Sunday Buffet Lunch at the Phoenix Restaurant - Hotel Phoenicia.
Sunday, 4th November, 2012 - Lunch at the Phoenix Restaurant - Hotel Phoenicia, Floriana.
| The Hotel Phoenicia Main hall area. |
We had last reviewed this Sunday buffet lunch in the 2009/2010 season, and thought that it was about time that we paid another visit. The main hall of the Hotel Phoenicia seems to have upgraded since then, and the refurbishment, the centrally placed bar, and the black and white marble flooring and white painted, arched woodwork, gave a fantastic feeling of well being and high living in a time tested, traditional and aristocratic setting.
The Sunday buffet lunch season in the major hotels start about the first week of October, each year, different establishments try to come out with different presentations; live food stations - pasta, seafood etc; different cuisine, an introduction of one or two ethnic gastronomy offerings, Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Sushi and Shasimi station with other tit-bits from Japan; etc. These will not be found at the Phoenix, as it seems that this restaurant has been trapped in a time warp of a long gone Colonial era, where tradition and set habits die hard. I am not saying that the food on offer is not of the highest quality, what I’m saying is that if the Phoenix wants to compete with the more avant garde establishments, the management and senior catering staff must break out of the traditional Sunday lunch mentality, and introduce a more up-market, presentation of different cuisine to cater for the more discerning diner. People are spoilt for choice with buffet facilities all over the Island, with prices ranging from some Eur20 per person to some Eur35 per person (excluding drinks, wine, etc), at similar state of the art establishments, so naturally people tend to shop around for the best deals.
The Sunday buffet lunch at the Phoenix Restaurant is presented through five food stations:
| Antipasti cold-cuts. |
Antipasto: Selections of antipasti, cold meats, seafood, cured fish, bread and cheeses are set-up on a central station in the middle of the restaurant. One cannot really describe the selections as lavish or opulent, but the quality of what is presented in quite good.
| The antipasti central station. |
| Various antipasti |
| Smoked salmon. |
| Fresh Mediterranean mussels. |
Soup and Pasta Stations:Then one finds the Soup and pasta station on the side facing the central station, with two types of soups and two types of pasta terrines.
| Baked Conciglioni. |
| The soup selection captions - Pea and Speck soup; Cream of Pumpkin and Orange. |
| Braised duck legs and Classic beef Bourguignon |
Main Courses: Inside an anteroom which is separate from the main restaurant, one finds a round console in the centre on which are presented a selection of main courses and accompanying potatoes and vegetables, and situated in the inner corner of this room one finds the carvery. Two types of roast meats - roast lamb and roast pork are offered in the carvery, and various fish, meat and poultry main course selections are offered in terrines.
| Curried Chicken Fricasse and Riz Pilaff. |
| Panache of Fresh Fish. |
| From the Carvery |
| Stuffed Mushrooms Beignets. |
The dessert station is then again situated in the main restaurant, on which selections of cakes, flans, tarts, etc and the waffles station are placed.
| Dessert Selections. |
| The Waffles Station. |
| Dessert Selections. |
| Dessert Selections - Zeppoli. |
| Dessert selection. |
| Imqaret- date parcels. |
| Plum Frangipane. |
| Dessert selection. |
Value for money: The price of the buffet is Eur30 per person, reasonably good value.
Service: Reasonably good but could be better.
REVIEWERS’ IMPRESSIONS:
Ambience, atmosphere and decor: Excellent.
Cuisine quality: Good.
Preparation and presenation: Good.
Service: Good.
Value for money: Good.
Overall Rating: 8/10 Buffet.
Recommended.
Contact Details:
Hotel Phoenicia - Phoenix Restaurant,
The Mall,
Floriana.
Tel: 21 225 241.
