Mulino - Villa dei Venti — Restaurant in Qala

A Michelin Star is born

Set in the quaint village of Qala overlooking a steep valley, the relatively recently-opened restaurant sited in a converted villa, run by a chef born in the same village, has an outside dining area located by a pool with dim lighting, oozing a stylish ambience. I visited with my parents because the highly-rated - albeit small number of - Google reviews and photos caught our eyes.

The menu was not your typical Maltese list of varied dishes - it only comprised circa 15 items in total (starters and mains!) and initially I was quite apprehensive considering my septuagenarian parents were pescatarian. However, a short list only emphasised the boldness and confidence of the chef in his own well-balanced dishes, cooked with artistic panache and an eye for detail.

From the kitchen, unsolicited, arrived 3 small filo-pastry parcels of delightful seaweed, garnished with wasabi mayonnaise, which complemented the celebratory clink of 4 fresh (divine) oysters, topped with red caviar, commencing our culinary journey with flair and sublimity. A ginger-based drink, served in a limoncello-style glass, provided the perfect palate-cleanser to our entrees.

On to the mains, we had two catches of the day: tuna (cooked as medium rare, or one could say to perfection) and the star of the night, gurbell (meagre in English, its name does not serve it any justice); and linguine with a deeply-flavoured prawn bisque, savouring every mouthful slowly until it lasted.

To end the night, a sticky toffee pudding, spiced with cinnamon, and the cliched, yet delectable vanilla ice cream, rounded off a finger-licking, fine dining experience. The attentive service by two young, welcoming waiters only augmented the pleasure of the occasion.

In the UK, the dinner would have easily cost us double and we would have been happy to pay for it. At the price for such superb quality, it was nighttime robbery!

The chef comes from humble backgrounds and his unassuming demeanour was admirable. If the place offers this consistently extraordinary cuisine, it would be a serious contender for a Michelin star in the not-so-distant future. Meanwhile, our travels will ensure a detour to an outstanding place.

Disclaimer: No photos included because a) we were eager to tuck in and b) they were rubbish (too...

Incredible restaurant, amazing atmosphere! You can choose with 'eyes closed', as all options are prepared with fresh and high-quality products, great combinations and well-presented! We came twice for dinner and twice for breakfast in the same week. Opted for lobster risotto (we actually asked to replace risotto with pasta and the chef was so kind to meet our request), tortellini with smoked aubergine and scamorza (amazing!!), and strozzapreti pesto with stracciatella and pistachios and bacon. One can choose a 'main dish' portion of pasta, but also a smaller one (in case one wants to also take an entrance/other dish in addition). The dessert was also great! If you want vegetarian option, better to specify, as not all ingredient are mentioned in the menu. The atmosphere is so relaxing and quiet, the restaurant has only a few tables, therefore, it is noisy. The breakfast is also impressive! In overall, all was...

From breakfast, to lunch and dinners, at Mulino Restaurant we have always been fascinated by consistency in quality. The menus are regularly adapted to the season. The flavours are well-thought and blend in with the rest of the palate. The chef is always striving for excellence. On warmer days, we choose to dine by the pool, with the backdrop of the channel views and sunset hues, whereas on wintery days, we opt to reserve a table inside the cosy boutique...