There’s something Fishy going on in St. George’s bay… and luckily, it’s a burger thing! Today we’re off to La Plage in St. Julians, a bold concept merging Cafe Bar, Restaurant and Lounge into one, where patrons can meet, dine and drink their heart away to the beautiful scenery of the summer sun and the sandy beach.
Simone Sciberras is owner and organiser supreme. She has a very colourful past in managing bars with a flair for entertainment, and together with her brother Alex, have been helming this family business for the past 8 years. A true powerhouse of a Queen, Simone knows more than a thing or two how to turn a Paceville restaurant into party land when the needs arise. Indeed, La Plage also hosts a number of unique events throughout the year, and recently they are even doubling up and setting very exclusive Wedding receptions for those who dare to go the one-of-a-kind way. During winter time, they even provide patrons who prefer to sit on the outside, with warm blankets! We’ve rarely seen such level of attentiveness on the local restaurant scene, and such forward thinking is always very appreciated and commendable.
Simone and Alex come from a family with a long history of fishermen, who also give a helping hand to the business and literally bring the fish straight from the sea, onto their boat, right into the restaurant! But where does all this fit with Burgers? Such enthusiasm also filtrates into the kitchen, and that’s where the burgers are born! Nikola, who started his culinary career years ago right in this kitchen, is getting ready to select a mix of seafood elements and turn them into a peculiar fish patty. The 200gr patty is made from a selection of shrimps, crab, octopus, squid and mussels, together with onions, garlic, basil and mint. A crustaceous bisque sauce is also added to the mix, which is lightly fried until it’s golden and crispy. This produces a patty which is sea-saltily delicious with an abundance of texture, and very much different from other fish-themed burgers, based around one fish protein. Fish and seafood tend to be more delicate than beef, with weak connective tissue, so sometimes patties don’t hold together that well. This is not the case here as the patties look very reminiscent of golden cakes, screaming EAT ME NOW!
The tender toasted bun is covered with a creamy tartar spread, made in-house, and then layered with red lettuce and sliced tomatoes. Even though there’s a civilized amount of tartar sauce, which goes a long way, you can ask for more as a side, and add as you please. The burger is topped with a King Prawn and served with our all-time favourite burger side, the sweet potato fries! You can also opt for the classic french fries. The construction and plating of this burger looks as good as it tastes. This is one of those unassuming burgers, that is full of superlative flavours because it’s done from the heart. Each bite mixes softness and tenderness with plenty of marine juice, alternating with crispy, crunchy bits for contrast.
If like us, you’ve been eating beef burgers all winter long, a burger like this is the perfect summer treat. More burger joints should aim higher and stand up to the challenge of offering more seasonal burgers. Burger history shows us that the first Fish burger was created by McD way back in 1962, to cater to Catholics abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent. However, we feel that the Fish burger trend has yet to rev up big time in Malta. Luckily for us, there’s always La Plage to turn the catch of the day into a loving burger form!
