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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2015 34 Food McGuigan Wines was established to celebrate the culmination of 3 generations of wine growing by the McGuigan family. Founder Brian McGuigan adopted the central symbol of the family crest, the lion, to reflect inspiration & the McGuigan's enduring spirit & passion for producing great quality Australian wine. The McGuigan Black Label Red is an approachable, medium bodied style with a nice combination of ripe, soft fruit flavours and the perfect balance of tannin to provide some structure. Not only a great wine to have around great friends and family, but also at home when paired with a wide array of cuisine including barbecued meats and salads... Black Label Red 2013 – McGuigan Exclusively imported by Charles Grech & Co. Ltd, Valley Road, Birkirkara T: 2144 4400 Hunter's Valley, Australia 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 SPINOLA has always been a bit cha- otic. The junction between the nightlife in Paceville, the Sliema promenade, fast food and fine dining, it is a busy hub that hardly ever sleeps. Potential diners are torn between the rows of restaurants and eateries, all vying for their attention and their custom. Spinola Terrace makes no such fuss. Set at the far end of the bay – close enough to watch the madness, removed enough not to have to listen to it – it sits above the water, keeping mostly to itself. It doesn't need a song-and-dance to draw diners. Its reputation speaks for itself. Sitting down on the famed terrace, you can see why. The view is unparalleled but it is perfectly complemented by the newly redesigned interior. Muted greys and subtle, endearing accents do not distract from the food, the real star of the show, but it certainly makes for comfortable dining. Another feather in their hat is the staff. Good staff is hard to find, excellent staff nigh impossible. Diners here are well taken care of. Staff is confident enough to make pertinent suggestions about se- lecting from the menu, wine pairings and the harrowing decision, at the end of the night, about dessert. But I am getting ahead of myself. Des- sert was just the last tough call we had to make that night. We started out with an amouse bouche – a shot of courgette and asparagus soup with black truffle oil. It was one of those things you try and wish there was more of. A moreish suggestion of winter that was welcome on a breezy evening. Next came the paccheri, with Maltese sausage ragu and saffron. My guest and I decided to share and, split between us, it was the perfect portion size to make sure our later courses encountered no diffi- culties. The al dente pasta rings made the prefect vehicle for the rich, creamy ragu. We both had to restrain ourselves from chasing the last drops of sauce around the plate. The main course brought the milk-fed veal for me and the Norwegian salmon for my guest, with a bowl of roast vegetables and roast potatoes to share. The veal was beautifully tender and offered a range of colour that would not be out of place in a watercolour – pale pink in the middle, growing darker towards the edges. It also came with a raisin jus that added a com- plex contrast to the meat. The salmon also went down well – sim- ply grilled and drizzled with olive oil, it was moist and fell apart in a most satisfy- ing way. We were tempted to share a dessert – the chef's specialty of white chocolate cheesecake – but were convinced to also try the pistachio and olive oil cake by our attentive waiter. Both choices were, we later discovered, unmissable. The cheese- cake had a flambéed crust, pairing its light and airy middle with the crunch and crackle of a crème brulee-like surface. The pistachio cake married nutty flavour with the unmistakable taste and odour of olive oil, making for a surprisingly good combination. We left feeling satisfied and eager to discuss our meal, something we had am- ple opportunity to do as we made our way past families sitting outside their boat- houses, vessels creaking slowly on the water's surface and golden halos around the streetlights. Spinola Terrace delivers on all fronts, even down to the after-din- ner stroll. Spinola Terrace 102, Spinola Road St Julian's. Tel: 9999 0011 Email: spinolaterrace@gmail.com Web: www.spinolaterrace.com Stunning views and food to match Spinola Terrace