The new Taverna Sugu menu comprises four starters, four main courses and three desserts - all of which reflect the way Maltese folk ate in the recent or remote past in villages as well as in the grand harbour region. Chef-owner David Darmanin explained that besides the fixed menu "Taverna Sugu is offering a variety of six to twelve different fish specials daily, based on the best ingredients we find on the market," stressing that all fish and seafood bought in is local and "comes from the open sea rather than fish farms".
"We have kept our strict approach to local, fresh and seasonal produce," Darmanin adds. "We have the smallest freezer we could find on the market for our kitchen because we only need it for ice and ice-cream. Cans are nowhere to be found in our pantry."

For more information about Taverna Sugu, call David Darmanin on 77 88 11 22.

Biex Tibda
Starters

Ġbejna moqlija - €4.20
A modern Maltese dish using traditional ingredients. Fresh Gozo sheep’s milk cheese rolled in crumbs of traditional water crackers (galletti) and deep fried. Served on a crispy fresh salad.

Froġa tat-Tarja - €6.20
Southern Mediterranean sea-faring merchants took dried pasta to Italy some 200 years prior to Marco Polo. The Arabs called it Ittriya, the Sicilians Trie and us Maltese – Tarja. We mix the capellini pasta with egg, add copious amounts of aged sheep’s cheese and parsley and fry it (!). Try it.

Għaġin bl-irkotta - €7.40
A very Granny-like recipe. Cavatappi pasta (nokkli) in a fresh tomato and basil sauce served steaming hot with cold ricotta on the side. Playful, simple, nice.

Pulpetti fiz-zalza tat-tadam - €7.80
Any red wine lover’s favourite, this starter dish is composed of beef and pork patties (about the size of ping-pong balls) flavoured with fresh herbs and stewed in a deep-red tomato sauce.

It-tieni platti
Main courses

Ħaruf biċ-ċiċri - €13.80
An Arab-influenced lamb dish of ancient local tradition, stewed in vegetable stock with chickpeas and flavoured with cumin, coriander and local red onions. Does that remind you of tagine? You’re not very far.

Fenek imtektek - €14.20
A rabbit recipe that comes very close to the way farmers braised it in the past – using white wine (seeing that the little red wine they had was strictly reserved for drinking purposes). This hearty dish is flavoured with garlic, black pepper and fresh thyme. And you get half a rabbit on your plate. Oh, and we strictly use fresh local rabbit.

Borka fiz-zalza taż-żebbug - €16.80
Apologies to 1960s French cooks, but we’ve had it with their canard a l’orange (probably so have they). We’re going a few centuries back with this one. Duck (we use breast) in fresh tomato and black olive sauce was consumed by the Maltese elite and ex-pat communities of times gone by – who may or may not have stolen the recipe from the French themselves.

Lumbata tal-vitella - €18.20
An Italian-inspired modern Maltese steak dish, using fresh milk-fed veal T-Bone rubbed with sea-salt and fresh herbs. Griddled for rare, and placed in the oven for a few minutes for a medium-rare temperature. We will not judge you for a well-done preference but it may take a long wait until it reaches your table cooked to kingdom come.

Ħut
Fish

We pride ourselves in sourcing fresh fish and seafood from local fishermen. Farmed fish is forbidden access to our kitchen. Weather-permitting, we offer a varied selection of fish starters and main courses for your delight, as can be seen on the blackboards in the dining room. Chef or your host will come and show you the stuff soon.

Kontorni
Side dishes

Insalata friska - €2.20
A fresh, nicely dressed crispy salad for that beautiful summery feel

Ħaxix mixwi - €2.20
Grilled fresh vegetables drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil

Patata l-forn bil-bużbież - €2.20
Traditional baked potatoes with fennel

Diżerti
Desserts

Torta tal-marmurat - €3.80
A Lenten recipe lost in tradition since Vatican Council II allowed dairy and placed restrictions on sweets during the 40 days of sacrifice. A tart with a sweet-crust base and a filling of dark chocolate, almonds and candied orange peel spiced with cinnamon.

Mqaret bil-ġelat tat-tiġijiet (u anki dak in-naqra brandi) - €3.80
A naughty dessert indeed. Traditional street food deep-fried ‘date parcels’ with a scoop of rich ice-cream artisan-made with condensed milk, crushed nuts and candied fruit (traditionally served at weddings), topped with a good drizzle of cognac.

Il-famuż trajfil tan-nanna Bea - €4.20
A tribute to chef’s gran – artist Beatrice Darmanin, who bribed Father Confessor to procure her recipes from a reluctant nun as penance for the poor clergywoman’s sins. This trifle is now a family classic. It contains whisky, sponge, chocolate custard, vanilla custard, crumble, cream, fruit, almonds and some secret ingredients. Miss you nanna x