Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/744537
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2016 36 Food AMY MICALLEF DECESARE SUMMER is coming to an end, making it the perfect time to go for long appetite-growing strolls through beautiful gardens, feast- ing on hot, comforting meals and spending time with those who mean the most to you. No place is better to do all of those things than the Villa Corinthia. Situated in a century-old restored villa in the heart of Attard, you cannot help but be impressed by the sheer elegance and grandeur of it all. In tune with the theme of luxury and excellence is Villa Corin- thia's menu, which is bursting with authentic, freshly made dishes, fea- turing high end products as well as local produce. My guest and I were greeted with complementary glasses of prossec- co, which went down a treat. The meal started off with a bang – soft, warm pan-seared scallops, con- trasting perfectly with the crunch of pickled Japanese radish and a tangy chili jam. My guest wanted to keep it light and ordered the avocado and asparagus salad, served with Cula- tello di Zibello. The star of the dish, however, was the Moroccan salted lemon dressing, which combined the flavours of the dish, elevating it to an unprecedented level. As we waited for our main course, we couldn't help but notice the sheer excitement in the eyes of the patrons on the table beside us. In front of them stood Joseph, a member of the waiting staff and a workstation covered with dishes of perfectly sea- soned meat, fresh vegetables and herbs, all waiting to be thrown on the warm skillet. We looked away so as not to ruin our own experience of the extravagant flambé but the thrill of it all got the better of us. We could hardly sit still in our seats when Joseph approached our table a few minutes later. The waiter added our beef, veal and several fresh in- gredients to the skillet effortlessly, as he somehow managed to engage in conversation with us whilst produc- ing a perfectly cooked medium-rare beef medallion. Cognac was drizzled carefully over the medallions and Calvados wine over the veal escalopes, caus- ing beautiful amber flames to erupt two feet into the air. We were in a trance, only brought back to earth by Joseph's voice asking if we would like fresh parsley. Not a single step was missed by the waiters as we were served our piping hot meat dishes fresh off the skillet and brought plat- ters of roast potatoes and steamed vegetables; the perfect add-ons to an already flawless dish. Needless to say, it was worth the wait. The meat had that special melt-in-the-mouth quality about it and the sauces were rich and velvety. Despite the generous portion sizes, we not only polished our plates, but greedily asked for the dessert menu too. Villa Corinthia hit the mark as we were served a warm rhubarb and ginger crumble and a blueberry nougat and beriolette sorbet. Both were the kind of desserts you feel bad for taking apart, because they look so intricate and beautiful. We felt bad for all of two seconds and dug in anyway. Walking out into the picturesque surrounding gardens with a smile and a full stomach, it was easy to see why diners are drawn to this restaurant. If it's a quick plate of pasta you're after, this may not be the place for you. If, however, you're looking for a transcendent journey of divine mouth-watering food, stel- lar service and a beautiful venue, Villa Corinthia will be happy to serve you soon. VILLA CORINTHIA CORINTHIA PALACE RESORT AND SPA, DE PAULE AVENUE, BALZAN TEL: 21440301 WEB: WWW.CORINTHIA.COM FACEBOOK: VILLA CORINTHIA Resto of the week Winter walks and comforting meals Charles Grech & Co. Ltd. and Tarragon Restaurant, would like to give you the opportunity to meet the 'International Winemaker of the Year' Mr. Neil McGuigan at Tarragon Restaurant On Friday 11 th November 2016 at 20.00h The Pre-Dinner Tasting: Tutorial Tasting Session of three new wines by Neil McGuigan (Classroom style, Tarragon 1 st floor) ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ The Dinner Menu: (Tarragon ground floor & 1 st floor) Four Textures of Prawns 2015 Founder's Series Chardonnay 'Adelaide Hills' McGuigan ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ Speciality schiaffoni pasta; Moroccan spiced lamb ragout, Macadamia nuts & spicy Mexican cheese 2013 Founder's Series Shiraz 'Barossa Valley' McGuigan ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ Prime Australian top blade steak; rocket and confit tomatoes salad; Parmesan shavings; truffle croquette 2013 Founder's Series Cabernet Sauvignon 'Coonawarra' McGuigan ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ Chocolate brownie; chocolate ganache; chocolate soil; aero ice-cream 2011 'Botrytis' Semillon McGuigan Acqua Panna & San Pellegrino Waters / Coffee Reservation on 2157 3759 ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ Price € 60