Sunday Lunch at Fra Martino Restaurant at the Corinthia St.George’s Bay Hotel.

Another top quality Sunday buffet lunch. Sunday, 24th November, 2013.

Sunday lunch, probably up to the commencement of the Festive Season, is normal for us to try out the top buffet lunches that are available through the top hotels. Each and every establishment has its own characteristics and each Executive Head Chef invariably has to come out with new ideas to attract a full restaurant in this very competitive sector of the restaurant industry in Malta.

The kitchen brigade at the Corinthia St.George’s Bay Hotel, responsible for the Fra Martino Restaurant’s Sunday buffet lunch, and led by Executive Head Chef Kevin Arpa, are a formidable team who year after year come up with new ideas and improvements to an already top class product. No wonder that this venue is fully booked, week after week throughout the season, and the availability of the hotel’s private parking areas that are provided free to diners help in no small measure to attract clients who do not want any hassle in this respect. The ambience of this hotel and the surrounding areas are magnificent and pleasing to the eye, and once one enters the hotel, he is warmly welcomed by the internal deco and set-up, of the lobby areas as well as the restaurant itself, a short flight of steps down. Fra Martino is not overtly large, with just seating for about 180 patrons in comfort. This in itself is a godsend as it avoids crowds and queue and patrons can help themselves from the nine or so food stations without any hassle. Entertainment is provided by a live band, and singer who keep the music sound down as background although highly enjoyable, and allows people to hold conversations without having to raise their voices unduly.

The Fra Martino offers for this Sunday, as certain items are changed from week to week, consisted of a lavish array of different cuisine spread around on some nine food stations as follows:

The traditional central antipasto station with selections of items produced from the freshest ingredients - Italian antipasti, marinated seafood, and cured fish, an exquisite marinated salmon as a focal point, grilled marinated vegetables flavoured with herb oils; sushi and sashimi, terrines and roulades, mousses and dips, Italian cold cuts, pickles, chutneys, sauces and much more. If one is an antipasto aficionado ten one needs more than one visit to this station starting with a selection of prawns, mussels, a slice of the marinated salmon, and fish terrines and salads; then another visit for the meat oriented dishes; to retain all the flavours in accordance with the food genre - fish and seafood with fish and seafood oriented dishes; meat, cold cuts and meat oriented terrins and roulades with the same genre.

The soup kettle - this station offered two types of soup - a tomato and dill soup with cheddar croutes and a very good pumpkin and carrot soup.

The very popular pasta station with - Strozzapretti tossed in acernia, fava bean and cherry tomato sauce; Traditional beef lasagne topped with cheesy bechamel; and Farfalle tossed in a sundried tomato, mushroom, artichoke hearts and tomato sauce.

The Fra Martino’s traditional Indian Station prepared by an Indian chef, with selections of: Chicken tandoori, lamb curry, Asian fritters, Cinamon rice, condiments and poppadams.

The Carving Station with offerings of two succulent cuts of meat - roasted rib-eye of beef with mustard gravy, and a Roasted stuffed leg of lamb with light mint jus. The rib-eye was tender and succulent and sliced to order just right. The lamb was also reported to be very good.

The Hot Station with selections of Steamed sea bass in asparagus and dill butter cream; Roast chicken with porcini sauce; and grille pork medallions with stir fried carrots and marrows. Selections of vegetables, tomato and mozzarella quiches; lyonnaise potatoes, etc.

The cheese station with selections of local and international cheeses, nuts, crudites, biscuits, and dried fruit. A fresh bread station with selections of rolls, baguets, etc.

The dessert station with a vast selection of pies, flans, gateaux, mousses, panna cottas, tarts, fruit compotes. And a separate live waffle and ice-cream station.

Wine, water and coffees, can be ordered at an additional charge as normal.

Value: The price per person for this buffet is EUR32.50 adults and EUR12.50 for children 6 to 12 years of age. Very reasonably priced and good value.

Reviewers Impressions:

Ambience: Very Good.

Cuisine quality, preparation and presentation: Very Good.

Service: Very Good.

Value for money: Very Good.

RATING: 9/10

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Contact Details:

Fra Martino Restaurant,

Corinthia St. George’s Bay Hotel,

St. Gearge’s Bay,

St. Julian’s.

Tel: 2370 2685.