You don’t need to compromise on your gourmet taste buds to satisfy your children’s whims when dining out in Malta.
Parents eating out in restaurants with their children all know the drill. Push all spillable, breakable glasses out of reach, remove sharp knives, tuck the tablecloth under the plate and arm yourself with a full packet of baby wipes. And then, all you can do is hope for the best. If you get out with only three stains down the front of your clothes, (or your child’s), and you’re still on smiling terms with the people on the next table, you can safely deem the evening to have been a success.
And oh how you long for a grown-up menu that stretches beyond nursery food. Something written in French (because it always tastes better en Français). I hear you. I feel for you. I’ve been there. Done that. Got several stained t-shirts.
But there is hope. There is light at the end of the dinner tunnel. I promise. And it’s all thanks to the wonderful, innately family-oriented culture of the Maltese. I do not use those adjectives lightly. I speak from grateful experience.
No, my children are not exactly angels. Ipads, colouring books and card games have all been used to bribe a few precious minutes of peace while my husband and I enjoyed our food at the temperature it was intended to be consumed.
Ben, now 11, is a fussy eater and his menu choices are restricted to pizza, pasta (only smooth tomato sauce please) or steak. Eloise, aged 8, meanwhile, is adventurous with her food and will happily tuck into sushi and tuna sandwiches.
Choosing a restaurant that caters to my children’s differing tastes while serving as a treat for us parents is not easy, especially on holiday. But, eating out in Malta with children is a breeze. Not only are they welcomed, my kids have been spoilt with attention in several of Malta’s top restaurants. Some have even gone the extra mile to put together a dish off-menu for my fussy son. I do, however, let the restaurants know that I’m coming with children when I make my reservation.
Here are three of our family’s favourite local “clinky-clinky” restaurants (as my children call them) which give that rare opportunity of enjoying a gourmet meal in a grown-up environment while making the kids feel at home:
Our first evening in Malta in summer is always celebrated at the fine dining restaurant of the Raddison Blu Resort & Spa Golden Sands. As the sun sets over the glorious beach, we savour the freshest catch of the day on the expansive semi-circular terrace while the children tuck into their favourites, even though the restaurant does not have an official children’s menu. Consistently highly rated as one of the island’s top restaurants, it always gets an enthusiastic thumbs up from my children. Worth every cent.
This delightful restaurant on the doorstep of historic Mdina has it all: charm, sophistication, a delectable wine list and a seasonal menu that still makes me swoon at the memory of those polenta chips. My son, the carnivore, was in heaven when his plate of tagliata di manzo arrived. “That steak!”, is how he remembers the restaurant. Needless to say that the rucola underneath “that steak” was left untouched. A gourmet feast for all the senses. Try and grab a table on the tiny terrace for a spectacular view of the island.
This is probably the closest Malta could ever get to a Michelin-starred restaurant. The creativity of chef patron Marvin Gauci knows no bounds. Awarded not only best restaurant in Malta but also most romantic, I give it my own award for most accommodating eatery. There was no issue ordering a delicious plate of child-friendly pasta for my kids, which was served without any delay (for we all know how patient children are at dinner, not!)