Root 81 Restaurant

On road number 81 connecting Valletta with Rabat stands an establishment whose name reveals its address. Root 81 does not pretend to be an ancient tavern — it is a modern restaurant with ambitions but a Maltese heart. The Commander arrived for lunch and found a menu that reads like a diplomatic treaty. Beef tartare with mushrooms (the Commander approves of raw meat — our ancestors ate the same way). Rabbit ravioli — because on Malta, rabbit is the national dish, and if you have not eaten it, you have not been to Malta. Duck croquetas — small, golden flavour projectiles that vanish from the plate faster than a Explorer can count. With it, a Shiraz-Cabernet from a Maltese vineyard. Yes, Malta has vineyards. And yes, their wine is good. The Order was no less surprised than you. The chef plays on the border between Maltese tradition and European modernity. There is rabbit, but in ravioli. There is tuna, but in tartare. Olives and capers appear, but as accents, not as the main dish. This is cuisine that respects the past but does not fear the future. TACTICAL NOTE: On the road between Valletta and Rabat/Mdina, easy to reach by car. Reservations recommended, especially for dinner. Prices higher than a pastizzeria, but far from London rates. The Order rates: 4 shields out of 5. One point deducted because the Explorer could not find pastizzi on the menu. But rabbit ravioli is a worthy substitute.