Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/922844
maltatoday SUNDAY 7 JANUARY 2018 This Week 37 WHEN it comes to eating out, some restaurants create a more social environment than others. This is the result of the ambiance of the restaurant, but also the type of food that is on offer. At Drift everything points towards a social occasion – the friendly owners who seem to know every- one sitting at every table, patrons, who also seem to know everyone at every table, and the type of food on offer – food for sharing. Back in the 1990s, when restau- rant choices were limited, Bou- zouki, in St Julian's was a favourite among foodies all over the island. Fast forward to today and the Greek appetizers they were so fa- mous for are now available at the Ibragg café. Everything is just as you remember, plenty of dips like hummus (chickpea), taramasal- ata (salmon roe), melitzanosalta (aubergine), tzatziki (yoghurt and cucumber) and skordalia (gar- lic) served with warm bread is just something you cannot avoid when you stop at Drift. Equally delicious – and still just as I remember them – is the saganki (fried feta cheese), dolmathes (stuffed vine leaves), kefthetes (meatballs) and kal- amarkia (crunchy calamari fritti). And just as we used to do in the 90s, we over-ordered the start- ers and skipped the mains. Small sharing dishes always seem to in- spire the sort of conviviality the Mediterranean region is known for and the same applies here. But if you didn't dine like I did in the 90s and are looking for a more THE RESTAURANT Ibragg Road, Ibragg. Tel: 27138540 Opening hours: Monday – Tuesday 8:00 – 19:00, Wednesday – Friday 8:00 – 23:00, Saturday 8:00 – 16:00, Sunday 7:30 – 13:30 WHAT I ATE Trio of dips – hummus, taramasalata, melitzanosalta Dolmathes Kefthetes Saganaki Kalamarkia TOTAL Total: €19, excluding drinks well-rounded meal – starters and a main (possibly even dessert), Drift has you covered with a range of Mediterranean flavours as well as their well-loved Greek ones. The menu contains a variety of foods – salads, and platters as well as the traditional meze, breakfast options and sweets – drawing on plenty of different sources of cu- linary inspiration. There is plenty of room for creativity here. What's the average day like at Drift? It starts off with the break- fast 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. The festive season is over and all the socialising and big meals are done for a little while. But that doesn't mean meeting up with friends is out of the question. Rather than go out for a huge three-course meal, keep it lighter and gather around a table at Drift, nibble on a few dishes for sharing and sip on as much (or as little) wine as your New Year's Resolu- tions allow, because locking your- self up for the whole of January is never going to work! Rachel Zammit Cutajar Drift Meze and Café