Summer, long-weekend-break, in Gozo.

Thursday, 26th to Monday 30th June, 2014.

Every so often, like everyone else I would think, I feel in need of some peace and quiet , and rather than join the Summer maddening crowds at Luqa airport to fly to destinations far and away, to meet more maddening crowds, we decide to spend a few days, in Gozo. Not that Gozo is the quiet, peaceful and tranquil place, that it was, 30, 20, or even 10 years ago, but it is still more restful than Malta, if one picks the right places to go to. Victoria, has become an extremely busy place, with an acute shortage of parking spaces, with vehicles of all sorts and make, going round and round the central part of the city, vying and in search for, that elusive space. In any case, Victoria is never our place of choice for a stay in Gozo, and we booked a room for four nights at one of our usual haunts, the Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz .

At the Kempinski, one can do whatever one likes to enjoy, oneself. Spacious open air spaces and gardens, with three massive swimming pools; and in-door pool, jacuzzi, spa, hammam facilities and whatever; tennis courts; squash courts; etc., and now four well appointed restaurants at which one can enjoy superb food, al fresco in the hotel’s gardens or terraces or if preferred inside in air-conditioned comfort.

L-Ortolan fine dining restaurant; Il-Gardina al fresco restaurant for fish and seafood; the Bistro & Lounge for all day dining and snacks; and the Trattoria which has been re-opened this season, and which has immediately become our favourite restaurant at this hotel, ambience wise as well as food wise. There is no doubt that the Kempinski’s Executive head Chef Daniel Debattista, and Executive Sous Chef Trevor Portelli, assisted by a good team of commis chefs, and cooks, naturally with the services of a very good team of highly trained and efficient front-of-house and service staff, would make a visitor’s stay at this hotel, if one is looking for up-scale culinary delights, a very pleasurable adventure.

Restaurants visited:

At The Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz:

L-ORTOLAN RESTAURANT.

L-Ortolan Restaurant is the fine dining venue at the Kempinski. It has been awarded the WRMC Silver Spoon award which is only conferred upon a maximum of just six restaurants in any one year.

On our visit at this time we attended for dinner and the Chef recommended a tasting menu which is designed around the normal a la carte menu with slight variations.

The tasting menu consisted of:

Amuse bouch of pumpkin and zucchini soup;

Starters:

Rock Oysters au gratin with Champagne, Hollandaise and Amaranth;

Classic Beef steak tartar;

Fresh Salad of carrots and radish “Aigre Deux”, served with orange gel, avocado, puree, beetroot caviar, bull’s blood , sunflower seeds, and herbs;

Main courses:

Assiette of local pork with roasted belly pork, black pudding, pork fillet medalion, and grilled pork brain; served on separate beds of vegetables, potatoes and beans; with carob syrup, fennel and apple;

Baked monkfish;

with roasted potatoes and vegetables on the side.

Dessert:

Pre-dessert with Summer fruits coulis and cranberries ;

Mille feuille with bergamot and almond diplomat, Valrhona chocolate and ice-cream;

Dark Valrhona Chocolate surprise and ice-cream.

Excellent cuisine and outstanding service.

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IL-GARDINA AL FRESCO GARDEN RESTAURANT:

Recently opened and officially launched on Friday, 27th June, 2014, this al fresco restaurants offers fine dining and light cuisine in a very laid back, casual atmosphere of the hotel’s expansive gardens. Entertainment on week-ends through a very good singer, who accompanies himself with music , having a very good repertoire.

Food selections:

The specials of the day are listed on a blackboard at the entrance, and include pasta with vongole, or home-made ravioli stuffed with fresh fish and of course selection of fish from the daily catch.

Our Selections:

Starters:

Antipasto Gardina, with grilled aubergines, olives, sundried tomatoes, peppered Gozo cheeselet, hummus, rucola and lemon;

Carpaccio of octopus, with fennel, caper berries and red grapfruit.

Classic Brushcetta , with cabatta, tomatoes, garlic and basil.

Entree: pepata di Cozze to share between two, served with chili, white wine, garlic, onion and parsely.

Main Course: Grilled John Dory to share between two. excellently cooked and filleted at the table.

Dessert:

Lemon semifreddo and Strawberry and Prosecco jelly.

Once again an excellent experience in a very casual but nevertheless very romantic ambience and atmosphere. A must to be visited this Summer.

TRATTORIA SAN LAWRENZ:

This has to be my favourite restaurant at the Kempinski. Nicely appointed internally, with entarnce from the hotel as well as from the street, boasting a very good internal design and magnificent terraces for al fresco dining. Served from the same kitchen as L-Ortolan, with the same attention to detail, but more casual.

The Trattoria serves selections of Antipasti, and salads; Pasta; Pizza; Soups and selections of main courses from the grill - fish of the day; duck breast; tagliata di manzo; chicken and calamari; day’s specials.

Our selections:

Antipasti:

Carpaccio di Manzo served on crispy Sardinian bread, with rucola,

parmesan and olive oil;

Insalata mista.

Starters:

Risotto ai Funghi e Fontina, served with truffle oil.

and fish of the day - with fresh seafood and mussels.

Main courses:

Grilled dentex fillets

and Grilled fresh tuna steak.

Dessert:

Fruit tart and water melon in limoncello and syrup.

A very good place to dine and enjoy oneself in good surroundings.

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IL-BALDAKKIN BISTRO & LOUNGE - for lunch:

The Baldakkin is the all day dining, snacking, and meeting place over a coffee and cakes at the Kempinski San Lawrenz.

We enjoyed a leisurely lunch on the terrace,

An very good soup of the day which was a thick orange and pumpkin soup;

followed by a grilled tuna and grilled snapper fillet as main courses respectively; and fresh salad on the side.

Ice-cream dessert for one.

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BREAKFAST AT THE KEMPINSKI:

Eggs Benedict with ham and with smoked salmon.

A pleasant treat on our last day during this stay.

The Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz is highly recommended for an enjoyable holiday in Gozo, and one does have to try out each and every dining venue at this branded hotel, all of which come highly recommended by us. Prices are commensurate with the concept of each restaurant and as might be expected at a five-star, branded hotel, but quite reasonable for the quality of the cuisine and service offered.

Contact:

Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz,

Triq Ir-Rokon,

San Lawrenz, Gozo.

Tel: 2211 0000/2211 5250

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Three other restaurants that we visited during our visit to Gozo at this time were:

CHEZ AMAND at Qbajjar, Marsalforn - for lunch,

June, 26th.

Chef Amand over did himself with his preparation and presentation of an outstanding serving of his homemade Tortellacci nero di sepia , stuffed with fresh salmon and served in a rich cream sauce and caviar. A top class dish from a very good chef.

A beautiful brushcetta was served as a pre-dinner amuse bouch.

Main courses:

Chicken breast supreme served with parma ham, mushrooms and port sauce.

Pan fried and oven finished sea bass fillet.

Roasted potatoes and fresh salad served on the side.

One bottle of a local sauvignon blanc, one bottle of water, two coffees and complementary Armanghiac complemented this very good lunch.

Value all inclusive : EUR66 (Eur33 per person).

Very good service, very good food very good value.

Contact:

Chez Amand Restaurant,

Qbajjar, Marsalforn,

Gozo.

21561188/99492970

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PORTO VECCHIO RESTAURANT , MGARR, GOZO - dinner.

Saturday, June 28th.

The terrace at the Porto Vecchio Restaurant, in Mgarr, Gozo, as was stated recently on this website, offers one of the best al fresco venues in Gozo. Very close to the ferry terminal, which offers a quick hop-on hop-off visit from Malta without the need of taking one’s car with him.

Our previously reserved table was situated at one end of the terrace with good views of Mgarr Harbour. The evening was balmy with a slight breeze; and the place was bustling with clients for dinner. It was good to note, that recent reviews by us on this website have brought this establishment some good business. In any case good clientele is attracted and maintained by not only having a unique location, but more so by providing very good cuisine, attentive service and good value for money. I have no doubt that both Walter-John Cassar and his father Chris, the owners and operators of PORTO VECCHIO, go out of their way to maintain these standards, and to do credit to the WRMC BLUE RIBAND award that they have earned earlier this year.

Porto Vecchio offers choices of antipasti, pasta, fish seafood and grills, cooked in the Italian and Mediterranean style, to suit all tastes and pockets.

Food selected by us during this visit:

Starters:

Calamari fritti;

and

Fresh, pan-fried white bait, caught locally.

Main courses:

A good sized Dott, ( Cernia dorata in Italian)and a “Moghza Tal-Bahar” (Sheepheads bream), were chosen from the display. We were lucky to have had a choice at this time, as within a few minutes all fish from the display were all ordered by clients at the various tables.

Desserts:

Pannacotta with pistaccios

and

Home-made lemon sorbets.

One bottle of Greco di Tufo, one bottle of water, and espressos, complemented the dinner.

Value: The value of the meal excluding the wine came up to EUR72.55 (EUR36.28 per person); the wine chosen was priced at EUR23.75 for the bottle. Good value all round.

Service: very good and attentive, with young waiters who seemed to have been drilled in their duties by the Owners. A very good plus point in this regard.

Table reservations especially for weekends are recommended as the place is in very good demand, by locals, Maltese clientele as well as by foreign visitors to Gozo.

Recommended.

Contact:

Porto Vecchio,

Martino Garces Street,

Yacht Marina - Mgarr, Gozo.

21563317/99444999

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The last restaurant that we visited was KOZMO DINE & WINE (also described as Cafe’ & Vineria), in Victoria.

This place is run by Simon Said, who is endeavouring to bring to the fore, a concept of an eatery which offers good quality food at a fraction of competitors prices.

For example, pizza starts at EUR4.5, with a MedAsia buffet dinner at EUR24.95 with free flowing wine; and main courses up to EUR12.5

Tried it out for lunch, with two orders for oven baked swordfish steaks; one large bottle of water, one beer and two espressos. Total price: EUR28.50 for two persons (EUR14.25 per person).

Good choices of wine and very well priced both on the wine list as well as in the vinoteca.

Contact:

Kozmo Cafe & Vinoteca,

George Borg Oliver Street,

Victoria, Gozo.

21553790/99822741

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