There’s a new restaurant in town and by ‘town’ we mean Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq. 

The “restolounge” is called White Rock and it’s built within the white monstrosity that used to house the Casablanca nightclub. For the uninitiated, that’s adjacent to the ice-cream kiosks that make up most of our collective Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq memories. 

Apart from cheap red outdoor lighting and a general vibe of gentrification (which will no doubt spill over into White Rocks once the nearby site is developed), White Rock is actually a super decent place to eat. 

Its menu is what strikes you first, particularly for its lack of pizza or pasta. For a restaurant in Malta, that’s somewhat revolutionary. What’s more revolutionary is that they do rabbit, properly. Smart move seeing as the closest thing to a restaurant nearby is Marley’s, which does a mean fenkata.

The main difference is that White Rock doesn’t offer the whole fenkata experience. It just serves rabbit: deliciously cooked, tender and well-plated rabbit with crunchy home-made chips. The chef somehow managed to elevate the traditional Maltese rabbit while still retaining all its goodness.

White Rock has plenty of other quirky dishes too including paella, calamari skewers and interesting starters such as crab croquettes and rabbit spring rolls. But all in all, this is a meat place, serving up USDA beef ribs, incredibly delicious rack of lamb, and plenty of other tasty steaks and fillets. Just look at their menu, and you won’t be able to resist. There are also gourmet burgers and a list of tempting desserts.

The decor is interesting. Orange Mdina Glass globes line the ceiling and geometrical patterns cover the walls. The lighting is dim but retains a smart casual feel supported by cushioned booths and unpretentious wooden furniture. The chairs are snug, maybe too snug. But overall an enjoyable experience.

White Rock opened four days ago so while you’re guaranteed a new experience, you’re going to have to forgive the staff for still being in training. 

Do you know of any other new restaurants we should try out? Write to us on [email protected] or write a comment on Facebook.

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Chris Peregin

Christian is an award-winning journalist and entrepreneur who founded Lovin Malta, a new media company dedicated to creating positive impact in society. He is passionate about justice, public finances and finding ways to build a better future.