Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/919364
maltatoday SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2017 This Week 37 SHARMA - Haryali tikka AUTHENTIC Indian food is quite difficult to come by. Inauthentic Indian eateries, on the other hand, are a dime a dozen. Sharma, which was once set in the beautiful Mdina and has now moved to the chic Portomaso, is the place to go if you're craving a little bit of Indian. Be prepared to over-order as everything here is pretty spectacular. My favourite of the night was the haryali tikka, cooked in a tandoori oven and served on a sizzler. When I was a kid I loved the sound and the smells of the sizzling dishes making their way to my table. Not a lot has changed as an adult. Beautifully tender and packed full of flavour, this sizzling dish is everything you can hope for. Address: Portomaso Marina, Level -5, St Julian's Tel: 21453817 KUYA ASIAN PUB - Ramen RAMEN has had its five minutes of fame this year with Instagram being taken over by this hearty Japanese soup. Local restaurants have taken advantage of this with many offering a bowl of steaming hot ramen. For great Asian food we love Kuya, with its unassuming restaurant in St Julian's, where effort is placed on the food they are serving. Their ramen absolutely rocks, as does most of their Asian street style food. Address: Ross Street, St. Julian's Tel: 2713 6517 Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 11:00 – 15:00, 18:30 – 23:00 CHARLES GRECH BISTO - Brunch WHEN you wake up at the crack of dawn during the week, lying in at the weekend becomes near impossible. Though at summer time the beach beckons early, in the winter what better way to start your day than with a spot of brunch? And while we're on the subject, nowhere does brunch better than Charles Grech Bistro in Sliema. Whether you're after indul- gent eggs Benedict, a healthier version of eggs and avocado, granola or fresh fruit, they've got you covered. Lunch and dinner are pretty good there too! Address: 59, Sir Adrian Dingli Street, Sliema. Tel: 21320926 Opening hours: Monday – Friday 12:00 – 22:30, Saturday 9:00 – 22:30, Sunday 9:00 – 16:00 THIRSTY BARBER - Chocolate cocktail I'M much happier sitting down to a meal than going out on the town and drinking – particularly if the drinking is going down in Paceville. That is, however, unless we're talking about The Thristy Barber. This is a watering hole for grown ups, with smart décor and bar tenders who, with a couple of questions, will make a cocktail tailored to your tastes. This one mixes drinking with dessert and who doesn't love a little bit of chocolate? Especially when the garnish is lots of tasty bits of chocolate snacks! Address: Ball Street, Paceville. Tel: 79440909 Opening hours: Monday – Thursday 18:00 – 1:00, Friday and Saturday 17:00 – 2:00 and Sunday 19:00 – 2:00 STAZZJON BAR AND KITCHEN - Cookies and ice cream THERE are some places you go to where you just know you have to leave room for dessert. I had heard about these giant cookies served straight out of the pan before I went there. Sometimes you're not sure whether you want dessert or not when you go out for a meal. This time we weren't sure wheth- er we wanted savoury first! They are just as delicious as you think, crunchy on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside with big chunks of melted chocolate in the centre and vanilla ice-cream all over the top. Yum. Address: Triq Ghajn Hammam, Rabat Tel: 21451984 Opening hours: Daily from 11:00 to 22:00