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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 3 APRIL 2016 34 Food Domaine Louis Moreau was born from the passion of a family settled in Chablis in 1814. As soon as the late 19th century, the love of this family for great wines brought her to purchase plots in Grands Crus and Premiers Crus. Nowadays, proprietor of parcels in 5 of the Grands Crus, including a monopole, the domaine works many plots within the appellations of Petit Chablis, Chablis and Premiers Crus, in full respect of the environment. The most prestigious of its wines is the monopole Chablis Grand Cru Clos des Hospices dans les Clos whose acquisition was made by the Moreau family in 1904. This Chablis shows a nice brilliant golden color, while its nose is floral with a hint of white fruit (apple, pear). According to the vintage, its gustatory attack can express mineral and citrus notes, balanced by its roundness and fineness Exclusively imported by Charles Grech & Co. Ltd, Valley Road, Birkirkara T: 2144 4400 Chablis 2015 Louis Moreau, France 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 WHEN you open a business – any sort of business – one major worry is attracting clients. The heart and soul of any enter- prise, it's difficult to draw in customers in this age of stiff competition. On this point however, the folks at Drift have a real edge. You see Alex and Daniela, who run the popular café, come from some- thing of a prestigious pedigree, as restaurants go. Both had worked at Bouzouki, the much- loved and sorely missed Greek restaurant in Paceville that was owned by Alex's father. After it closed down a few years back, the question of whether there was any intention to resurrect what had become an institution kept coming up. This is where Simon Mamo comes in. He had taken ownership of Drift, a popular sta- tioner-cum-café in the heart of Ibrag and was wondering what to do with the café part of the property. The place was a beloved favour- ite with the locals for many years at this point, serving basic fare along the lines of coffee, tea and toasties. So the idea of a meze and café came about, merging the experience and the reputation of what may have been Malta's most well known Greek restaurant, with an accessible location and an already enthusiastic clientele. The rest, as they say, is history. Alex is quick to point out however that the Greek theme is not so much a fixed motif but more of a guideline. The menu contains a va- riety of foods – salads, and platters as well as the traditional meze, breakfast options and sweets – drawing on plenty of different sourc- es of culinary inspiration. There is plenty of room for creativity here. Still, the Greek mezes remain a huge draw. Small sharing dishes always seem to inspire the sort of conviviality the Mediterranean re- gion is known for and the same applies here. A number of mouth-watering dips – including the somewhat legendary taramsalata, made to the Bouzouki recipe – are available alongside Greek classics like stuffed vine leaves, hum- mus and moussaka, all made on site from the freshest ingredients. What's the average day like at Drift? It starts off with the breakfast service, people popping by for a coffee or a quick bite first thing. At lunch, you'll find a number of locals enjoying fine weather outdoors or settling inside if it's chilly, over a protracted lunch and maybe a drink or two. It's also a perfect pitstop for a cheeky glass of wine after work, with the add- ing advantage of being able to take some dips home. Sundays are, to use Alex's word, some- what chaotic – after every service finishes at the church next door, customers stream in, looking for a warm drink and a snack. Drift is happy to oblige. So what's next for this Ibragg favourite? For one thing, there are plans to introduce some main course-sized dishes, bringing back just a little more of the Bouzouki essence fans have long been requesting. Excellent news for customers looking for something more substantial to sink their teeth into. Combined with their variety of specials, which change every day, even regular customers have plenty to look forward to at Drift. Though I suspect they hardly need any reason to return to this beloved haunt. Drift Meze and Café by Bouzouki Ibrag Road, Ibrag. Tel: 27138540 Facebook: Drift-MezeCafe Resto of the week WINE OF THE WEEK A new home for an old friend With a host of loyal regulars and an impressive culinary pedigree, Drift Meze and Café by Bouzouki has strived to bring elements of its past into a beloved venue. RACHEL AGIUS finds out how PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD