Pet’s Plates
Giannini
Valletta
Food: 7/10
Location: 10/10
Service: 8/10
Value: 7/10
Overall: 8/10
Here since the late 1980s, Giannini is a Valletta institution, synonymous with quality and a landmark on the Valletta foodie trail. Or so it would seem.
Few restaurants in Malta can boast the breathtaking location enjoyed by Giannini. It towers over Marsamxett Harbour and affords diners a view right into the very heart of Fort Manoel. Night time had smoothened the flaws of a man-made environment and our eyes were instantly drawn to the artfully lit spectacle of Fort Manoel – the 18th century bastioned fortress reigning over the isolotto of Manoel Island.
This star fort is a magnificent ode to the art of fortress construction under the Knights of St John and exemplifies our nation’s rich military architectural heritage. It is a monument to the Baroque Age; a unification of baroque ostentation and extravagant ornamentation and military engineering and efficiency.
It is a success on all counts. The Order’s military engineers and architects positioned Fort Manoel in such a way that it would protect Valletta’s north flank. But this work of defensive architecture was also dramatically set like a theatre stage; frivolous and sensuous, gushing with all the baroque drama that still suits the Maltese temperament so well. Resplendent, its task is to impress Valletta, its audience. And impress it does.
I couldn’t stop drinking in the view as I enjoyed some prosecco. The way we experience food has an effect on how it tastes and I was looking forward to the hearty meal ahead. The ambience could not have been more perfect. Momentarily dismissing the unique view, I considered the large restaurant interior; itself an elegant and beautifully arranged space and a joy to sit in. The staff were friendly and attentive.
I was comforted by the gorgeous seasonal Mediterranean dishes on the menu and the restaurant’s signature dishes displayed up on a chalk board at the back of the restaurant. The stunning location set me up to expect a great meal, but it was hardly the case.
For starters, the three of us followed the chef’s suggestions, each choosing a Giannini signature dish.
My tagliatelle all’uovo with veal ragout was a dish we all criticised. Meaty pasta sauce is one of the tastiest, most moreish sauces out there. Finished off with a final flourish of salty parmigiano reggiano cheese shavings, it is one of the Western world’s perfect examples of absolute umami. It is a pasta that I find hard to resist, but at Giannini I found myself politely picking at it. The home-made egg pasta itself was lovely but the sauce completely lacked the typical richness and strong, savoury flavour of a slowly cooked meat ragu.
Delivery was below expectation
They did better with the artichokes. Along with deep fried Carciofi alla Giudia, Carciofi alla Romana are the most well known artichoke dish in Roman cuisine. These are delicious dishes, simple in their execution and preparation. They make the most appetizing of antipasti.
The Carciofi alla Romana served at Giannini were nicely seasoned with garlic and fresh herbs and gently braised in water and white wine. They were nice enough.
Even nicer was the risotto with porcini, speck and parmigiano reggiano. This starter dish was the opposite of mine; delicious and bursting with goodness. The flavour combination was glorious. The distinct, robust flavour of cured, slow-smoked speck combined with the porcini and Parmesan cheese, all melting into the creaminess of the risotto, was hearty heavenliness.
The only complaint is that the risotto needed to be creamier still.
I don’t indulge in veal too often, but I must say that the milk-fed veal chop with sage and garlic made for a tasty and satisfying main course dish. I was compelled to steal a bite. Oven-roasted, the good quality cut of meat was beyond tender; seasoned and seared well and cooked to medium-rare as requested. Given that it was such a thick piece of meat, it could have benefitted from a tad more cooking time. Our mistake entirely.
I adore quail. Spying it on the menu, I immediately knew what I would be ordering. This tiny bird is packed with a surprising amount of flavour for such a small creature. It is also a very satisfying bird to devour, enjoying a high proportion of meaty flesh to bone.
The humble quail is a bird with a reputation; that of being posh. It has thus become an increasingly popular meat bird. More and more restaurants are serving it and supermarkets are stocking it. Sadly, it has inevitably fallen prey to factory farming. The wholesome picture of freely ranging quails conjured up when one buys, orders or eats this game bird may at times be far from the truth. Animal health and welfare in farming isn’t something to be brushed aside.
But back to the business of eating...
At Giannini, the quail had been deboned, pan seared and stuffed with a savoury, sweet mixture of raisins and pancetta. Fruit-based stuffings pair extremely well with quail, and this one in particular was fairly good. Owing to the fact that this tiny bird is extremely lean, it does have a tendency to dryness. And this was unfortunately the fate of my quail. Although I quite liked the overall flavour of the dish, it was let down by the fact that it was slightly overdone.
Dessert was a thoroughly unpleasant experience. To begin with, there was no dessert menu. Some previously made desserts were displayed on a tray – something that I find wholly unappealing. On questioning our waitress, we found that very few desserts are actually made in-house. As a result, we went for tiramisus and a chocolate fondant. Very worryingly, the latter emerged almost instantly from the restaurant kitchen. It was mediocre at best. Something had also gone wrong with the tiramisu. They tasted quite dreadful.
I was disenchanted with my dining experience. The way dishes were described held much promise, but the delivery was below expectation. I would have been a happier customer had I ordered the risotto and veal.
Hands down, the fantastic location of Giannini beat the food, which I found to be rather average. It was neither impressive nor inspiring. It seemed to lack soul and I was left feeling very underwhelmed.
Giannini has got everything in place to be a great restaurant. It just wasn’t when I ate there.
You can send e-mails about this column to petsplates@gmail.com.