THE DE MONDION REVIEW: a one Michelin-starred marvel in Mdina

It was my absolute pleasure to announce that MICHELIN were going to include Malta in their Guide for the first time. I even went as far as predicting which restaurants I thought would be included. 

I didn't think that MICHELIN would be giving out a star just yet, let alone to three restaurants, but they certainly did, and one of them included The de Mondion Restaurant in Mdina. I wouldn't be wrong to assume that executive chef Kevin Bonello and Nico Caruana (assistant food and beverage manager) had a huge role to play in this achievement. 

For every fine dining lover on the island, The de Mondion probably needs no introduction. Located within the avant garde luxurious walls of the stunning Xara Palace Relais & Chateaux, this gem was my destination of choice for my birthday celebrations. 

The stunning dining room isn't off limits, but they have organised a pretty magical al fresco experience (with social distancing measures being firmly put in place and all masks worn properly by the staff).

Luckily for me, there was a one-off tasting menu showcasing most dishes from the a la carte. 

A silky and tender Gozitan octopus makes its way as the first course. Sous vide is the cooking method of choice - it is evident enough due to the melt-in-your-mouth texture. The accompaniments include tapioca, nduja and 'fawwara' capers. A delightful scorcher. 

The 'Snails from Mtahleb' starter comes in the form of a velvety yet earthy snail ragout, topped with a poached hen egg yolk. A crunchy pork crackling makes its presence to add a play on textures. 




A bright green risotto (with a spot on consistency) flirts with my palate. Another dish which toys with simple ingredients that still result in powerful flavours. The zucchini, burrata and veg jus were the perfect threesome for that creamy, yet not too rich effect.




Cooked tuna isn't usually a dish i'd go for on a menu, but when teased with a symphony of eggplant, parmesan and tomato sea urchin fondue... how can you resist? I'm glad I didn't (not that it was an option). 




Onion, rarebit and vichyssoise, are the ingredients that were paired with the astoundingly-cooked Scottona beef fillet. My vocabulary was reduced to 'omg' with each bite of the pink, moist (hate that word) and succulent flesh. 

I say this without ego, but as a hardcore epicurean, I have been to over 30 1-3 Michelin-starred restaurants around the world (mostly in London and Tokyo as I am from the former and lived in the latter), both for business and pleasure. What's my point? My credibility. 

There are many restaurants that I have been to that have made me think 'how on earth did they get a star?' they were that bad (example Hakkasan in London and Augustenstüble in Stuttgart, Germany), so  let me end by saying this... The de Mondion deserves theirs.

Over and out.

The de Mondion Restaurant
Misraħ il-Kunsill
Mdina
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