V18 has kickstarted a topical chapter in the nightlife of the old Capital. With literally hundreds of restaurants populating every nook and corner of the straightest streets in Malta, we embarked on a mission to trace the most entertaining burger that Valletta has to offer. We were looking for glitz, exquisite taste, nonconformity and food inventiveness. So we ended up in the most indecorous part of Strait Street, known to Valletta’s residents from the golden age, as The Gut… or the old Red Light district to you and me! After 50 odd years of neglect, the area has been turned inside out, into glimmering diners and bar quarters. One of the first places to open its doors in October 2017 was The Kennedy. Probably named after JFK’s assassination in the sixties, this is a mix of gastropub and hipster hangout. The owners handcrafted the interiors with everything vintage, with a hint of shabby chic, from the solid wood bar to all sort of paraphernalia hanging on the walls. If you’re looking for whiskey, gin and tapas, this is the nightlife hub to be. If you’re looking for one of the most interesting chicken burgers we came across this summer, this is the place to be too!
Dione has been working in and out of kitchens for the past 12 years. He literally runs Kennedy’s whole kitchen operation on his two hands, and that’s the way he likes things. He’s also the brains behind the Sweet Home Avocado burger, a chicken burger with a strong Spanish flair. There are 2 thick pieces (200gr) of chicken breasts, coated in a mix of buttermilk and panko. Each one is covered with layers of guacamole sauce and cheddar cheese, with battered onion rings wedged in between. Everything is encased in a brioche bun, with cherry tomatoes and rucola at the base.
The chicken is fried a level of golden crisp on the outside, with a succulent and tender core. It has a wonderful crunchy coating with a splendid flavour, due to the crafty use of panko, which in itself is extremely light. The buttermilk also helps add a delicious layer of juiciness, making us extremely pleased with the tangy tenderization that it provides. No one likes dry burgers, and unfortunately, we’ve had not a few encounters with dry chicken breasts in the past weeks. Due to the high acid content, buttermilk will help cut into the chicken and impart any spices you add. This is part of the secret process that KFC used, but seem to have lost along the years, as their current chicken fillets are nowhere as good as this one.
Guacamole is a traditional sauce used in Mexican cuisine. If it was good for the Aztecs, then it’s definitely good on our chicken too! The avocado is savoury like a vegetable but botanically-wise it’s a fruit. When it’s ripe and you mash it into a paste and add lemon, cilantro, chiles and tomatoes, you get Guacamole. This sauce is perfectly smooth, refreshing and spicy and it’s a welcome replacement for mayonnaise. This bold peppery flavour on top of the chicken provides a satisfying palette with much zest, that makes this burger both interesting and fresh. There’s also a layer of sharp Cheddar cheese that adds a smooth and seasoned creamy kick. This burger is loaded with onion rings, and there’s a lot of them! They are not garnished on top of the bun, but crammed inside, in their own layer, between the chicken breasts. They are thick and sweet, with a good flavour on the crumb. The rucola and tomatoes used are from local fresh produce, and bring colour and vibe to the looks of the burger, with a little wet crunch taste. Truth is, there’s very little replacement for the tangy fresh juiciness of a tomato, or how the bright flavours interact with chicken.
You can either get fries, wedges or sweet potatoes as the main accompaniment to the burger. The sweet potatoes were surprisingly & stupendously crispy and seem like the best choice. You also get coleslaw and ketchup sauce in fancy containers that go well with the decor.
This is one fiesta of a chicken burger aimed for those who urge to experience flavours beyond what they’re already familiar with when it comes to burgers. It’s also a big & solid eat that will satisfy your craving for chicken for the whole day! And just like The Gut itself, if you like venturing far beyond the boundaries of beef burgers, then you will find the Sweet Home Avocado to be a surefire hit.
