Round-up of Restaurants visited in April, 2014.

The Arches April 11th..

A splendid dinner at The Arches Restaurant in Mellieha on Friday, 11th April. Ambience, service and food quality is top class as it has always been, but then again this is what is expected of a WRMC Silver Spoon Restaurant.

The menus were presented and as is normal with fine dining restaurants it consisted of just five starters, and six main courses, plus a selection of specials on a separate page, and five in-house made desserts.

Amuse bouche of 4 x fresh baby oysters and nibbles, as well as pumpkin soup with rice ball were served pre- dinner.

Food ordered: Tart Fine of Scallops & Pork Belly Apple Sorts, Quail’s Egg; Seafood risotto with king prawns; and two x maccaroni with fresh crab.

Main Courses: two servings of fresh, locally caught Pesce di San Pietro; one x Mediterranean Grouper ‘En Papillote’ Smoked Garlic Pilaf Rice, Seared Scallop, Beetroot Roll,Pork Pie Sauce; and one serving of a 600gm fresh lobster.
Desserts: Specially ordered chocolate cake to celebrate an anniversary.

A good bottle of Sancerre wine, two bottles of water; pre dinner cocktails, and espressos complemented the dinner.

Cost excluding the wine and the pre- dinner cockatails amounted to EUR 220 (EUR54.73 per oerson). not cheap, but then again this is what was expected. An excellent establishment for that special occasion.

The Arches is a WRMC Silver Spoon Restaurant.

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Margo’s Valletta April 15th

Felt like a good pizza for lunch today and whilst in Valletta, where else should one go for one? We sauntered down Republic Street to Margo’s and enjoyed two of the very best pizzas ever. One L’Affumicata at €9.95,
which is the house speciality with smoked pancetta, sausage and cheese using old, traditional cold smoking techniques. Thin slices of pancetta on fresh smoked mozzarella di bufala and thinly sliced onions and topped with some sesame seeds for that true unique taste; and one Scogliera €9.95; a pizza that has been around for over 50 years and has never changed, Octopus and fresh mussels, black olives, mozzarella di bufala and fresh tomato sauce. One beer, one bottle of water and two espressos, and one spaghetti with smoked ham for my 4-and-half-years-old granddaughter who was with us this morning. Total EUR35.30.

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Tarragon April 20th.

As expected, a reduced menu for Easter Sunday, offering choices of some four starters and four main-courses and desserts was presented and various choices were made individually:
Starters choices of: the peeled black tiger prawns fried in champagne and poppy seed tempura and folded in chili, honey and sesame vinaigrette; black Angus mince, tossed in cumin and sweet chili and served in a filo pastry parcel in oriental sauce; and Raviolini filled with rabbit confit and grana padano and tossed in a balsamic and caramelised onion creme’.

Main-Courses: selections of lava grilled Black Angus rib-eye served with a truffle sauce; Barbary duck breast crusted with a herb and pistachio crust topped with a red currant, port and rosemary reduction; fresh meagre (gurbell) fillet cooked in an infusion of garlic oil, Insoglia wine, citrus juice; and chicken kataifi rolled with thin pastry in a sweet chili and cashew cream sauce.
Freshly made fish fingers from meagre fillet, with chips and cherry tomatoes were served to my young granddaughter.

Dessert: a display of miniature chocolate fondant, wild berry pannacotta, strawberry and Gozitan cheeselet sweet tartlet and a Black Bourbonvanilla ice-cream shooter.

Pre-dinner an amuse bouche of a butter nut squash and pumpkin soup and spherical olives were served. Two bottles of a prime Barbera D’Alba, some six bottles of water, espressos, and complementary liqours complemented and finished off a very good festive lunch.

Price all inclusive, with food, wine, water, coffees, etc EUR54 per person (Adults). Tarragon never fails to please.

Tarragon Restaurant is a WRMC Silver Spoon Restaurant .

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Comando Restaurant in Mellieha - April 25th.

An excellent dinner at Commando Restaurant, Mellieha.
For full detailed review and rating of this restaurant to complement this post, log in to Wines and Restaurants of Malta directly throughhttp://winesandrestaurantsofmalta.com/restaurant/commando-restaurant-mellieha/ Enjoy the review, savour the photos, and send any comments here under this thread please.

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Aaron’s Valletta April 28th

Lunch at Aaron’s Kitchen in Valletta on a Monday.

Grilled Pagell - Red Bream, half a bottle of white wine, and a nice dessert of home-made ricotta cannoli and ice-cream. One bottle of water and espressos.

Good. Price total: EUR58 for two persons.

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Summer Nights Pub & Grill - Marsascala.

Wanted to try out their Wagyu burger for some time. which does not come cheap at EUR14.50 but it was worth it. Huge portion, well portioned burger in bun with salad and chips. Two beers.

Total price: EUR17.70. Have to give it another go sometime.

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Visited Verona for Vinitaly between the 6th and the 9th of April.

Wine tasting and discussions during the day on the 7th and 8th of April. Excellent food in the evening at an agriturismo establishment which runs its own typical Italian restaurant serving charred grilled meats. An excellent experience in simple food made from the best and freshest ingredients.

The tagliata di manzo, grilled fillet and bistecca ala fiorentina, during different dinners were superb.

Prices unbelievable. Extremely good value for money.

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Table 1 at the Fortina in Tigne Sea Front - April 4th

waste of time and money.

An extremely boring restaurant, with very mediocre food.

Sorry, but cannot suggest it to anyone.

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