Hi There! Hope your week is going well for you and that you are starting like us to plan what to do at the weekend. Perhaps you will be wining and dining too so this blog today might interest you. I have been very fortunate to have been invited by award-winning Chef Marvin Gauci to experience the menu at Buddhamann restaurant in Malta to share with you my followers on the blog!
It was a very windy day when I arrived to the restaurant situated in St George’s Bay Malta nested in between the Corinthia Hotel St George’s Bay and the Marina Hotel, with full views of the Dragonara Casino. I was welcomed warmly by the restaurant manager and offered a very tasty glass of fruity red wine while I waited for Mr Gauci who was running a little late for our interview dinner date. So I obviously took the opportunity to have some shots of my black and white outfit from River Island!
I wore a black and white dress and a white blazer from River Island. For a colour pop I accessorised with this very trendy bag, also from the new collection at River Island and a chunky necklace. I also wore these gorgeous vintage Mineli shoes which matched the bag perfectly. Hair was styled by Mixas Salon , straight with a little pin up on one side. It was so windy that I found it to be a perfect solution. Marvin arrives and our culinary journey begins! He recommended that we share a DEGUSTATION MENU which meant we were to try out a wide range of items, ideal for sharing!
STARTERS
To get my senses all excited and to ensure the beginning of a unique experience, I was presented with a STURGEON CAVIAR, a taste of ‘‘Platinum caviar’’ served on a 5g spoon on ice in an Asian silver pot. After this, one oyster served in a way I have never seen before in Malta! This was kind of the restaurant’s way of telling me – Whatever you have experienced before – forget it – and let us give us a tiny taste of something unique by Buddhamann.
This is very short video of these two items I have just talked about! I’ll let it speak for itself!
Next up were the APEROL FLOWER EDIBLE SPHERE Lemongrass infused Aperol with a St Germain twist. Very interesting taste and presentation.
Then we had the SALMON AND TUNA TARTAR, marinated in miso on a crispy skin. BONELESS QUAIL TANDOORI served with a pomegranate and ginger sauce, BLUE TIGER PRAWNS TEMPURA served with Shichimi spicy mayo, DUCK AND FOIE GRAS CRISPY WONTON served with a red current and antique mustard emulsion. Each dish is extremely special. You taste some very interesting flavours coming through, tastes that take you on a wonderful journey. The presentation is like ordering a work of art with every dish. Simply stunning pieces I must say!
We had a good taste of the TEPPANYAKI GLAZED PORK RIBS with herbal aromatic notes, spicy pork crackers and wild pesto. and LOCAL FRESH SEA BASS marinated with ‘secret spices’ and wrapped in a banana leaf before being cooked in a traditional clay oven.
After all these dishes, I was super full and could not eat much more BUT I made space for some desserts! Speechless really. Completely unique dishes created to excite and inspire any foodie out there!
ABOUT MARVIN GAUCI
Marvin is the owner and founder of some of most successful and sought-after eateries. These include:
Tarragon (2007) – The exceptional award winning boutique restaurant in St Paul’s Bay that specialises in accurately constructed Modern Continental dishes.
Caviar and Bull (2014) – Uber trendy and ever so elegant, this St Julian’s restaurant offers haute cuisine, outstanding cocktails, and molecular gastronomy.
Buddhamann (2015) – Asian flavours fused with Mediterranean influence, unique food presentation comes together in this upmarket fusion restaurant.
Dinner in the Sky (2016) – A very exciting concept – a dining experience with Chef Marvin’s capable live cooking and entertainment, while being suspended 40m in the sky overlooking the majestic Valletta Harbour.
Marvin is a dad of 4 and never ceases to amaze me. He keeps reinventing his concepts and keeps his customers returning for more. I read in some article that he is expanding his brand overseas so I ask Marvin the simple question “What’s next on the agenda”?
With that usual sparkle in his eye and husky voice, and lots of arm movements, he very excitedly announces that the brand Caviar and Bull will be launched in Budapest this year within the Corinthia Hotel Budapest so he is constantly travelling to overlook the developments and is so keen to launch in a few months time. This restaurant is set to impress and raise new standards in the bustling Bohemian capital.
The interior décor will be a highlight in itself, designed by his wife Alison with high fashion touches and trimmings and very specific details to match the uniqueness of the brand Caviar & Bull. For example, high fashion designers have being commissioned to give their stylish and classy input to this restaurant. Wow! Can’t wait to see it!
“I want to be one to develop Malta’s food reputation globally so that top foodies all over the world will see what we are capable of doing and travel to Malta to try more. It is time for us to put Malta on the radar of the Michelin guide” says Mr Gauci and I believe him 100 %.
So while wishing him the best of luck in his new endeavours, we might just have the perfect excuse to travel yet again to pay him a visit there, what do you think? 😉
Fusing tastes from exotic lands with the finest and freshest local ingredients, Buddhamann is the place to go to for a totally unique dining experience in Malta. With a range of authentic dishes from the East refreshed and modernised with new techniques and presentation, Buddhamann offers diners a new concept in food appreciation.
Hope you enjoyed my review of the Buddhamann and my feature with Mr Gauci. I will be returning with my friends this weekend and I hope that this article has enticed you to check it out too! For table reservations call Buddhamann at tel (+356) 7728 3342.
You will be happy to hear that starting from Sunday 2nd April, Events by Martin will be kicking off the Spring season with a series of Sunday Social Clubs at Buddhamann, so don’t miss out this event to hang out with a trendy crowd at this lovely place! Enjoy life! It is beautiful!
Stay tuned for more exciting articles from Malta and beyond at www.graziellecamilleri.com
Was wearing:
Dress: River Island
Jacket: River Island
Bag: River Island
Shoes: Mineli
Makeup: Jilienne Ciantar @ Melita Health & Beauty
Photography: Samuel Meilak
