Rossopomodoro, Sliema — Restaurant in Sliema

If you like Italian food, please don't ever come here. I came with guests, and the only reason I didn't spit out the food was that I didn't want to make a scene in front of them.

I complained to someone who appeared to be the manager. I told him I was disappointed with the Diavola because it was watery and lacked enough cheese, salami, or spice. He replied, "What are you talking about? There is the cheese, there is the salami, and this is the way we make our Diavola."

To tell you the truth, I think it was not a professional answer, and I am sure they must receive lots of complaints. Later, he offered to remake the pizza, but I didn't accept because I was hungry and didn't want to taste another attempt at "their" Diavola. After telling my guests it was hard to find a terrible pizza in Malta, I told them I had finally found the worst pizza in the world, in Malta.

I have reasons to think the pizza by the slice you find at the Valletta Bus Terminus is ten times cheaper, better, with more cheese, salami, texture, and love than what I believe is a slimy, watery garbage they sell as traditional pizza. Besides, I tried the pasta carbonara one of my guests ordered, and I didn't feel the Pecorino taste, and I think it didn't have enough guanciale either.

I think the ragu lacked proper cooking. It tasted to me like meat with raw tomato paste. Despite its name, I couldn't find enough cheesse in the pizza 5 Formaggi, neither did I find the strong taste gorgonzola cheese adds to this kind of sauce. I don't know how they managed to make it feel watery.

Anyway, I think they are trying to save money by cutting the main ingredients, but they should not use traditional names for the tasteless, cheap dishes I perceived. When I went to the toilet, it was dirty and a complete mess.

I don't like to write bad reviews, but this is the first time I think it's my duty to alert other people so they don't experience the same feeling I experienced. On the other hand, the rest of the staff was friendly. One of them helped my daughter charge her phone. They were very nice, but unfortunately, you don't pay only to get smiles. You pay for a whole experience...

I read great reviews but quality is lacking, so dissapointing. Plus only two gluten free choices. No vegan cheese.

Improvement feedback: -staff and the manager need to listen more attentively to customer orders. -fish should be checked for scales -there is no excuse to risk the health and safety of customers. Training is needed to ensure they learn how to clean it. -when a customer informs staff of an allergy, get the manager and don't just hand them a menu. -when a customer gives feedback, saying nothing looks very careless. Show some understanding and even compensate or reassure them you will take the comments on board.

Details below. was just handed me us by a lady on asking what is gluten free- bit ignorant and not attentive enough.

-the manager took my order after confirming he could make any pasta dish gluten free. The chef came out, which was very good if only they listened to what I wanted. I clearly pointed to the vegetables and said a few times that I'd like a mixture of vegetables including carrots, courgettes and peppers which was listed under a different pasta. They said ok and added they would put tomatoes in.

-most of the pasta dish was tomatoes with about 3 diced pieces of courgette. They charged me 3 euros for the 'grilled veg' which is cheeky considering there was 90% tomatoes.

-hubby's fish was not scaled so he kept getting scales in his mouth. His excuse was that the fish comes ready so they can't. Not worth 24 euros if the fish is not even checked properly before serving. Unjustifiable.

On giving feedback, the manager just clumped his mouth shut and took the bill....

Mediocre at best. Yesterday we visited for lunch, we ordered the Burrata as a starter to share between 2, I ordered the special seafood risotto and my mother order the spaghetti carbonara.

The Burrata was NOT a burrata but Bufala mozzarella (picture) when I asked the manager about it he looked at it and said that's the Burrata, he went to ask one of the chefs about it too and the chef confirmed. Now, I am not expecting some fancy artisanal mozzarella considering it is a chain but to be a manager or a chef in an Italian joint and not know what a Burrata looks like is wild. I've had better and actual Burrata for €3 from the Supermarket.

Then came the main course, the Carbonara was good (absolutely no complaints there). The seafood risotto was abysmal, the rice in itself was somehow overcooked and undercooked at the same time and the seafood was the grossest I ever saw, again not expecting fresh seafood considering it has to be imported to Malta but I am expecting restaurant quality frozen seafood. Again, I found better in the local supermarkets.

I only took a couple of bites, paid and left. The service over all was good, and our waiter was very prompt and sweet. He did ask if everything was okay when he saw I did not eat but after the whole Burrata debacle I just did not bother complaining. Clearly this is the level of food they want to serve and that's fine but I am definitely...