Under Grain — Restaurant in Valletta

A la carte Appetizer + Main took 4 hours. Be prepared to wait.

Let me start by saying we have been to dozens of One, Two and Three Michelin Star restaurants around the world in countless countries. This dinner started off great - Food 4/5 Service 4/5 Atmosphere 5/5. The wine choices were excellent and the Sommelier was the best we've seen.

However, after choosing to order a la carte instead of doing the full tasting menu, things took a turn. We arrived at 8pm and we told our server we were thinking of going a la carte to have a shorter experience this evening so as to be able to experience some of Valetta before bed as it was a Friday night. We ordered a bottle of wine and both chose a starter and a main, and expected to add a cheese and desert later.

It took two hours before we received our starter. Yes, they provided the customary "small bites" and "bread course", but we arrived with a reasonable appetite and were expecting to start eating the proper dishes rather than filling up on bread (you had to eat it as a meal, it wasn't brought to accompany the dishes).

After the starter we were at 2 and a half hours (10:30 pm) into the meal and the server asked how we were enjoying everything and we told him the food was great, but we had hoped for a bit more vigorous of a pace. The server empathized, but essentially explained that the chef was a perfectionist and needs to get the dishes just right.

Our main finally arrived at 11:20pm and after eating decided to cut things off and ask for the bill. We were still hungry and were initially interested to try the cheese course and a desert, but paid and left at midnight as we needed to stretch our legs and a change of scenery.

When surveying the other tables it was clear when you dine here you'll have lots of idle time to talk, take multiple washroom breaks or use your phone (if your cellular reception works - it's underground). If you order a la cart your 2 dish order will be extended to the duration of the full 7 course tasting menu, which is something that should be told up front.

Previously, the longest Michelin star dinner we had experienced was a 4 hour nine course tasting menu. This dinner matches that duration for just an appetizer and a main course. We are patient people and aware that these dinners are not a quick in and out. However, there comes a point when you stop eating where one loses their appetite when you are sitting idle for too long, and that happened here. It's too bad our request to speed things up couldn't be accommodated as both the restaurant and us missed out on additional items ordered. We simply could not fathom sitting until 1am or longer as we were planning to get up and tour more of Malta.

When a customer orders a la carte and explains they are doing it to shorten the experience, this would be a good time to inform them the duration will remain the same but with less food and you'll be sitting watching others get brought plates during this idle time. Having known this, we would have opted for the full menu instead of sitting hungrily watching others and placing bets on what time the our food...

UPDATED REVIEW

This was our third time at Under Grain after about 1.5 years and what a disappointment it was.

Firstly, some positives from the most recent visit. The staff were pleasant and professional and the music was appropriate and at a good volume (a small detail I know, but it makes a difference).

From the very start we were quite disappointed. One of us opted for the seafood tasting menu due to dietary restrictions and the rest of the table was forced to do the same (apparently if one person goes for the seafood tasting menu, the others can’t choose the original tasting menu, even though they have the same number of courses and even share some dishes). I understand the need to not mix tasting menus with a la carte but never have I been forced to have a specific tasting menu because someone else did - that is unacceptable, especially when you’re paying hundreds of euros for a meal.

The food itself was confused. The langoustine dish was bland, the mussel dish (with passionfruit) was sweet and tart and the passionfruit totally overwhelmed it. The chocolate “mousse” was neither a mousse nor a cake, it had the consistency of one of those flourless, sugarless, healthy vegan bars you get in health stores. The fish dish, whilst cooked well didn’t work with the raspberries. Lesson to learn here, fruit does NOT belong with fish (unless it’s a citrus).

And to top it all off, the wait between dishes was actually ridiculous, often 10-15 minutes minimum. Some of it was our fault as we had a slow eater at the table but it was mostly the kitchen’s doing. The whole, underwhelming experience, took over 4.5 hours. We missed our next booking and left unsatisfied, unhappy and disappointed.

What was once a standout in the Michelin restaurant scene in Malta is just another example of poor, misunderstood cooking lacking the basics of good seasoning and good flavour. Thoroughly disappointed, will never go back and will stop recommending it to people.

ORIGINAL REVIEW

A great overall experience. The staff were friendly and professional, everything went very smoothly and we never felt rushed nor like we had to wait too long in-between dishes. The food was quite classic but very well executed, every aspect was just very, very good.

We left very full and very happy. Would highly recommend if you’re looking for refined dishes (but nothing too “exotic”) in classy surroundings and a friendly atmosphere.

The wine list was also exceptionally well crafted and both the Head Sommelier as well as his deputy, knew what...

During our recent visit to Under Grain in Malta, we found the dining experience to be mostly very enjoyable, particularly with the quality of the food. The dishes were thoughtfully prepared and flavorful. However, we felt the overall quantity of food was a bit overwhelming—especially the main course featuring fish and the dessert. A slightly smaller portion, or reducing some of the additional surprise elements, might allow for a more balanced experience.

The menu itself was somewhat confusing. Some courses came with extra explanations in the same font and color, but important details—such as the cheese course and caviar being charged as extras—were not clearly highlighted. This got a bit lost on us at first, especially since the waiter spoke at a very low volume and occasionally unclear, making it harder to clarify these points during service.

Service-wise, the staff was attentive, but the frequent water refills felt a bit overbearing, as our glasses were continually topped up even when we weren’t drinking. It seemed a bit intrusive rather than thoughtful.

Regarding the wine, we weren't particularly impressed with the pairing offered. For those who prefer not to take the full pairing, the team seemed to have limited suggestions for choosing wines by the glass.

In summary, Under Grain offers good food with creative touches, but I recommend to pay close attention to the menu details, perhaps opt for selecting wines individually, and be aware that portions may be more generous than expected.

It also says on their website that you cannot wear shorts, but this was not true since a few guests did. Should just remove this from...