Opening its doors last December, this beautifully restored bakery turned restaurant has been on my radar for a while. Housed in a place formerly known for its confectionary creations and more recently repurposed as a jazz bar, I’d heard tell of Chef Jonathan Brincat’s mastery and penchant for putting a modern twist on traditional dishes, and now that the weather has finally taken a turn for the chilly, I couldn’t wait to give this cosy eatery a try.

The chance finally presented itself on a weekday, and I set off to the capital, eager dining partner and healthy appetite in tow. As the waiter led us down the stairs to the dining room, Noni’s popularity became immediately apparent – the place was packed! And as we settled in and glanced around at our fellow diners, each animated in conversation as they tucked into their dinners, our excitement began to build.

The service, while polite and friendly, was initially slow. We waited a while for our menus – a length of time perhaps amplified by our hunger levels – but were quick to forgive. Once our choices were made, the service became a symphony of efficiency, with a tasty little appetiser being delivered to our table tout suite.

The complimentary mushroom panna cotta served with pickled mushrooms was a divine way to start, boasting an intense wild mushroom flavour, and certainly did its bit to whet the appetite. So much so that as we waited for our starters, we couldn’t resist tucking into the accompanying warm bread, generously dabbed in olive oil.

A few short minutes later, our starters arrived – mine, fish and shellfish soup served with a crab cake and garlic aioli, and his, spaghetti from Gragnano with local prawns, prawn bisque and preserved lemon. With mine, the spectacle began with the presentation. Placing the bowl gently on the table and giving me a good view of the crab cake within, the waiter went on to delicately pour the soup over. And let me say, the performance was certainly worthy of the main event. The soup was rich and luxuriant, complemented perfectly by the lemony tang of the crab cake.

The pasta on the other end of the table meanwhile, was fragrant and inviting, described by my companion as boasting a delicate balance of prawn bisque with a zesty aftertaste. A dish that evolves with every bite, he said that he could eat it all day and never tire of it, and, quite frankly, I believe him.

The mains were to follow between sips of Marsovin’s flavourful organic Marnisi, and after hitting a home run with the starters, we couldn’t wait to see what the chef had in store. My choice was wintry favourite lamb, though the way in which it was presented was like nothing I’d tried before. The roasted lamb rump was served alongside a helping of moussaka, topped with crumbled feta and lamb jus, and the combined flavours were nothing short of poetry. The meat was smooth as silk, with the feta providing a wonderful milky pairing, and the moussaka, made as it always should be, using minced lamb, added another unexpected element to the dish that elevated it to a level above any other I’ve sampled for some time.

While I maintain that the lamb was the star, my dining companion was equally impressed. His choice of rib-eye (a special on the day) served with triple cooked chips was well smoked and cooked to his specifications. “It could be used as a poster child for how a medium-rare steak ought to be cooked,” he said, impressed, between mouthfuls. The smoking intensified the flavour without being overpowering, making it, by his own admission, one of the best steaks he’s had locally in a long time. Seems like there’s something in the air in this place – or rather, in the kitchen!

For the briefest of moments, I considered opting out of dessert. Thankfully, I came to my senses in time to order Noni’s much talked about Te fit-Tazza – a play on the traditional Maltese favourite in the form of a black tea and condensed milk mousse, topped with lemon ricotta and lemon froth. The best way I can think to describe the result is interesting, though certainly not in an unpleasant way. The black tea flavour comes through and is pleasingly undercut by the lemon ricotta, while the biscuit crumbs add another dimension, bringing it back to its starting point and calling to mind childhood memories of dipping biscuits into a steaming cup of tea.

All in all, our first experience of Noni in Valletta was such that we hadn’t even left our table before we began planning our next visit. Whether that works more as a vote of confidence for the restaurant or a testament to our insatiable gluttony is another matter altogether, and one I’ll leave for you to decide.

Verdict

Food 5/5
Service 4/5
Ambience 4/5
Value 4/5