This Rebranded Restaurant In The South Of Malta Is Redefining Smoky BBQ
There’s a restaurant in the south of Malta with some of the smokiest meats around. Just outside the Luqa Airport in Skyparks, Bert’s Kitchen is lowkey cooking up some of the tastiest BBQ on the island – and they even have the incredible beer menu to pair with it.
Bert’s Kitchen is the newly revamped version of Beer Kitchen. The restaurant was one of the first on the island to really focus on their beer menu, going out of their way to have one of the most incredible beer lists around.
But their food is so awesome they felt like it was being forgotten, so they’ve rebranded and refocused on their amazing dishes.
Considering they have their own in-house smoker (it goes by the name Nelly), have a laid back and relaxed atmosphere, and have a cool menu under the guidance of Chef Saviour, Bert’s Kitchen might be your new favourite smokehouse in Malta.
The open kitchen
Chef Saviour at work
Spicy Korean chicken wings
If you are not getting the chicken wings at Bert’s Kitchen, you are doing it wrong. Cooked in a sweet and spicy sauce, these sesame-seed covered wings are perfect to open up the palate.
Blooming onion
This deep fried whole onion is cut to resemble a blossoming flower and is served with sour cream. It’s just like eating onion rings, but much fresher and juicier.
Smoked beef tacos
With smoked chilli, avocado puree and feta cheese, these little tacos are a great intro to the smoky flavour that Bert’s is synonymous with. The tortillas themselves, while tasty, could have used a little bit more water so the taco could be wrapped, but the flavour more than made up for it.
Pork belly steamed buns
This sticky pork belly comes an incredible steamed bun with pickled cucumber, coriander and wasabi mayonnaise. The steamed bun itself was a thing of glory, and when paired with making the pork belly, becomes one of the softest bites around.
Slow-cooked pork cheeks
After the starters came the mains, and the selection of meats available made the choosing hard. Even though the special-of-the-day was veal on the bone for two, my companion would not let the pork cheeks go away untouched.
The pork cheeks were succulent, and served in a honey and cider glaze. It was served with smoked green apple puree, which really added the tanginess to confirm the dish as one of the highlights of the night.
Slow-smoked beef ribs
The slow-smoked beef ribs was the dish I was waiting for – and it didn’t disappoint. Smoked for hours in-house, and caramelised with honey and dark ale, this dish was hands-down the smokiest beef I had ever tried.
Whereas often-times restaurants let the flavour of the smoke or even charcoal overtake the flavour of the meat, in this case the smokiness became part of the flavour of the meat, creating a beautiful thing in the process.
BK fried chicken
After the chicken wings, we had to get some more chicken. The deep-fried chicken pieces are served with a herb and
mustard mayo, and the crunchy, southern-style exterior was a great juxtaposition to the juicy meat inside.
Eton mess
Eton mess isn’t the standard dessert you’d expect after a smoky meal, but I can understand why the new addition made it onto the menu.
Fresh strawberries in thick whipped cream with pieces of crunchy meringue was possibly the best way to end such a flavourful meal, with the sweetness just cutting right through all the strong flavours.
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