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30 RESTO OF THE WEEK Monelli PIZZA is the ultimate comfort food. However you do not have to go down the fast food route to en- joy a gourmet pizza. At Monelli in Paceville, a pizza is as good a meal as you can get. Though summer has hit the Maltese shores and eating outside seems to be the order of the day, when the midday heat gets too much, why not take a break from the sun and charge your batteries with a superb meal – even if it 'just a pizza'. As you go through the automatic doors you are immediately trans- ported to a Sicilian world, where food is the most important part of the day. Whether its lunch or din- ner, the restaurant is always packed with locals and Italians, many of whom are repeat customers. Brothers Ricky and Luca, who also own Tana del Lupo across the road, and their team of Italian piz- zaiolos, waiters and staff are sure to draw you into their world of bus- tling Sicilian life. The décor is simple with modern tables, cutlery and glassware. You can choose to sit inside or on the terrace outside. Sicilian antipasti and various meats are on display and catch your eye as soon as you walk into the restaurant, making your mouth water from the word go. If the antipasti do not whet your appetite then the specials board will give it a second go with inno- vative pasta dishes and fantastic meat treats. The star of Monelli's menu how- ever is the pizza. Cooked in a wood- fired oven, the Neapolitan pizzas have a thicker and softer base than the traditional pizza. What sets this pizza apart from the rest however is toppings. Imported directly from Sicily you can choose from a selection of mozzarella di buffala, San Daniele parma ham, ricotta salata, provolo- ne, scamorza and many other Ital- ian treats that are hard to come by on the island. The best way to enjoy these piz- zas is to share with friends to get to taste a combination of different toppings. You can also have two different selections of toppings on the same pizza. For the non-meat eaters, vegetarian options are also available and are just as tasty as the meat-loaded pizzas. Although it is difficult to keep yourself from polishing off the en- tire pizza, save some room for des- sert. The scugnizzi – deep-fried pizza balls covered in warm nutella or pistachio cream - are impossible to resist. I can never decide whether I prefer the chocolate covered balls or the pistachio ones so the only option is to order one portion of each! A great meal is not complete without an accompanying glass – or bottle – of wine and in this area Monelli does not disappoint. The extensive wine list is as good as its sister restaurant across the road, from a glass of the cheap and cheerful stuff you can drink in large quantities to the more expen- sive wines to sip and savour. The service is usually quick and the staff is attentive and willing to bend the rules to keep the cus- tomer happy. However when the restaurant is busy, things take a lit- tle longer. The prices are not cheap, com- pared with other pizza places, how- ever the ingredients aren't either, so if you take the attitude that you get what you pay for, the prices seem a lot more reasonable. If you are happy with plastic moz- zarella and artichokes out of a can then Monelli may not be the place for you, however if you can appreci- ate the oozing, weepy mozzarella di buffala and other top notch ingre- dients, there will be no other pizza after Monelli. Monelli is open daily for lunch and dinner between 12:15 and 15:00 and 19:15 and midnight. Charles Grech & Co. Ltd., Valley Road, B'Kara Tel: 2144 4400 Rachel's Chenin Blanc 2013 – Boschendal, South Africa Boschendal was the first winery to barrel ferment Chenin in South Africa. This fruity, well-balanced, full bodied wine is distinguishable by its exotic mango and honey aromas on the nose. On the palate, this wine has a core of fruit with hints of nuts and honey. The ideal wine for an al fresco summer lunch, lightly curried mussels, chicken, fish casseroles and in general Asian dishes. 98% Chenin Blanc and 2% Viognier .The grapes used in this wine were picked from 27 year old bush vine vineyard with low yields and good fruit. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks at a constant tempreture of 14- 16°C. Fermentation was stopped before the wine became completely dry. 10% of the wine was fermented in older French oak barrels Food Pairing: roast chicken, Chinese stir fry, calamari & mussels Flavour Profile: Tropical mango and pineapple, honey and almond Exclusively imported by Charles Grech & Co. Ltd, Valley Road, B'Kara T: 2144-4400 WINE OF THE WEEK Monelli Monelli, Wilga Street, Paceville. Tel: 21360036 / 21360037 The naughtiness of Neapolitan pizza Enjoy the thick soft base of a Neapolitan pizza topped with the best Sicilian ingredients The cool, modern décor draws you in to a world where food is the number one priority Rachel Zammit Cutajar takes a look at a restaurant and brings a recipe, wine and delicacy of the week. Write to us with your comments on restaurants or submit your own recipes to rzammitcutajar@mediatoday.com.mt FOOD