Our initial stint at having a meal at The Skyroom didn’t go down very well. We assumed we could rock up as one does, alas, the Maltese be like nuh sah 🤨! Ha ha ha! Plus, trying to figure out the brunch / lunch hour is still a mystery, this summertime heat makes you re-think being out and about in 30+ degree weather. Second time round, we did the needful, called ahead and we got a table, #winning! The Skyroom is a cocktail bar and grill located on the penthouse of Preluna Hotel, in Sliema, and the view of the open sea is GORGEOUS!
Interestingly, the menu is split into five separate sections (raw corner, salad corner, warm corner, pasta / risotto and a main course section). A reflection of the interplay of textures for the food served here. I mean when one is presented with all this options, what to do but sample all that is on offer right? I mean, we need to own this ‘food adventurer’ identity with our full chest no? 😀.
Freshly baked bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar comes first to help whet our appetite right after our much-needed refreshing cocktails which went down quick because these Maltese streets be boiling 🙄😮! First choice of the menu was from the warm corner – the pork cheek potato croquette made with sautéed garlic, wild mushrooms in a sauce that was made from the pork cheek ragusta cooked for 24 hours and laced with truffle oil. All I am saying is, croquette in Malta is a yummy!
The lemon Prawn Arancini was flavourful like a curry, with a nutty taste from the pistachio, the red pepper polenta provided a kick which, surprisingly, Neal was fine with. Chargrilled Octopus tentacles served with smoked potato puree which aka mashed potatoes that was so creamy. I mean if you have never tried octopus, this is a must try.
From the salad corner was the grilled asparagus and burrata cheese. LISTEEENNNN!!! Firstly, it was the right percentage of pesto to burrata and toasted pine nuts. The taste? An explosion of texture, creaminess, my lord it was good! The only other place I recall right now that had similar was Arthur Coopers. I would happily order this again and again and again, yes people, It is that GOOD!!!
The spaghetti wild boar ragout from the pasta / risotto corner was the clincher! Bringing all the flavours from the smaller plates together. The spaghetti was al dente, the mushroom flavoured sauce with olive oil and truffle shavings added depth to the wild boar. It was simply DELISH!
Contemplating our pudding choices, Justin (our host) asked if we wanted to try anything from the raw corner? By this point, we were stuffed, and we declined. He was not to be deterred, he offered us a complimentary Shrimp dish! Peeled Shrimp, cheese, lemon shavings and garlic.. jeeeezzz. I am going back to sample the raw corner with or without Neal ha! It is right up my alley!
Pudding was a delight. A cheery pudding with outer shell that had to be cracked to reveal a creamy vanilla mouse like cheesecake type thingy magig, that was just SCRUMPTIOUS!
Yep, Skyroom is worth a visit if you are ever in these parts! Afternoon well spent!
Cheers
Ndidi
addendum: Thank you Justin
