Added for my 2023 visit:
Naan Bar, 60/1 Melita St., Valletta
I had Old Delhi Butter Chicken with rice and it was the best butter chicken I have ever had! Had the Fenici Rosé DOK, made from Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah, from Meridiana, Malta. This is a very good Maltese wine!
Their description - “Crisp with flavours of pomegranate and red currant.” To me, there is a crisp beginning and the hint of red
currant is prominent in the finish. So good I had 2 glasses! The meal was so good I went back the following night (and ran into
another customer who had done the same!) On the second visit I had the Lamb Saag which was also the best I’d ever had. World CulinaryAward winner in 2021 & 2022 voted Malta’s best restaurant.
Sunday in Scotland, 16 St. Lucia St., Valletta. I had good croissant & coffee.
Dimitri Valletta, 339 St. Paul St., Valletta - I stopped in for late evening light meal and had the terrine of the day which that day was hamhock. I didn’t
expect much but it was unbelievably good. It had two condiments: guacamole and beetroot, and also a tiny salad with a light honey dressing. The presentation was first rate and the
combination of flavours make it one of the finest dishes I have had. I personally complimented the chef on how great the dish was. This guy
must be aiming for a Michelin rating, it was that good. The combination of flavours and textures was perfect. I had the house wine - the only one available by the glass. It was okay. Small place with
two tables on the main floor: a table for four and a table for two. There is additional seating upstairs.
Maltese cuisine is, of course, Mediterranean, so there is lots of seafood, and because of its varied history there are strong Sicilian and English influences as well as Spanish, Maghrebin (North Africa) and Provençal cuisines.
Wines from Malta vary, from the domestic variety of Girgentina and Ġellewża, and other more common varietals such as Chardonnay and Syrah. There is a strong wine industry in Malta, with significant production. (See the review of Fenici rosé above.)
