A Maltese Foodie

Hello all You can also connect to this blog by following us on Twitter  @amaltesefoodie We had problems with our Facebook page but it's back up again - the only problem is that we will have to ask you to "like" us all over again. Please do so if it is not too much trouble. <3 Do keep in touch, I look forward to your restaurant suggestions and stories. AMF Malta Europe, restaurant guide, restaurants, Europe, dining, reviews

UPDATE: I have heard the new adverts for this establishment which advertise the recent refurbishment effort. This is good news and we look forward to visiting again! When I started this blog, there were some guidelines, let's say a playbook, that I tried to establish. Which is why I started by writing about places I had been to often, and over a period of time. The New York Times restaurant critics visit an establishment 3 times, with different dinner companions, over a prolonged period of time. This is to see how the restaurant handles differently sized groups of people, and whether standards and output change over time. I strive to follow a similar system of writing about tried and tested places here. This is my first break from that rule. I only visited the establishment being reviewed once. Which means that I will visit it again, and post updates following the revisit. I will do this whenever I review a restaurant after only visiting once. So it came to pass that a grou...

Yo-ho-ho, shiver me timbers! Although the next place we have reviewed is named after the corsairs, whose ties to Malta run deep - Il Corsaro Ristorantino is anything but a pirate venture. Wied iz-Zurrieq is mainly known as the location to embark on a voyage to visit the Blue Lagoon. It is also a popular destination with the Maltese and with foreigners alike since there are many eateries packed into such a small location. It was with great pleasure that we discovered this diamond in the rough, in the midst of all the restaurants, divers, and birds of prey (honest! there is a man and his eagles and owls who sets up shop opposite the restaurant). Il Corsaro is a tiny restaurant, hence the "Ristorantino" in the name - barely accommodates mores than 5 tables, but don't be fooled by its modest appearance. The restaurant serves up some of the best fish dishes in Malta - freshly caught and lovingly prepared. We have visited this esteemed establishment on a number of occa...

Many of us nowadays want to know more about the provenance of our food. We encourage the slow food movement - this is the sourcing of food from local suppliers, within a short radius, and which is grown locally, organic and free range. Here at AMF, we also look for restaurants which adhere to the slow food movement.   Off the beaten path, in Birgu, Citta Vittoriosa, is a hidden gem serving up Maltese food which does its very best to conform with the slow movement. This, dear readers, is Tal-Petut . The restaurant has a menu, but we never really consulted it. There is a special order which is simply called "Dinner" and this includes antipasto, main course, and dessert. All of this comes at a very decent price, but does not include water and wine (or any other beverages you may wish to order). This is truly one of our favourite refuges. Every so often, our internal clock just sets off the alarm: it is time to go back to Tal-Petut for "dinner". You walk throug...

We've been up for one month already! Time is flying, and there are new places for us to go eat at. Don't forget to check out our "To Go" list, and feel free to recommend.

When you're abroad, don't people tell you, "Avoid a restaurant if it is full of tourists"? I have to admit that I am one who plays by that rule. I look for the places frequented by locals. Back on home turf, the rule changes and becomes, "Be careful if a place is empty". My dinner companion uses another rule which I now have adopted, which is, "Do not eat at places with pictures of the food on the menu" (there are few places I allow to break this rule, as recently reported ). And so one evening, a couple of weeks ago, out we went to Oro Lounge at The Point. I had heard wonderful things and I was looking forward to a visit. Since I had heard so many people mention it, and since we were going on the weekend, I thought it best to book ahead. Now let me explain, I am the sort of person who calls to book. I don't do online booking - I find it unpredictable. Maybe it betrays my age, but I do enjoy calling as it sets the tone for the visit. I went ...

Dieting is all about balance. Life is all about balance. However every once in a while you would like a little extravagance. We like to balance our hectic lifestyles and work lives by spending an unplugged few days on our sister island, Gozo. When in Gozo we try new places, revisit old favourites and luxuriate in long dinners without the headache of having to wake up early the next day. One of our regular haunts is Patrick's Lounge & Restaurant  in Victoria, Gozo. Until some time ago I would have said, without a doubt, that this is one of my favourite restaurants in Malta (and Gozo). But the perfect facade is peeling somewhat, and there is a slight hint of pretentiousness, especially when it comes to wine, that has dampened my love for the place. I still love it though, and I urge everyone to visit it. I can say that this is the place for a fine meal. The meat selection on the menu is especially pleasing, with all meat dishes I have tasted always well turned out, and dare...