Date night at Guze' Bistro

We discovered Guze' Bistro last autumn during one of our wanderings around Valletta, decided it looked like a great restaurant and then proceeded to forget all about it. When my birthday came round last week, my husband asked me where I wanted to go out for dinner. I told him to surprise me and he remembered Guze' Bistro. So he booked a table for two on the Saturday before my birthday and only told me where we were going at the last minute. We don't often go out by ourselves as our son is now old enough to accompany us and he's generally good company. But, every now and then, we like to be by ourselves, to talk about subjects that interest us and to reminisce about the 'good old days' and about things we might otherwise forget.

It was a chilly night and a strong wind was blowing, making it feel much colder than the 12C that the thermometer was reading. It was the perfect night to haul out the thick suede jacket I had bought from TJ Maxx the winter I lived in St Louis sixteen years ago and my thermal gloves that get used a couple of times a year - if I'm lucky. But I'm not complaining. It's winter and I love the cooler weather. It made the simple act of walking in from the cold into a cozy restaurant even  more pleasurable.

Guze' Bistro is located in a centuries-old townhouse in Valletta, with the limestone walls and flagstone floors that are typical in buildings of this era. Simple wooden tables and chairs are offset by vintage Murano chandeliers and gold-framed mirrors. The dining area is small and intimate and my only (very minor) complaint is that the tables are rather close together so we couldn't really have a private conversation unless we whispered, but I didn't really mind and felt it added to the friendly atmosphere of the place.

The menu is not extensive but it is changed seasonally so that only the freshest produce is included in the dishes on offer. All the food we ordered was excellent and extremely tasty, with all the ingredients working perfectly together to produce a burst of flavours on the first bite. I ordered risotto with aged pecorino and chanterelle mushrooms, sea bass for my main course and, to end in style, chocolate fondant cake with caramel ice-cream on the side. My husband also had nothing but compliments about the food. I think his favourite dish was his starter of cannelloni with Tuscan wild boar and winter black truffle. 

At Guze' Bistro it's possible to order a variety of wines by the glass, which enables diners to change their wine depending on the different courses they're eating. Before ending this post, I want to commend our servers who were polite and attentive without being intrusive, giving diners the time and space to enjoy their food.

Sorry about the ghostly-looking hand in this photo. Someone moved it when he was not supposed to.

We had a really enjoyable evening and I would really like to recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a flavourful meal cooked to the highest standards and served in a cozy ambiance.

Ending today's post with a rare photo of us.

Us

Guze' Bistro

22 Old Bakery Street

Valletta

This is not a sponsored post but just my way of sharing an excellent dining experience. All opinions are my own and based on my personal tastes.