Hands up all lovers of vegetables & burgers.
Is there any better way to spend a sunny day in July, either than by the pool, overlooking the beautiful Marsamxett Harbour?
Well, now there is! How about a relaxing lunch by the pool, with a Quinoa & Chickpea burger in one hand and a fresh fruit drink in the other?
We know that you’re all thumbs up for such a proposition, so today we’re off to the Tiki restaurant at the Grand Hotel Excelsior. There’s something spellbinding when you’re burgering the 5★ way! But don’t be deceived by the glitzy and extravagant double staircase of the main hotel entrance, the colourful carpeted floors and antique chandeliers & china, inspired by the luxury lifestyle of the Orient. At lunch-time, the Tiki turns into a casual Mediterranean diner, with prices in the same range as Paceville burger bars. Why settle for a ditch with plastic tables and a pale view of tarmac, when you can go 5★ and enjoy the most sumptuous veggie burger we came across this year, in an enthralling Valletta venue, right by the water’s edge?
This hotel also happens to be a relevant milestone in Valletta’s tourism history. The old building where The Excelsior resides today was demolished towards the end of 1992 and reopened à la grande in the last quarter of 2007. The pool area of the Tiki is on the skirts of the Valletta shore and presents a truly unobstructed view of the Harbour and Manoel Island. There are intriguing statues scattered all around and a central fountain, all built in China. These pieces of masonry art lead to the kitchen area where Executive Head Chef Melvin Sammut devised the burger creation of today, together with a whole conglomerate of other gourmet dishes.
The patty is made from a 250gr mix of vegetables based on white quinoa, roasted chickpeas infused with spices, mashed sweet potatoes, chives and parsley. All is enveloped in a panko crust, oven baked and deep fried until it’s golden. The sweet potatoes provide a whole motherload of orange tastiness and keep the patty moist, whilst the quinoa balances all the sweetness perfectly, and at the same time does a sterling job of holding the patty together and up the protein and calcium content. This patty is not going to fall apart into a big pile of mush anytime soon! All this produces a powerhouse patty that is fresh and filling, deliciously mushy on the inside and well-crusted on the outside and flaunts some serious Mediterranean flavour flair. The roasting process and chunky size of the crushed chickpeas help create a light and rich texture and add a layer of depth and heft to the patty. This kind of texture is spot-on for a veggie burger. The panko breading binds everything together in a thin and distinctive crust, without absorbing any unnecessary oil from the frying process.
There should always be a great bun behind every successful veggie patty, and this one is no exception! The potato bun was born in the 1950s in the US, but we have seldom seen it used in the local burger scene. Made with high-protein wheat flour, potato starch and a blend of vegetable oils with a little turmeric for colour, this bun is slightly buttery sweet and has a supple squishiness. Its yellowish crispy crumb sets it apart from the fluffy sesame seed buns we see all the time. The bun is imported specifically for this one burger and the complex, deep flavour makes a whole world of difference as does the very light crust and soft, moist but substantial texture. We think this kind of bun would also make the ideal partner for beef, and we hope that it will be adopted more in the times to come. Both sides of the bun are spread with a hummus paste made in-house. This chickpea-based paste is a bit smoky, nutty and very smooth with the consistency of unfrozen ice-cream. There’s also crispy lettuce and 3 slices of tomatoes at the base, which add a splash of summer colour and a draft of raw vegetable zest.
This very distinctive burger, and our favourite so far this year evolves the concept that anyone can enjoy the comfort of biting into a crunchy, flavourful and satisfying veggie burger, without the need of comparing to its meat brothers. Indeed, this protein bomb of a burger is perfectly poised to keep you full from lunch to dinner. Much thought and attention has gone into the creation of this burger, and the simplicity of the burger itself emphasizes, even more, the complexity of all the flavours. Savoury and flavorful, the umami-packed and vegetable-loaded patty hits the spot on all fronts. The kitchen team at the Excelsior have really excelled themselves and made us experience some of the essence of the tropics through their veggie burger offering.
