ROOTS
Sometimes I find that I get stuck in my ways. If I fancy something in particular, I will go to one restaurant, if something else, another restaurant, and have fallen into what can only be termed as a bit of a routine. The reason behind this blog is partly to break out of this routine. The other reason is to document places to eat in Malta in a place which is not TripAdvisor or any other such review site.
So we broke out of the routine and headed to Marsaxlokk to an unassuming looking restaurant called ROOTS. If it's Marsaxlokk then it must be a fish restaurant. It is. But it also offers meat dishes, which we recently learned are presented with flair, gusto, and quality.
The first time we went to Roots, we went all traditional and ordered fish for starters and main course. Impressed by some very fine wines on offer, we turned what would have been a normal Friday night dinner into a special occasion without having a reason to celebrate (the ones you sometimes need in this busy life we lead). Starters were good, my octopus carpaccio having a smoky flavour to it. The fish were so fresh that they would melt in your mouth. All around excellent.
Our return trip to Roots was for a wine pairing event. This was not an event organised in collaboration with a wine merchant, or a wine house. This was pure "wine pairing 101", with different wines from different houses and different countries and different vintages. You could tell that this was thought out to be entirely compatible and complementary to the food which was offered. The wine event menu featured both fish and meat dishes, with each dish paired with a different wine. We progressively ate our way to the more heady wines, and could not keep up with the generous portions (of food and drink) and creativity coming from the kitchen. I cannot pinpoint my favourite dish, but I can certainly say that the starter of oyster tempura with prawn tartare, seared calamari, fennel and lemon set the tone for what the evening had in store.
The second course of saffron acquerello risotto with parmesan broth, was followed by the rabbit loin with turnip and raspberries (pictured below), and then followed by the main course of slow cooked fillet of beef with foie gras - proving that the kitchen can handle meat as well as fish (if not better). Just listing these items again makes me want to go back and rejoice in the surprise of being presented with each dish for the first time. It really was that good. And the wines were progressively excellent too.
The venue has made some photos of the wines and the food available on its FaceBook page, and one can access them by following the link here: wine event photos.
This restaurant has become a regular of ours in a very short time frame. The service is always prompt, friendly and attentive. The prices are well balanced and are reflected by what it is you order. The kitchen is creative and until now has not disappointed us, quite the contrary in reality.
What we can say is that instead of relying on the location - just across from the water - and the fame which Marsaxlokk has for fish restaurants due to its being a fishing harbour, Roots has taken it upon itself to not take the easy way out and has challenged itself to be surprising and push quality and freshness. We will definitely be back, and look forward to the next wine pairing event.
Roots Restaurant
So we broke out of the routine and headed to Marsaxlokk to an unassuming looking restaurant called ROOTS. If it's Marsaxlokk then it must be a fish restaurant. It is. But it also offers meat dishes, which we recently learned are presented with flair, gusto, and quality.
The first time we went to Roots, we went all traditional and ordered fish for starters and main course. Impressed by some very fine wines on offer, we turned what would have been a normal Friday night dinner into a special occasion without having a reason to celebrate (the ones you sometimes need in this busy life we lead). Starters were good, my octopus carpaccio having a smoky flavour to it. The fish were so fresh that they would melt in your mouth. All around excellent.
Our return trip to Roots was for a wine pairing event. This was not an event organised in collaboration with a wine merchant, or a wine house. This was pure "wine pairing 101", with different wines from different houses and different countries and different vintages. You could tell that this was thought out to be entirely compatible and complementary to the food which was offered. The wine event menu featured both fish and meat dishes, with each dish paired with a different wine. We progressively ate our way to the more heady wines, and could not keep up with the generous portions (of food and drink) and creativity coming from the kitchen. I cannot pinpoint my favourite dish, but I can certainly say that the starter of oyster tempura with prawn tartare, seared calamari, fennel and lemon set the tone for what the evening had in store.
The second course of saffron acquerello risotto with parmesan broth, was followed by the rabbit loin with turnip and raspberries (pictured below), and then followed by the main course of slow cooked fillet of beef with foie gras - proving that the kitchen can handle meat as well as fish (if not better). Just listing these items again makes me want to go back and rejoice in the surprise of being presented with each dish for the first time. It really was that good. And the wines were progressively excellent too.
The venue has made some photos of the wines and the food available on its FaceBook page, and one can access them by following the link here: wine event photos.
This restaurant has become a regular of ours in a very short time frame. The service is always prompt, friendly and attentive. The prices are well balanced and are reflected by what it is you order. The kitchen is creative and until now has not disappointed us, quite the contrary in reality.
What we can say is that instead of relying on the location - just across from the water - and the fame which Marsaxlokk has for fish restaurants due to its being a fishing harbour, Roots has taken it upon itself to not take the easy way out and has challenged itself to be surprising and push quality and freshness. We will definitely be back, and look forward to the next wine pairing event.
Roots Restaurant
Address: 67 Xatt is-Sajjieda, Marsaxlokk
Phone: (+356) 2165 3205
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