Our luxurious 2 night stay Rosselli AX Privilege and dinner at Under Grain was all we hoped for!
A truly luxurious stay at Rosselli AX Privilege coupled with an amazing dinner at Under Grain. An elegant place for special occasions, where the purpose is to create lasting memories.
Strategically located in the heart of Valletta, Rosselli is to date newest of the AX hotels and is currently (and proudly) the only 5 star boutique in Malta’s capital city. We were lucky enough to enjoy a two-night stay, plus dinner at their Michelin Star restaurant Under Grain.
Rosselli AX Privilege
It was spectacular from the start. We opted for the taxi pick up service which took away the hassle of finding a parking spot in a city where finding parking is hard. The taxi picked us up right from our home and took us straight there (or rather, as close as it could to it). If like us you find parking a hassle, and you don’t fancy walking long distances with your baggage (who does?), we definitely recommend speaking to the staff at Rosselli and get this organized.
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Grain Street, also forming part of Rosselli
Upon walking in, you cannot help but take note of the exquisite design of the interior. Rosselli AX Privilege is hosted by a 17th Century palazzo, originally owned by a Knight of St John. The interior fabric gracefully complements the Baroque architecture. Blissfully greeted by the receptionist on duty, we were given our hotel room cards and information regarding our stay. It all looked very promising. One couldn’t help notice the beautiful decor of Grain Street, which we had previously reviewed and which you can read here.
17 Century Palazzo interior of Rosselli AX Privilege
Our room was spacious. The bed even more so. The room’s balcony overlooked St Christopher Street and the lovely fruit assortment we found prepared for us was very appreciated. The bathroom was large, though we were not too fond of the transparent glass separator between the shower and the rest of the room.
Modern elegance combined with heritage at Rosselli AX Privilege
We decided to start our evening off with a few cocktails in the lobby area before heading down for dinner at Under Grain. This was definitely the highlight of our visit. During our stay at Rosselli AX Privilege we also had the pleasure of having a short chat with Under Grain head chef, Victor Borg, who told us about the concept behind the restaurant, his favourite dishes, and emphasising the importance of the whole team behind Under Grain. We previously had the pleasure of getting a full interview with Chef Borg which you can read here.
Victor Borg, Executive Chef, Under Grain
Upon exiting the lift, we were welcomed at the restaurant entrance and carefully guided to our table. When you visit, please do take some time to appreciate the place. Those first few minutes of surveying the ambiance, the staff and the people. This even before food comes into the equation. The entire design concept is based on the tailoring profession. The decor is dark, simple, and to the point. We appreciated the several displays typically found in a tailor shop – kitted mannequins, clothing displays, various fabrics and lovely old sewing machines. This, along with the dark ambience and black marbles decorating the basement restaurant, sets the scene for a very relaxing dinner, but one with a feeling of luxury.
Relax and enjoy the experience at Under Grain
Soon after we were given a brief description of the concept behind the menu at Under Grain, which is designed as tailor measurement sheets (a copy of which can be found on their website). Something extra for the men, a button hole was provided with the menu to keep the napkin in place on their shirt. The food selection is European at its core, with modern and inventive dishes offering quite the selection.
Dark, simple, elegant decor at Under Grain
Soon after ordering, we started off our experience at Under Grain with a generous selection of appetizers to whet our appetite. These were not your ordinary appetizers. Each item is unique and elegant, accurately reflecting the elegance of the restaurant. Our favourite was the breaded anchovies. The saltiness of the anchovies was delightfully balanced by the breadcrumbs and mozzarella. Honourable mention goes to some very light and fluffy cheese puffs.
The entree was the prelude for what was to come
For our starters, we decided to go for the Papiri ‘gentile selection’ (pasta bits that look like paper scrolls, hence the name), with crispy chicken wings, 24-month aged Parmesan, yeast and raw mushroom, as well as the Saint-Maure and Vin jaune custard, with salt baked celeriac, pickled wild mushroom and raw beef on toast. Both sound very posh. Both were delicious.
Papiri with crispy chicken wings
The crispy chicken wings dish was an interesting choice. The rolled nature of the ‘papiri’, is great for containing the spices and sauces within. Admittedly, we had never experienced a pasta dish with chicken wings before so we were not sure what to expect. To our delight, it was lovely and bursting with flavour. The pasta was well cooked and the boneless chicken wings were very tender. The parmesan cheese was a very welcome addition and complemented the dish nicely.
The Saint-Maure and Vin Jaune custard, salt baked celeriac, pickled wild mushroom and raw beef on toast was just about as posh and fancy as it sounded. Described more simply, it is custard made from cheese and wine. Amazing stuff. The presentation of this starter dish was marvelous and the beef on toast , although a nice portion, was light and delicious. We would definitely recommend this starter dish.
Saint-Maure and Vin jaune custard at Under Grain
After experiencing those delicious starters, you would forgive us for getting excited about the mains. The ‘Fish du jour’ (fish of the day) was Stone Fish (Dott), with mussel Kiev, red wine bagna cauda, and ‘Rosemary porridge’. It was an excellent choice. The fish was cooked so well it easily fell off the fish bones. It sat on a bed of rosemary porridge which was so smooth it melted in our mouths. It was full of flavour and very well seasoned.
Stone Fish (Dott), with mussel Kiev, red wine bagna cauda, and rosemary porridge
One of the best dishes of the night at Under Grain was the second main course. Slow cooked veal with local langoustines, cocoa beans, squash and coffee is an elegant take on surf and turf. You will love this dish if you are fond of both veal and coffee, of course. Tender pieces of veal sitting over a not-too-strong-on-the-palate coffee sauce, is a marriage of flavours made in heaven (or in this case, in the Under Grain kitchen) which takes the dish to the next level.
Slow cooked veal with local langoustines, cocoa beans, squash and coffee
Having cleaned our palate with some soothing sorbet after that, we went for the recommended baked white chocolate cheesecake for dessert, the chef’s signature dessert dish. The recipe has been passed on for generations in his family, and since then Chef Borg has been working on perfecting it for over 20 years. The cheesecake lived up to the expectations, with a light and creamy texture, nicely accompanied by a passion fruit and marjoram sorbet, which gave the dish that extra sweet kick. It was one of the best desserts we have had in a long time.
White chocolate cheesecake. Chef Borg’s signature dish at Under Grain
By the end of the evening we were absolutely stuffed, but satisfyingly so. Under Grain had been all we had hoped for. Each portion was perfectly sized, the quality of the food amply reflected in the taste. Little we knew we were not done just yet as a selection of truffle chocolate, imqaret and biscuits was brought to us on the house. We thought we could not eat anymore, but there we were soon after, enjoying these little delights over some liquor, before we somehow dragged ourselves back to our rooms for the night, feeling heavy, but happy.
We didn’t mention breakfast at Rosselli AX Privilege!
So, to conclude. What more can we say? If you are looking for a luxury stay, then Rosselli AX Privilege is somewhere you should seriously consider. The staff professionally looks after you as soon as you check in, the place is beautiful and the service is excellent. As for Under Grain, we have been to a lot of places on the islands, but this was our first 10/10 experience. As they say, the best thing about memories is making them. Whatever happens, this weekend will be one of the best memories we’ll have from 2020, and a reminder that life is worth living.
