Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/234240
33 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 DECEMBER 2013 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 22 MAY 2011 Selection of fresh seafood at Tartarun This happened more than once this year because it is the sort of place you keep going back to. The best way to order is simply allow the staff to tell you what's best. Whatever they recommend is always fresh and cooked simply to accentuate the delicate flavours. The calamaretti are probably my favourite and always (unless they're out of stock) feature on our order. One of my favourite spots for a fishy feast. Tartarun Xatt is-Sajjieda, Marsaxlokk. MXK1301 Tel: 21658089; 99177258 Eggs Benedict at Waterbiscuit The Intercontinental's signature restaurant is the first of its kind, open 24 hours a day, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner and open right through the night for those late-night indulgences. What got me was the breakfast. Particularly the eggs Benedict - made in six different ways with bacon, spinach, asparagus or ones with a more exciting twist – mushrooms and truffles or brie and pickled apple. For just €3 you can add a glass of sparkling wine to your breakfast and make it all that more indulgent. Waterbiscuit St George's Bay St Julian's Tel: 23762225 Calabrian platter at Due Mari On a hot day in the middle of summer I was invited to the press launch of Due Mari. It started late and I was hot and bothered by the time the food came but all that vanished as soon as a mixed platter was put in front of me. Lots of delicacies from Calabria including an outstanding range of Pecorinos and my favourite nduja – a spicy, spreadable salami made from pork meat taken from the head of the pig (aside from the cheeks which are used for guanciale), skin and other pork meat trimmings along with roasted chilli peppers. Due Mari Restaurant Pjazza Tigne, Sliema. Tel: 20604060 Lobster tagliatele at Dolce Vita What sort of a top 10 list would not include lobster? This one pairs it with tagliatele. Pasta with lobster is a little hit and miss. If not done well, you'll find a heap of pasta covering up a piece or two of lobster. This was not so with a meal early this year at Dolce Vita. Half a lobster including the claw lay on top with a langostine on the side for good measure. . Ristorante Dolce Vita 159, St George's Road, St Julian's Tel 21388600 Duo of duck at Essence And of course there is some fine dining. The duo of duck consisted of a pan-seared duck breast, served rare with a confit of duck leg, cooked sous vide, with an Asian risotto, sesame pak choi and a tiger prawn samosa. Couple that with the view of beach as the sun set and a night at the Radisson, Golden Sands and that has to be one of my favourite meals this year. Just one night's break felt like a full-on holiday. Essence Radisson Blu Resort and Spa, Golden Sands Golden Bay, L/O Mellieha. MLH 5510 Tel: 23561000 WINE OF THE WEEK 2005 Bodegas LAN - Gran Reserva Rioja 93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2005 Gran Reserva is a blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo and 5% Graciano: a selection of the best grapes from 20- to 25-year-old vines that is then aged in American and French oak for 24 months. It has an intense minty nose of blackberry, smoke and grilled meats that is welldefined, but surprisingly taut considering the vintage. The palate is medium-bodied with a tarry, leathery entry. The tannins are fine and linear, the finish classic in style with a dash of white pepper and tar. This is a very well-made Gran Reserva drinking beautifully now, but certainly it has the substance to keep. Drink now-2022. Bodegas Lan was established in 1972 and after a number of itinerant owners, they settled with an investment group, Mercapital, in 2002. Their winery is based in the town of Fuenmayor in Rioja Alta. They own 70 hectares of vineyard, the remainder out-sourced and the wine is raised in a combination of different oak regimes in their barrel cellar that can accommodate some 25,000 barrels. I was impressed by the consistency of these wines that are well-crafted and with a propensity to age. Imported by Charles Grech & Co. Ltd, Valley Road, B'Kara T: 2144-4400 Charles Grech & Co. Ltd., Valley Road, B'Kara Tel: 2144 4400