Few pool-side eateries come with the views – and pedigree – of The Bastion Pool & Restaurant at Phoenicia Malta. The stunning backdrop of Valletta’s fortifications against the infinity pool, with Msida Marina and Sliema in the distance, have graced hundreds of Instagram reels, and with good reason.
And yet, The Bastion Pool & Restaurant is not simply about living your best life in the sun, racking up likes on your IG reels. The restaurant side of things is certainly worth exploring, and I’m happy to report that with the seasonal summer 2024 reopening The Bastion’s culinary offering is more on point than ever.
Chef has presented a fusion of Eastern and Mediterranean flavours that are wonderfully light, yet replete with flavour. In short, perfect for the Maltese summer. We start off by sharing a Focaccia with San Daniele ham, Calamari Fritti, and a Smoked Aubergine Dip with Pitta Bread. Simple dishes are always the toughest to pull off, because everything rests on the quality of the ingredients.
Elevating the simplicity of stunning ingredients
The Bastion Pool & Restaurant clearly take this to heart; the San Daniele is some of the finest I’ve tasted and I’m including my Friuli holidays in this ranking. But it’s also worth noting that many ingredients come from the Phoenicia Malta’s own kitchen garden, and this freshness makes all the difference. In fact, it’s part of the Hotel ethos, not just at The Bastion Pool but also at The Contessa to reduce food miles when possible.
Before moving on to the mains, a note about the Calamari Fritti. A dish of such simplicity, that can so easily go wrong. I’ve had more than my fair share of rubbery, tastless, soggy calamities from places that charge altogether too much to get away with it. The Bastion Pool & Restaurant made me forget all these atrocities with feather-light batter, yielding with a satisfying crunch to reveal perfect crisp encasing tender morsels, the zesty lemon leaving a gorgeous after-taste.
Summer’s a-knocking, and sushi by the pool is seriously one of life’s biggest pleasures. Clearly, The Bastion Pool & Restaurant kitchen appreciates this, because the feast we ordered for our mains was spectacular. Sushi has, sadly, become somewhat of a fast food. And by this I mean that it has picked up the worst aspects of fast food. At The Bastion it goes back to being a real treat, the rice gloriously sticky, crowned by fresh tuna and salmon, some with a spicy kick and others giving a sweeter, more delicate finish. It is, truly, gorgeous.
Lunch at The Bastion Pool & Restaurant is best rounded off with an espresso and a liqueur. I certainly had no space for sweets, although there’s a luscious choice. The upcoming summer months are set to see daily events taking place by the bar and restaurant area, so expect live music
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I received no payment for this review and I dined there as part of a press invitation. The opinions expressed here are purely my own and Phoenicia Hotel had no input/control over what I wrote. No affiliate links are included in this review.To learn more about my policies and my reviewing process, visit my Affiliate/Advertising disclosure page.