Walking down Villegaignon Street in Mdina, you are likely to keep going past the Carmelite Priory were it not for the smell of soppa tal-armla wafting out of an eatery tucked behind the thick walls of the friary.

The 17th century priory, housing the order of the Brothers of the Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, is the first one in Malta that is open to visitors (by appointment) to share the Carmelite heritage.

Set up in its original parlour is the restaurant Theos, which, while following the tradition of hosting visitors, allows the friars to be financially sustainable in the upkeep of the historical priory.

In keeping with the saying “li ħareġ il-kunvent” (you eat whatever the convent serves), patrons have a choice of three dishes at lunchtime that would have been cooking since 8am.

The items change every day, starting the week with pork stew, fish soup or baked rice and topping it off on Sunday with baked pork belly, baked macaroni or beef olives.

Dishes include kawlata biz-zalzett Malti (a thick soup of fresh vegetables with Maltese sausage) and soppa ta’ l-armla (a thick vegetable soup with goat cheese and eggs).

The dishes are not the typical ones we find at Maltese restaurants

In keeping with the traditions of the priory’s refectory, meat is not served on Wednesdays and Fridays during the Lenten period.

The restaurant also serves specials on particular occasions based on recipes owned by the priory.

Most of these recipes, dating back some 500 years, were used by the friars throughout the year, especially on particular days like Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter, the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Christmas.

One such recipe is Elijah’s loaf made with ricotta, peas, sultanas and ġbejniet for Carmelite fast and abstinence days. According to the late Fr Dionysius Attard, this was the dish served on St Elijah’s feast day on July 20.

Another dish, called Farfalle Beato Franco da Siena because of the Carmelites’ penitential attitude, includes traditional Lenten ingredients like wholemeal pasta, almonds, walnuts and peanuts, tomatoes, raisins and garlic.

A drink known as Carmelite water, invented in 1611 by monks in Paris who called it Eau de Carmes, was also used as perfume apart from a cordial. This is made with vodka, dried angelica leaves and lemon balm leaves, coriander, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon.

In the evening, the menu is swapped with another one listing items from the Ottoman, Greek and Calabrian cuisine.

“The dishes are not the typical ones we find at Maltese restaurants, like rabbit and horse meat, or snails. It is food we find in Maltese kitchens, like għaġin toqlija and brodu taċ-ċanga,” operator Frank Cachia told this newspaper.

Behind him, chef Chinnappa Loordu Swami prepares the food for the day, which includes slices of beef and potatoes steamed with parsley and garlic or, as it is known in Maltese kitchens, laħam fuq il-fwar. Mr Loordu Swami learnt the cooking tricks from Mr Cachia’s mum, Annie, during his time in her kitchen for more than 20 years.

Ms Cachia, who would prepare tasty meals for her 13 children every single day, was Frank’s main inspiration to set up this restaurant.

The restaurant is called Theos – Greek for “the Lord” – as a Carmelite priory is considered the Lord’s property. The priory is also set in the Greek part of the city.

Leased to Mr Cachia, who owns another restaurant in Mdina, the original parlour was restored in line with the building’s baroque historical heritage.

The two rooms hosting patrons have been done up in Mediterranean colours and furnished with traditional rush-seated chairs.

The tables are not numbered but the waiting staff refer to them by the names of Greek cities and islands, including Athens, Naxos and Corfù.

The ceiling was repainted with natural lime. Artist Damien Ebeyer traced faint Sicilian-Gothic style decorations, originally done by the friars themselves. Missing parts were recreated, based on the original designs.

The kitchen was set up in the basement, constructed with the 15th century stonework of the first Carmelite monastery on the outskirts of Rabat. The basement is close to tunnels and wartime shelters trailing down to the bastions and close to the old cathedral.

The Carmelite friars arrived in Malta from Sicily around 1418 and settled on the outskirts of Rabat. In 1659, they moved to the old city and Bishop Balaguer Camarasa gave them the small church known as Our Lady of Rocca, where they built their church and priory.

The building of the priory started in 1678 and the plans are attributed to architect Lorenzo Gafà.

www.carmelitepriory.org