A first look at this Qawra restaurant's newly revamped menu

Is it finally time to bid farewell to our coats and faux fur jackets? Is Spring well and truly upon us?

Well, we certainly believe so. And that means only one thing: it’s time to sip Aperol Spritz and feast on fresh sea bass salads and duck croquettes in the warmth of the Maltese sun. Where better to do that than Kaptan Restaurant in Qawra?

Established before I was born, back in 1988, Kaptan Restaurant was and remains to be one of the most loved restaurants in the whole of Qawra, and dare I say the island.

Known for their impeccable décor and service, as well as their well-priced delicious food, it’s no wonder the eatery celebrated their 30th anniversary last year.

Motivated and inspired to mix things up, the management not only gave the restaurant a face-lift, but also opted to spice up their menu, tweaking and adding countless dishes to their already established menu.
Following months of intense experimentation and testing, Kaptan Restaurant released their revamped menu and we couldn’t have been more excited to dig in to innovative creations.

Truffle arancini, truffle cheese rollos, sesame prawns, sea bass salads, risotto with mussels and those duck croquettes I’m still dreaming of, made their way to our table and I couldn’t be more excited to describe them in grave detail.

Are you one of those people who tend to associate vegetarian dishes with tastelessness? Well, stop right there! Kaptan Restaurant have completely revolutionised that idea with their truffle cheese rollos and arancini. It’s high time you, just like Kaptan Restaurant, delve deeper into the world of meatless alternatives, if not only for the experience itself. Have no fear, however, they’ve upped their meat game tremendously, too.

Next up: sesame prawns with a Bloody Mary dressing.

Need I say more? Lying on a bed of fried zucchini, the dish is fresh, delicious, ideally eaten sitting in the sun, facing the sea, which is coincidentally exactly how we ate them. Tip: don’t let any of that dressing go to waste.

This was followed by the risotto dish which, if I’m being honest is not something I would have normally ordered. Despite it being my mother’s favourite dish, her attempts to make me love it throughout my 25 years of life were to no avail.

I sincerely hope she doesn’t read this review, as I must say, Kaptan Restaurant somehow managed to change my mind. Usually associated with chicken, mushrooms and the like, they opted for an interesting alternative: mussels. Combined with ginger and courgettes, the dish works like a dream. If I, a risotto hater loved it, you definitely will too.

Just when we thought we couldn’t possibly take any more, the duck croquettes made an appearance. Coupled with chocolate chili sauce, the pulled duck encased in the crunchy texture of the croquettes was tender and cooked perfectly. Combined with the chili sauce, which gives it a subtle kick, the dish is somewhat unconventional but definitely worth writing home about.

We were eager and willing to order just about everything else on the menu, but our bodies disallowed us and we had no choice but to admit defeat.

Head chef Justin Ciappara and operations manager David Agius Lia walked us through the dishes we didn’t have the opportunity to consume ourselves.

Also featuring lactose and gluten free options, as well as brilliant choices for kids too, Kaptan Restaurant’s brand spanking new menu is faultless. Vegan? No problem, either. The kitchen, as well as the staff, are extremely flexible and happy to create a dish from scratch, tailored to you and only you.

Have you called to make a booking yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Set sail with Kaptan Restaurant sooner rather than later. You’ll thank me later.

Find them on Facebook

Dawret Il-Qawra,

San Pawl il-Baħar

2354 3842