Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/594552
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 1 NOVEMBER 2015 38 Food Luce was the first wine created in Montalcino by blending Sangiovese and Merlot. Combining the roundedness and softness of Merlot with the structure and elegance of Sangiovese might seem a rather obvious idea, and yet it took the insight and collaboration of the Marchesi de' Frescobaldi and Robert Mondavi Families to launch this innovative project in the land of the world renown Brunello di Montalcino, a wine made strictly from Sangiovese. In 2002 the responsibility passed entirely to Lamberto Frescobaldi, who continues to this day to write the history of Luce in the land of the world renown Brunello di Montalcino, joining the tradition of Sangiovese, so historic to this area, with the innovation represented by Merlot, introduced into Montalcino only in 1976. Merlot and Sangiovese come to complete ripeness three or four weeks apart, between mid-September and early October, so they are harvested separately, parcel by parcel, then manually inspected as they arrive at the cellar and are vinified individually. Only after the fermentations conclude, towards the end of November, are the lots blended together. 2012 Luce 20th Aniversarry' – Luce della Exclusively imported by Charles Grech & Co. Ltd, Valley Road, Birkirkara T: 2144 4400 Toscana, Italy 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 I almost missed Rebekah's when I drove past. Situated in a quiet, residential Mellieha road, only a small sign and a menu in an illuminat- ed display case indicated that the otherwise unassuming stone façade was the place I was looking for. Stepping inside however is a delight, even before you catch a whiff of the food – the restaurant is actually an old-style Maltese farmhouse, complete with war shelter (which now serves as a wine cellar), rough stone walls and a courtyard, which is where we chose to sit when we visited. Weather like ours makes outdoor dining an almost year-round possi- bility and we figured we'd take advantage of a balmy evening to enjoy our meal al fresco. While the food was excellent (more on that in a little bit), I cannot overstate the quality of the service. We were offered drinks, soon after being seated, by Liz, our smartly dressed maître d', who took good care of us through- out the night. It was heartening to hear their list of gins, when it's usually a matter of 'one or the other' in most restaurants. We picked our poison and perused the menu. A handful of specials complemented the concise menu, including different fresh fish and meat dishes. The meal began with a won- derfully delicate amouse bouche – a salmon mousse with celery puree, arranged artfully across our plates. Quickly polished off, we waited eagerly for our starters. A beetroot and feta creation arrived for me, decorated with rounds of crunchy puff pastry and what looked like a brushstroke of bright purple beet juice. An unusual combination but one that works, combining the sharpness of the cheese with the chewy freshness of the beetroot and making for a wonderful mix of flavours. As much as I enjoyed my first dish, I must admit I was floored by the main. Sliding a knife into my beef ribeye, it was hard to ignore the fact that the meat just gave way beneath the cutlery. It was cooked to perfec- tion – medium rare, with a perfect gradient, a gentle crunch on the outside followed by a melt-in-the-mouth centre and a complete absence of that somewhat off-putting deluge of blood. Sharing the plate was a single truffle raviolo, stacked atop sautéed mushrooms and sitting beside a delicious mushroom puree and truffle jus. Seeing as how the dish left me speechless (in a good way), I'll let my descrip- tion stop here. I cannot hope to do it justice. My guest's fish elicited a similar reaction, thanks to its tender flesh and simple prepa- ration, which served to highlight its delicate flavours. There was not a word of criticism between us. We shared some mixed, grilled vegetables and roast potatoes – simple but satisfying sides to the main events. My guest decided against dessert, a decision that always leaves me out of a spoonful or two of my own. Luckily, there was plenty to share. I chose the pannacotta with peach compote and a crunchy honeycomb biscuit. The sub- tle, light flavour of the pannacotta was offset nicely by the compote, which was not overly sweet but had a pleasant tartness that played nicely with the sweeter biscuit. Like Re- bekah's itself, this dessert was an all-rounder. With service that never falters, a reasonably priced menu and, in my experience, flaw- less execution of both familiar and innova- tive dishes, this hidden treasure really has everything going for it. So enjoy the drive up north – when it ends with pulling a chair up to a table in Rebekah's, it is certainly worth the trip. A meal worth travelling for at Rebekah's The phrase 'hidden gem', when referring to restaurants, is horribly overused. However none was created better for Rebekah's, hidden away in the residential area of Mellieha. RACHEL AGIUS discovers it is well worth a visit PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD