Nestled within the depths of Valletta is a hidden gem called The Harbour Club…
Known by the locals for its high quality dishes, but not so well by the travellers, The Harbour Club is a restaurant that offers truly sensational food, views and service and should not be missed on your visit to Malta.
Having been open for a few years, this jewel offers a space to wind down after a busy day seeing the streets of Valletta, or a place of romance where you can dine under the stars. You can enjoy the stunning views which the terrace provides day and night with a glass of prosecco in hand and fine cuisine in front of you.
If the weather isn’t at its best (On the rare occasion) they offer indoor dinning, where you can enjoy their stylishly renovated cellar which has been designed using a recycled deck of an American ship.
Food wise there is plenty to choose from, the menu has an extensive range of options for both food and drinks. The Harbour Club pride themselves on using only local ingredients and freshly caught produce so the three course option is a must.
On our trip to the Harbour Club we were lucky enough to experience a myriad of dishes due to there being four of us dining.
For Starter we tried the following:
- Confit of local tuna belly with candied cherry tomatoes, grilled Maltese bread, pickled shallots
- Acquerello Risotto with calamari two ways, squid ink, preserved lemon and fresh marjoram
- Tartare of Irish Black Angus beef fillet, Parmesan cream, pickled shallot and caper dressing
- Ciabatta crisps and the Fish Soup – Aljotta, herb croutons
Starters were cooked to perfection, their highly trained chef’s did not make one mistake and really did the restaurant justice. Timing wise it was perfect, it wasn’t rushed so that we couldn’t enjoy each other’s company, yet it did not feel like we were waiting for too long. Portion sizes were just right and each dish was full of flavor with nobody leaving a crumb on their plate.
Mains
- Grilled fresh Rib-eye, grilled enoki mushrooms, port wine jus
- Fresh Irish rack of Lamb, green pea cake, bouquet of vegetables, red wine jus
- Pan roasted fresh Tuna with a sesame crust, grilled baby gem lettuce aged balsamic vinegar.
- Pan roasted corn fed chicken breast, heritage carrot two ways, local carrot purée, white vermouth
For Mains nothing was at fault, the lamb and steak cooked rare as requested, both juicy and full of flavour. The red wine did not overpower the natural flavours of the lamb and the port complimented the steak to its exactness. The Tuna really excelled expectation, presented elegantly on the plate where it fell apart as the knife glided through the fillet. The chicken was succulent and flavoursome and its accompanied vegetables an ideal partnering.
Dessert
Although the starter and mains were filling, we always leave space for dessert seeing that we have such a sweet tooth. The specials on offer were, White chocolate mousse with strawberries or a Chocolate Truffle with Crispy Pecan Toffee Crunch.
Being a chocoholic, you can imagine the excitement of hearing a white chocolate mousse on offer which was selected as three of the desserts straight away. The mousse came out and it must have been the best white chocolate moose I’ve ever tasted. The texture was fluffy, light and dissolved on the tongue as we savoured every mouthful. The Chocolate Truffle was rich and decadent, the smooth truffle offset deliciously by the crunch of the topping, it was a real treat for the tastebuds.
Every aspect of this restaurant was so perfect that we can’t find fault in any way shape or form. From the impeccable service to the breathtaking views, reasonable pricing and the mouthwatering food the only downfall is that we can’t eat there every single day…
The Harbour Club
4/5 Barrierra Wharf
VLT1971 Valletta
Malta
Monday – Sunday: 6.00 pm – 11.00 pm
Dinner from 7.00pm
