Rendez-Vous. The not-so-secret restaurant in Xewkija, Gozo, serving quality food with a view.
With big flavours and an excellent location, Rendez-vous with it’s location in the heart of Xewkija, Gozo, challenges the idea that restaurants in lovely locations don’t serve great food.
Rendez-Vous, Xewkija Gozo
Gozo is a small island but it has it’s fair share of excellent food places. It wasn’t the first time we dined in an excellent Gozitan restaurant (check out our previous experience here). Rendez-vous is a relatively new restaurant, situated right in front of the main square of Xewkija, Gozo, and directly facing their impressive local Parish Church. We were lucky enough to get arguably the best table on the terrace, right in the centre with a full view of the church. It was a Sunday afternoon and the place was buzzing. In these challenging times, a reminder of past normalities was very welcome.
The staff are very well trained and treated us like royalty upon arrival. Soon after settling at our table, we were brought two Proseccos on the house, and soon after a basket with two types of homemade bread; wholegrain and baguette, accompanied by two types of butter, along with pink salt and olives. We really recommend the wholegrain bread with a dash of some excellent olive butter. Far too many restaurants overlook this detail, instead preferring to serve their guests some tasteless, often stale bread. For us, fresh homemade bread is always a plus at restaurants. It shows the people at the place mean business.
Cocktails with a view. Espresso Martini & Pina Colada
We were in awe of the first starter we were presented with at Rendez-vous. The torched ‘lampuki’ with cucumber tartare, lemon and thyme gel, gin mare and cherry tomatoes was as delicious as it gets. The fish was firm, but very tender, more than you would normally expect from the characteristic ‘lampuki’ meat texture. No need for a knife here. Each bite also left a lovely chargrilled aftertaste. The cucumber tartare on which each fillet was served had a tangy taste which balanced the lampuki perfectly. Thanks to the gel and gin mare, the dish had a scent of rosemary, basil and thyme. This was honestly the perfect starter to have. It ticked all the boxes.
Torched ‘lampuki’ with cucumber tartare, lemon and thyme gel, gin mare and cherry tomatoes
The second starter was a dish that usually polarises people. You either love or hate beef tartare. Finely chopped pieces of raw meat are not for everyone. Ours came with a generous amount of beef tartare, the classic egg yolk accompaniment, and pickled carrots over a herbed crouton. The crouton was a bit too oily for our liking, but the beef was slightly, and deliciously, spicy, which really helped to bring out the meaty taste.
Beef tartare, Rendez-vous Restaurant
Duck breast was a quite pleasant main course, the meat served at a perfect medium, as requested. The skin was very tasty but not as crispy as we would have liked. The meat was perfectly seasoned and tender. The croquettes served with it were very tasty, whilst the vegetables were nicely caramelised and very pleasant.
Duck breast, Rendez-vous
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Our second main was sirloin with asparagus, mashed potatoes, wild mushrooms and truffle jus. Unfortunately, we had requested that the meat would be served medium-rare, and instead, was served overcooked. Having pointed this out to the staff, the waitress offered to change it immediately which we duly noted and appreciated. However, waiting for another steak was not in our intentions and opted to go for it instead of waiting for another piece of meat. If you are not into medium rare and prefer something slightly more cooked, this was a perfectly good piece of tasty meat. Having a well done steak instead of medium rare did not ruin what was otherwise a perfectly enjoyable experience.
Sirloin with asparagus, mashed potatoes, wild mushrooms and truffle jus
For dessert we had Mango parfait with chocolate. We liked the chocolate biscuits and their prominent cocoa taste. An obviously intended caramelisation gave the chocolate biscuits a slightly bitter taste which further brought out the sweetness of the mango parfait, which itself was light and enjoyable. The presentation was lovely and the dessert not heavy. Overall a very satisfying way to finish off our dinner.
Mango parfait with chocolate. Rendez Vous, Gozo
Rendez-vous restaurant is a great place to take that special someone for a delicious meal without the fear of disappointment. If you do go, please do take our recommendation and ensure you include the lampuki on your list of dishes ordered. It was truly the highlight of the entire meal. So go ahead and book a table, make your way to Xewkija Gozo, and enjoy the experience.
OMGFOODMALTA Rating: 7.5/10
Star Items: Torched Lampuki, Beef Tartare
Website: Check them out on Facebook
Email: info@rendez-vousrestaurant.com
Address: Pjazza San Gwann Battista, Xewkija
Tel: +356 9974 2201
