An exclusive fish and seafood dinner at VERMELL BISTRO in Spinola Bay, St. Julians.

Friday, 7th June, 2013.

It is not very often that we visit a restaurant for the first time, even after probably having researched it and followed it for a while, that once we visit for lunch or dinner, our expectations would be exceeded by far. Such an experience was accomplished and presented to us yesterday through an excellent dinner at VERMELL BISTRO. This restaurant has been in operation under this name, under new management and led by Chef-Patron Kleaven Cassar for only the last eighteen months.

This establishment is situated on the quieter right hand side of Spinola Bay, on the opposite side and away from the hustle and bustle and the maddening crowds of the very busy and crowded left bank. Vermell Bistro is an up-market establishment offering mouth watering fish, seafood, pasta and grill selections of very well prepared and presented cuisine. The restaurants is divided in three sections, the well sought after upstairs section, from where one can view the hustle and bustle of the opposite bank of the bay, in a very comfortable and well appointed atmosphere, the downstairs, main restaurants section, as well as an al fresco section which is enclosed on the perimeter by high shrubs, to ensure some privacy from walking trade. All sections are very up-scale appointed in decor, as well as in set-up with crisp, white linen table cloths and napkins on every table, as well as set-up with very good quality cutlery and glassware. The menu offers selections of antipasti, portions of which would blow your mind, pasta, fresh fish and seafood as well as selections of meat from the grill. Some six special order pizzas are also offered mainly in the al fresco section, prices of the pizza range from some Eur8.50 to Eur12.50.

Outdoor and indoors table set-up. Very up-scale with linen table cloths, and napkins; good quality cutlery and glass-ware.

On arrival we were led to our reserved table in the indoors, downstairs section, and on presentation of the menus, and ordering of two bottles of water, we were served with complementary amuse bouche of home-made bigilla, chick-pea dip, Maltese galletti, the freshest ftira type bread, and a mix of chopped olives, tomatoes, onions and herbs, marinated in a very good quality olive oil. In the meantime, we were also shown the fresh fish that was available on the day, and our choices for main courses were made.

Complementary amuse bouche, bigilla, dip, bruschetta mix in olive oil, and fresh bread.

Food Selections:

Starters:

After a careful scrutiny of the menu, we settled for the Chef’s Choice - Misto Del Chef- for four persons to share as a starter.

This selection turned out to be a veritable degustation feast of seafood comprising not less than five exquisite dishes of seafood with local, fresh, red king prawns; fish cakes; whitebait neonati; a serving of fresh scallops; a dish containing fresh razor clams, and the tenderest octopus in garlic and tomato sauce that I ever tasted, where the sauce begged to be lapped-up and scooped up with the fresh bread. Two separate servings of cockles and mussels in broth were also served. This selection was in itself worthy of being a main course in itself, and at just Eur16 per person, it offered a fantastic value for money. I would think that the photo selections, chosen to illustrate this seafood feast, would explain better the quality and the preparation. I would honestly, say that this seafood selection is one of the very best in quality, coupled with a more than decent portion size, of quality food. Excellent.

The exquisite Misto del Chef - Chef’s Selection seafood degustation antipasto served from the freshest ingredients available on a particular day. The freshest red king prawns, scallops, neonati, fish cakes, razor clams, octopus in garlic and tomatoes and olives, sauce; mussles and clams. A veritable seafood feast. Recommended even as a maincourse on its own with a good bottle of chilled white wine.

Main Courses:

For main courses, we had already selected an individual selection of a 600gm Cippullazza - Scorpion fish; an 800gm Cippulazza for two persons to share; and a 400gm Kahlija - Saddled bream. All cooked al cartocio with olives and herbs, and served un-wrapped on a tray, and then placed on individual plates for us to fillet ourselves, as we like doing. Filleting a fish, properly yourself, if one knows how to really do it correctly, is an enjoyable experience.

The taste and texture of the fish servings were very good and commensurate with the freshness of the fish as well as with the excellent cooking. Roasted potatoes, and roasted vegetables were served as side servings.

The main course presentations: The fresh fish catch of the day displayed on a tray for us to select from; The selected fish cooked al cartocio, presented un-wrapped; Various illustrations of the fish presentations on individual plates: The kahlija; the 8oo gm. Cippulazza and the 600gm cippulazza (Scorpion fish); Side servings of roast potatoes and vegetables.

Desserts:

The desserts display was brought for us to choose from, and the restaurant Manageress/Maitre D’ explained to us that the desserts are sourced from a caterer which she named, to differentiate the products from the usual stereotype products that one finds all over Malta. Myself I would prefer a small selection of freshly made desserts made daily on the premises, but as a Chef friend of mine told me some time ago, very few individual restaurants, have the time to do it, unless one of the chefs is assigned for that purpose. My chocolate fondant, was served in its own cup, I would normally prefer it to be served as per normal, with the fondant placed on a plate, so that once the external shell is pierced, one would see the hot, dark chocolate oozing out. Other dessert selections were for banoffee, apple crumble, and strawberry pannacotta, all served in their own cups. In any case the desserts were considered to be good.

WINE LIST: The wine list offer a good selection of both local and imported wines, and as I usually do, I looked up my bench-mark wine on the wine list, to check out the mark-up. This wine was priced at a very decent EUR24, just 60 per cent over and above the retail price, therefore indicating that the wine selection mark-up was very reasonable with good value for money, depending on choice made throughout. Two bottles of a very good local white wine were consumed with the above dinner, as well as two bottles of water, and espressos. Complementary Avernas were offered and served to complete the dinner.

SERVICE: The restaurant is managed by a very efficient manageress, who demonstrated a real passion for her work, and who was assisted by a good team of servers. The young, wine and beverage waiter also demonstrated good training in wine service, pouring exactly the correct amount for me to taste, and following this up with pouring the correct amount of wine in each guest’s glass. In my opinion, Kleaven Cassar, the Chef-Patron of VERMELL BISTRO, has achieved to recruit and train a very good team, that complements his cuisine to perfection.

VALUE FOR MONEY: Fish at this restaurant is priced at Eur5 per 100 gm and every fish chosen is weighed by the Maitre D’ so that clients would know the cost of the serving beforehand. The cost of the degustation antipasto at Eur16 per person, the fish , and desserts came up to EUR172 or Eur43 per person which for the food presented and served offered excellent value for money. Two bottles of wine, two bottles of water and espressos brought up the cost by some Eur61 all together an additional Eur15 per person, but this would of course depend on the wine and quantity ordered, which in our case was two bottles. Overall price per person for the above dinner Eur58.

I would say, if one would order the Misto Del Chef as shown above and which would be an excellent meal in itself, a bottle of wine, dessert and espressos one would come out with a very decent expenditure of some Eur36 per person for quality food. A very good value for money.

REVIEWERS IMPRESSIONS:

Ambience, atmosphere and decor: Very Good.

Cuisine Quality: Very Good +.

Preparation and presentation: Very Good +

Harmony of Menu: Very Good.

Wine list and mark-up: Decent mark-ups of about 60% on retail price - Very Good.

Service: Excellent.

Value for money: Very Good overall.

RATING: 9./10

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Contact: Vermell Bistro,

Spinola Bay, St. Julians.

Tel: 21375567.