Kevin Karwang Chang
Google
Food & Drink: 9/10 (Dessert: 9.5/10)
Photo 1. Brioche and butter – This impressed us a lot! First of all, when it was served on the table, it was at a temperature to have. Also, the brioche had some salt inside, so the butter was less salted. It was so nice to have the brioche with the smooth melting butter. I am a big fan of soft bread/pastry and this brioche was very soft but it didn’t have many air voids inside. (you can see that we couldn’t wait)
Photo 2. Squid ink tagliolini, octopus 'bolognese' and Local red prawn carpaccio, white radish, granny smith apple, celery, burnt lemon dressing – This portion of pasta was perfect as a starter. It was al-dente and good to be mixed with the Bolognese which I was amazed by replacing beef and pork mince with the octopus, I personally think it was an upgrade of the taste.
After my Mrs had the first bite, she couldn’t wait to share her starter with me, because it was just brilliant. The carpaccio had a rich prawn taste, other vegetables with the dressing in this dish provided a refreshing taste that successfully balanced the overall taste!
Photo 3. Meagre, zucchini, prawn bisque, and Lamb, butternut squash, grilled baby gem, kohlrabi served with roasted potato – I ordered the Meagre which was my first time to try this type of fish, and I think the taste and texture were better than sea bass! The pan-fried meagre fillet had crispy skin and juicy and tender meat served with the prawn bisque sauce which provided a very balanced taste of seafood.
My Mrs ordered the lamb which she thought would have a strong gamey flavour, however, surprisingly the taste was pure and fresh. The butternut squash provided another flavour to the Lamb which was unexpectedly good. When they served the roasted potato, I thought it was overcooked, but it wasn’t. There was not much salt added to the potato but it actually matched with the main dishes we had!
Photo 4. Pineapple tart tatin, spiced rum caramel, Tahitian vanilla ice cream – I am not a fruit dessert person however it was surprisingly good! The taste of pineapple was perfectly balanced, not too sweet, not too sour, with a smooth vanilla ice cream scoop on top. The rum caramel was the finishing touch of the dessert!
Service: 10/10
Photo 5. Painting of two owners – Terroir is owned and managed by the chef and restaurant manager. The manager asked me through Whatsapp whether I would like to order the tasting menu or A La Carte, and any food allergies a couple of days in advance of the booking, which is quite uncommon to see.
When we arrived at the restaurant, the manager walked out, welcomed us at the entrance, and then led us to the balcony table. The manager was very knowledgeable and explained each meal and its best-suited wine on the menu. My Mrs was not good at drinking so the manager specifically made her drink ‘weaker’.
I always like enjoying the food without any unnecessary disruptions from the restaurant staff. I don’t think the staff asking ‘How’s the food?’ or ‘Is everything ok?’ would help the service at all. However, the manager did not interrupt us from enjoying food and always came to us at the right time like bringing the food, pouring water for us and cleaning the table for the next meal.
In term of the services, I believe it was perfect.
Environment/Atmosphere: 9.5/10
Photo 6. Balcony table – The manager arranged the balcony table which we were able to enjoy the sunset before the main dish. The restaurant was located in the non-tourist area so we enjoyed the dinner in a lovely quiet environment. The restaurant was nice, clean and historical which I found amazing!
Price: 8.5/10 Having a high-quality dinner with a lovely quiet Malta street view, and under a friendly and considerate service, for ‘only’ 125 EUR was a very good deal. I would never be able to pay the same price for the same in the UK.
In general, I give 9.5/10 for Terroir. The combination of starters, mains and desserts provided a very good balance of taste and portion. Services and environment were perfect even though the location was a bit far, it was worth it!
