Magical summer sunsets at Redwhite Rooftop Restaurant

Summer is a magical time when the day extends until dinner time. The best way to enjoy the turn of day into night is sitting on the rooftop of Palazzo Castelletti, drink in hand, mulling over the menu. SASHA SHUMARA gets a feel for Maltese summers high up above the village of Rabat

As the sun sets, the old limestone buildings of Rabat are bathed in magic-hour light, glowing orange. A flock of birds sweeps the sky and Rabat’s labyrinth of streets below us are at peace. With a massive jug of berry sangria filled to the brim with fresh fruits, I am at peace too. Summer is finally here.

After a long day or week of work there’s nothing more beautiful than enjoying a summer evening with your favourite people at Palazzo Castelletti’s RedWhite Rooftop Restaurant in Rabat.

Taking in the ambience, I notice the various groups dining at RedWhite Rooftop for the evening. An old group of friends reunites with laughter at the neighbouring table and tucked along the rooftop’s edge, a young couple romantically dines holding hands across the table. A family of four enjoys dinner in style and two elderly ladies meet near the lift in a warm embrace. RedWhite Rooftop is a place to celebrate the special moments in life or make a new one.

It comes to no surprise that the beautifully restored Palazzo Castelletti, home to three restaurants – San Andrea, RedWhite and Trois, is one of Malta’s premier venues for celebrating weddings, hen’s parties, birthday parties and the likes.

If the setting wasn't enough to keep us coming back for more, the menu is *insert cliché Italian chef kiss*. RedWhite Rooftop’s exquisite menu paired with its down-to-earth staff and relaxing seating makes for a fine dining experience in familial comfort. It’s a place where you feel like the king or queen of your own palazzo and that is truly a feeling to be savoured.

The oriental mussels as a starter are exquisite, cooked in a broth of coconut milk with a Thai influenced blend of lemon grass, ginger, coriander and chili.

My guest enjoys deep-fried crispy mushrooms served with a side of in-house pickled vegetables and savoury sundried tomato mayonnaise as a dipping sauce. Definitely comfort food but at the same time not heavy either. I continue with the perfect compliment to my starter: chargrilled sea bass served on a bed of potato croquettes and dressed with this rich curry coconut mussel cream.

With very unique and appetising vegetarian options that can be hard to come by in Malta, my guest goes vegetarian for the night with lunette pasta filled with ricotta, almonds and broccoli, tossed in cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cream sauce. The dishes were absolutely delightful.

As day turns to night, the ambient lighting slowly turns on. Not wanting our dinner to end, we finish the night with dessert – tiramisu and strawberry cheesecake and of course a few espressos. We cosy up in blankets under the open night sky, reminisce about the oriental mussels and start to plan our next evening at RedWhite Rooftop. 

RedWhite

Palazzo Castelletti,

62, St. Paul's Street

Rabat

Tel: 21452562

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