very Good;
Harmony of Menu: Very well studied and oriented Very Good;
Service, attention to clients' needs, demeanor and attitude: Very Good +;
Value for money: Set Menus Very Good +; 
Value for Individual choices from a la carte menu 3 course dinner: Very Good for the type of restaurant;
As a one-of discount with the 20 Knights Discount Card: Excellent.
Restaurant Category: Fine Dining - Eastern/Western.

RATING: 9/10.
RECOMMENDED.

Contact and location:
Zest Restaurant - At Hotel Juliani,
12, St George's Road,
St. Julians, Malta.
Tel: 21 388000.