Klay — Restaurant in Saint Julian's

While Klay is undeniably a beautiful place with delicious food, my overall experience was quite disappointing.

We had a reservation for 4:30 PM, but nowhere during the booking process was it mentioned that the kitchen would be closed at that time. When we arrived, no one greeted us we had to walk around the entire restaurant just to find someone to assist us. After finally approaching a waiter and informing him about our reservation, he asked if it was for lunch. When we said yes, he had us wait while he called over another staff member, who then informed us that the kitchen was closed. At that point, we considered going elsewhere but decided to stay for happy hour and wait until 6 PM.

We chose to sit outside while we waited, but it took an unreasonably long time to get service. Despite calling the staff over three times and them signaling that they would come they kept prioritizing tasks like cleaning empty tables instead of attending to us. This felt careless and unprofessional.

When 6 PM came around, I was eager to order the ribeye, which was the main reason I had chosen to dine there. Unfortunately, we were told right away that it wasn’t available. That was another big letdown.

We ordered the fried calamari as a starter, and while I must say it was absolutely delicious, the portion size was shockingly small considering the price almost as if they served us leftovers or the bottom of the bowl.

As for the main dishes, the rabbit and the beef tagliata were both excellent well-prepared, flavorful, and timely. However, no one asked if we wanted any sides with our mains. I had to request vegetables only after the dish had already arrived.

To top it all off, only at the end of our dinner did they start playing music, and even then it was interrupted constantly being turned on and off repeatedly, which completely killed the ambiance. It didn’t feel harmonious or thought out at all.

In short, the food itself (except for the calamari portion) was very good, but the service was poor, and there was a serious lack of communication regarding kitchen hours and menu...

I would like to share some feedback regarding my recent visit to your restaurant. Normally, I do not write negative reviews, but I believe it is fair to point out what happened so that you may consider possible improvements. During the meal, unfortunately, we encountered several issues: In both the fries and the chicken salad, we found hair. The pasta with clams was poorly prepared, with an overpowering taste of butter that did not suit the dish. The meat, ordered medium rare, was served almost fully cooked. When we pointed this out, the chef came to the table with an unprofessional attitude, showing neither availability nor an apology. The oil used for the fried calamari seemed old: it was evident that there were burnt flour residues and particles from previous frying, which compromised the quality of the dish. It must be acknowledged that the fish served was good (although somewhat ordinary), however, the overall experience was disappointing, especially due to the service and the handling of our concerns. I am sharing these notes in a constructive spirit, as I believe your restaurant has potential and can offer much more to its customers. I hope these comments may be useful in improving the quality of both the dishes and the service. Respect for your...

When we visited (Nov 2022), the restaurant was new and in its second weekend of operation. Decor is tasteful and in a perfect location just by the sea in Balluta Bay. I'm sure it will look even more splendid for summer lunches and early evening dinners with views across our favourite swimming location in the small bay.

Service was slightly slow to begin (matter of a few minutes) but plates we ordered appeared promptly. Two of us were dining and we chose to share several starters to sample as many flavours as possible. Crostini were a good local flavour with broad beans, tomatoes and cheese. Local prawn crudo (one of the items I assume aren't always available) were a surprising delight and the chicken liver pate was spot on too. Mussels and koftes were good though the bread which accompanied the mussels was a bit too stiff. Reasonable desert selection with items presented on a plate rather than a printed menu. Wine by the glass cost €5.50.

Sara took good care of us. Well done.

We're locals and we'll return. Please make sure the initial welcome is up to scratch and don't let the...