FoodBlog Review: Seed, St Julian's. A culinary experience 👌

As we sat in the lounge at the Hyatt Regency Malta, sipping away at our freshly made Whisky Sour and elevated G&T, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. Seed is a new concept restaurant situated in the heart of St Julian’s, overlooking the newly renovated hotel piazza - and it’s well worth the visit. Putting this culinary experience into words will be a hard task; the finesse and intricacy of every item that made its way to our table had no fault. 

Seed at the Hyatt Regency Malta.

It’s not often that a restaurant review is a complete failure, and although that very rarely happens, it’s also very rare that I’m lost for words on what to criticise. As you may already expect, this review is going to be full of flavour, texture, variety and excellence - and of course, I’m referring to the food.

Seed is one of Malta’s newest eateries, opening its doors to the public on the 10th of October, hoping to impress the previously self-isolating crowds with a touch of elegance and class. Chef Noel Azzopardi’s menu speaks for itself, every ingredient in his kitchen is chosen with care and attention - creating a menu where every dish compliments the other. Placing your order here won’t be the easiest of tasks. 😬

Having cleverly constructed his menu into 4 sections, Chef Noel brings snacks onto the menu. But the snacks at Seed are far from ordinary; it was from that moment that we knew we were in for an absolute treat. 

But a brief; and highly welcomed, interruption distanced us ever so slightly from the little bites we were so excited to try. A breadbasket. A simple breadbasket, so expertly constructed, that it took the evening up a notch - right off the bat. The freshly baked brioche is infallible, the buttery mouthfeel and slightly caramelised bottom, that only a brioche can achieve, blew us away. The fresh focaccia had a soft herb finish that paired nicely with the branded butter that accompanied it. And soon, it was time for more. 🍞

The god-level breadbasket.

We dove right into the Grey Meagre Gyoza that came with an anchovy emulsion. The texture of the gyoza wrapper was doughy and had that slight pull to it, just as homemade gyoza should be. And the filling; delicate and subtle but packed with a well-rounded flavour. Atop the gyoza sat a sprinkle of vibrant beetroot dust. 🥟

A mouthful of savoury textures- with a pop of colour - Squid Ink Cracker with cured salmon, capers and a raisin puree

The next snack that graced our lips was the crispy Squid Ink Cracker with cured salmon, capers and a raisin puree that added that needed touch of sweetness. A bite-size amuse-bouche full of umami goodness. And just to be on the safe side, we even tried the Cheese and Tomato Tart - crisp, fresh and luscious. And with this vegetarian tart, the Snacks section was exhausted. 

The peaks of pure delicacy that left our lips a few moments before, were instantly amplified once our first course was gracefully placed at our table. Our choices here were painfully difficult, everything sounded wonderful and having savoured 4 of the dishes, I’m pretty sure they’re all groundbreaking. We opted for the Agnolotti with a Pecorino Custard, the Grilled Octopus with Lardo and a Parsley Emulsion, the Grilled Brioche with Wild Mushrooms and the Confit and Pan-Fried Rabbit Belly with Charred Burrata. While all the dishes were stunning, to say the least; the Carbonara inspired Agnolotti was incredible. 🤯

The runner-up in the first-course selection: the rabbit belly.

The homemade pasta dough was thick and tender, perfectly al dente and packed with a Pecorino custard. Mad. Godly. Indescribable. Each pasta pocket was perfectly bite-size, allowing you to pop the filling right into your mouth. The rich mouthfeel, the pull and bite of the pasta and the crispy guanciale all came together with the egg yolk emulsion and slightly tangy oil that dressed the dish. Bravo. 

Carbo-inspired agnolotti; wtf?

We were gobsmacked, everything was so good. We even commented that there’s not much we can critique with Seed’s provisions. We sipped at our Malbec and waited, so eagerly, for the next course. 

The mains arrived swiftly and brought with them an aroma that characterizes our Seed experience - subtle and pleasant. Now it’s not like we’re easily impressed by pretty plating or intricate flavours, it’s kind of what we do for a living, but the savoury flavours we experienced that night were a true showcase of what Malta’s gastronomy sector needs. Excellence. 👏

On order was the Pan Roasted Scottish Salmon, the Slow Cooked Beef Short Rib with Unagi Glaze, the Duck Breast with a Confit Leg Baklava and the perfectly cooked Local Pork Belly with Barley Ragout. Once again, the entire spread was delicious, we had a hard time choosing our favourite, but the expert finish on the Pork Belly took home the gold for us. 

Our spread for the evening. What a delight!

The belly seemed as though it was cooked in layers, each section tearing off effortlessly; strands of rendered fat ripping gently with each whip of the knife. In Korean, the cut’s name, pork belly, actually means three layers - and Seed’s rendition of this dish paints the perfect picture. The crackling was ultra-crispy, the middle layer succulent and fatty and the bottom layer fragrant with the barley ragout seeping into the pork. 

Perfectly crisp, perfectly tender and full of flavour.

Even the side dishes here are pure genius. The Pork Belly came with a Cacio e Pepe Tart - an elegant treat that simply elevates the entire experience. 

And so came dessert. What more could we ask for than a Vanilla and Berry Millie Feuille and a Hazelnut, Caramel and Coffee Mousse prepared by the in-house Pastry Chefs at Seed. Both sweets brought us happiness, made us smile and ended our meal on the highest of notes. 

There’s always room for dessert at Seed - Vanilla and Berry Millie Feuille

Seed is definitely one to try. It’s clear to say that excellence can be achieved if enough care, passion and attention is given to a kitchen. From service to ambience, cocktails to main dishes, we really had nothing to complain about. But just to mention something; maybe, if we must, the Salmon didn’t come with a side - and any extras at Seed are always welcome. Spot on.