Description: Back in February 2010 I had some days holiday I needed to use by the end of the working year so we booked a short break in Malta. Althought a lot of retired Brits spend the winter months in Malta it's really the off season and not all restaurants and bars are open all year round. During the day there seemed to be a fair number of people around but in the evenings it was pretty quiet which did affect the ambience for evening dining.
We ate at Blondino's, a family run restaurant, on the first evening of our trip, a Friday and only one other table was occupied, by an eldelrly couple who gave the impression of being regulars. We had found the restaurant earlier that day and, reading the specials board standing outside the restaurant, we determined to return that evening. The restaurant is situated on the sea side of Sliema rather than the harbour side that faces the capital, Valletta. It's a five minute walk from Sliema's main shoping area and ten minutes from the Strand and harbourside where many of Sliema's hotels can be found.
First appearances are, to be honest, rather average but shouldn't put anyone off. Likewise the interior is nothing special but the atmosphere was welcoming and homely even if it was virtually empty. When we had grabbed a quick lunch at the place next door earlier in the day we had seen that Blondino's had a steady trail of customers for the lunch session, which I always think is a good sign so we were not concerned to see nobody there in the evening (besides we eat in virtually empty restaurants all the time In Slovenia).
A father/daughter team was working the restaurant that night with the dad cooking and the teenage daughter taking orders and carrying the food. Just after our food had been served, dad came out to ask if we were enjoying it. It was nice that we weren't pestered which can be the case when restaurants are quiet and the staff don't know what to do with themselves.
The short menu had a good selection of local and standard international dishes, and there was an emphasis on seafood and fish. We both love to eat rabbit which we were delighted to find on offer in two different presentations; after some deliberation I plumped for a Maltese style rabbit stew. We had seen boards outside several restaurants and notices in windows announcing " We have lampuki" and Blondino's was also proudly advertising it. When we enquired the waitress told us that it is a white fish particular to this part of the Meditteranean. We later learned that such is the demand for lampuki that it's supply to shops and restaurants is quite strictly controlled. Happily for Himself, Blondino's had someon the menu that night. (Note - one lampuka, two lampuki).
In retrospect we weren't the best customers for them to get that quiet night; we decided against starters and didn't have desserts either. While I very firmly believe that customers shouldn't feel obliged to have more than they want, I felt a bit bad that they didn't get much out of us as they were so warm and friendly. Although I'd said I didn't want a starter it didn't stop me tearing into the basket of tasty bread that was brought after ordering. Fortunately we didn't have to wait too long for our food otherwise I might have nibbled on the basket too.
We ordered a bottle of red wine, one called Maltese Falcon that we hoped would not be the disaster it could well be given the name (it sounded alarm bells as soon as I saw the name on the menu but the description sounded pretty good). It was made from a blend of Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet grapes and was full of flavour and depth but still light enough to be easy drinking.
The lampuki had been nicely pan fried. It's very similiar to the dorada and the white flesh was cooked just right, flaking away easily from the bone. The fish had been lightly seasoned and really didn't need anything else. It was quite delicious!
My rabbit was done in the traditional Maltese way although it was served with potatoes rather than on spaghetti which I understand is more usual in Malta. The rabbit is first marinated then lightly browned with herbs and then stewed very slowly in red wine which results in a deep rich sauce. Although I would never refuse a dish that contained meat on the bone I prefer not to pick up the bones to eat the meat off (weird I know but I just don't like to) and this dish did contain some pieces of rabbit that were on the bone. However, I was pleased to find that for the most part the meat came away easily and as for those parts that required more effort, Himself was happy to step in and clean the bones.
At €10 each for the main courses and just €9 for a bottle of local wine I thought that Blondino restaurant represented excellent value for money. There was a miniscule cover charge of €0.60 for the two of us which seems unfair on the restaurant given how quiet it was.
In terms of food and service I would have to give Blondino five stars but there are a couple of minor issues that, while they did not affect us, could be problematic for other people. The first is that there are a couple of steps to get into the restaurant, and the other is that the access to the toilet is extremely narrow and therefore wouldn't be suitable for wheelchair users even if they could get into the restaurant.
I would recommend Blondino at any time of year but it's good to be able to find somewhere out of season that is open and serving some great Maltese food.
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