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X maltatoday, SUNDAY, 26 APRIL 2015 Food Sauvignon Blanc is a white-wine grape from western France, now successfully grown in emerging and established wine regions all over the world. While the grape may be more readily associated with the Loire Valley it has been noticed that it also shows outstanding results in the South of France. There's a elegant, struck-flint character on the nose, then layers of citrusy fruit on the palate. It's medium bodied, with a long, grapefruity finish.". The finish is long and refreshing. Perfect for grilled fish, shellfish, Asian cuisine. Exclusively imported by Charles Grech & Co. Ltd, Valley Road, Birkirkara T: 2144 4400 Sauvignon Blanc 'Cepage' – Baron Philippe de Rothschild, South of France Sciacca Grill has been open long enough for most foodies to know where to go when look- ing for a good piece of meat and though I've eaten there a few times over the winter, I've never reviewed the place before. Eating out with the intention of writing a review is a totally different story. While on an ordinary day I would do my best not to overeat, caution is thrown to the wind on re- view days; you have to try everything in order to write a fair review, don't you? Pre-dinner drinks, starters, mains, desserts, coffee, after- dinner drinks – if you're going to do it, do it properly. With all these good intentions, and rum- bling tummies, we headed down to South Street on a cold and windy night and found a parking spot right outside the door. If you believe in good omens then this had to be one! A steakhouse could be just that. Good meat with little interference is all that is really nec- essary for a reasonable place, however what puts Sciacca Grill on a pedestal is the extra mile taken in every aspect of the restaurant. Pre-dinner drinks are always gin and tonics for me, but few restaurants go as far as stock- ing a range of premium gins. A Hendricks and tonic with lots of fresh cucumber and we were ready to order. This is no ordinary ordering system straight off the menu. Our host Johann, took us to the display where different cuts, from different breeds jostle for our attention. Johann knows what he's talking about and explains the dif- ference between USDA, Angus and Canadian beef, rib-eyes, sirloins and fillets, on or off the bone and even throws in a recommendation of his own. We settle for a tomahawk to share – a rib-eye cooked on the entire rib bone which imparts that extra bit of flavour, not to mention theatre, to your meal. Weighing in at one kilo of beef to share be- tween two we decided to go easy on the start- ers and skip the deliciously tempting sausages of all sorts. Instead we went for a lighter plat- ter of cheeses and cold cuts. Although platters of this sort are quite popular on the island, these are very often disappointing with super- market standard products crammed onto a board to make it look a little better. Not at Sciacca. Again the meats and cheeses are displayed at the back of the restaurant so you know what to expect. Deliciously deep-fried chevre, a selection of incredible pecorinos and soft cuts of speck and bresaola, that are making me salivate just remembering this dish. The meat was cooked to perfection – rare and beautifully sliced to show off the pinky goodness with a perfect sear achieved in the Spanish wood-fired grill that reaches temperatures of 900°. If this is what it takes to make a perfect steak, I'm going to have to see how I can fit one of these babies into my small kitchen! Though it seemed impossible to manage we opted to share a dessert and despite the straining waistbands we managed to get through a warm chocolate fondant with plenty of ice cream. Sciacca Grill is a great place to go for din- ner when you're not in hurry. Linger at the table and indulge in a whiskey or two. Their extensive range runs the whole length of the bar and hails from all parts of the world, from Scotland to Japan, the up-and-coming Scotch producers. Single malts, or blends you are sure to find something to keep you occupied while you digest the mammoth meal you've just had while discussing the logistics of purchasing an industrial oven to be able to cook steaks to perf ection at home. Maybe we should just leave it to the experts and head down to Sciacca whenever a carnivorous craving takes hold. Rachel Agius 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 Resto of the week Sciacca Grill South Street, 1103, Valletta Tel: 21237222 Email: info@sciaccamalta.com Find us on Facebook Sciacca Grill perfects the humble steakhouse What's in a perfect steak? If the meat is of good quality to start with, it can't really be that hard. RACHEL ZAMMIT CUTAJAR goes to Sciacca Grill to find out the details that separate a good steak from steak perfection PHOTOGRAPHY BY SEAN MALLIA