There is simply no point in heading to the Spinola Bay in St Julians Malta if you’re not going to eat the freshest, tastiest seafood there. In the heart of Spinola Bay with colourful traditional Maltese fishing boats known as Luzzus and a relaxed atmosphere, I met up with a group of lovely friends who accepted my invitation to try out this new eatery in town – PEXXI.
Marco Ahlgren, Lyndsay Pace, Michelle Dimech, Mark Molnar & Grazielle Camilleri at PEXXI Malta
The restaurant is pleasantly located on the water’s edge alongside the traditional Maltese restaurant GULULU. It not only has an outdoor terrace and an indoor restaurant at sea level but there is also a large room available on the first floor which can easily cater for over 60 persons, hence ideal for large group events. We met at sunset, the perfect time after a day’s work at and we were all extremely curious to learn about this new place in town.
The staff were extremely welcoming and helpful. They ran us through the menu which is divided into Starters, Pasta, Main Courses and Desserts. The menu varies with the kitchen’s inspiration, but among the small plates, the Assorted Dips, Fritti (fried seafood) and Carpaccios, it shows off just how cosmopolitan Mediterranean seafood cuisine has become.
Sean, the head waiter who was overseeing our table explained that they also offer fresh fish caught daily which is measured on a weighing scale in front of you and you are quoted the price for you to acknowledge before ordering. Also he highlighted the fact that although it is a restaurant specialising in fish, it does also cater for persons who enjoy eating meat. “ We like to cater for everyone’s tastes” he said.
GETTING STARTED
As starters, we ordered a selection of items to share including the Levantine-Spiced Grilled Octopus served with an outstanding aubergine puree. We also tasted their Local “Rossi” Prawn Carpaccio dressed with a lime ginger, mint grapes and extra virgin olive oil dressing. Also very tasty and delicate was the Tuna Tartare with pomegranate, mint and basil.
The mussels are cooked with garlic, white wine and marjoram. Everything was extremely pleasant and we were enjoying this mix of dishes while catching up with eachother. Lyndsay was celebrating the launch of her new single entitled “Walking on Air”, Mark Molnar a new business venture, Michelle Dimech new projects at her hair salon Mixa’s and I was just on another pleasant date night with my husband Marco in our beautiful island relaxing after a hectic week.
MAIN COURSE
As mains we ordered some Fresh Local Bluefin Tuna, Grilled Lamb Rump and one of their specials I would say – the Tagine Samak – filleted white fish, fresh prawns and calamari baked with tomatoes in a traditional earthenware tajin, wonderfully flavoured with aromatic spices. All main dishes came with vegetables and delicious roasted potatoes, like the ones my grandma used to make!
We Made Space for the Sweets!
If you visit this place and you do not taste the dessert, it is unacceptable! Trust our judgment. They are beyond divine. We decided to order one of each to share to make sure that we would have the full experience. OMG! We had an interesting selection to choose from including a vanilla and citrus panna cotta topped with lemon curd and candied walnuts, a semi-freddo with honeycomb and salted caramel, milk chocolate cremeux with chocolate crumble and strawberry sauce and a selection of artisanal Sicilian ice creams. They also serve caramelised fresh local peaches with almond crumble and honeyed mascarpone cream. All options so tasty and we did not have a unanimous favourite meaning that each one of us had a different one . Mine was the pannacotta!
To conclude my review about this restaurant, I would like to say Well Done to the team here. I like the concept, the presentation, the service and the choice of dishes served with a smile and some humour. I highly recommend this place if you enjoy Mediterranean cuisine and enjoy a beautiful view of Spinola Bay. It is open for dinner Monday to Sunday and for lunch and dinner Friday to Sunday and Public Holidays. Due to its very popular location, in the heart of St Julians, bookings in advance are highly recommended. It’s a great place to unwind and enjoy a slice of the Mediterranean.
For further information visit www.pexxi.com.mt or their facebook page PEXXI
XXX
Grazielle
Rated 5/5 based on the experience by the 5 persons present
Was wearing:
Dress: River Island, The Point Malta
Purse: River Island, The Point Malta
Eyewear: Michael Kors @Vision Opticians
Photos by Samuel Meilak Photography
