Bugibba, Malta: By "George", This Little Pub Was Quite The Find

The George

Tourist Street Qawra

San Pawl il-Baħar (Bugibba) Malta

Facebook Page: @thegeorgepubmalta

Phone: +356 2734 9002

Prices: €€€€

We stop by The George nearly every night for a pint on our way back to our apartment from the Bugibba Bus Terminus, but tonight was the first time we actually had something to eat.

I saw someone eating the mussels last week and they looked incredible. We stopped by last Tuesday for dinner, only to find that the kitchen is closed on Tuesdays ... DRAT! The kitchen was open tonight, fortunately, and we had a very enjoyable dinner (or is it "pudding"?).

Being a retired Air Force airman, I had a couple pints of Bombardier, getting us off to a good start, then it was on to the Bangers and Mash for the wife €8 and the Mussels, of course, for me. The bangers and mash were quite savory and tasty, three scrummy sausages on top of mashed potatoes topped with brown gravy and a pork rind ... very nice. My mussels (€16), a kilo no less, were in a stout, cream and horseradish sauce that was quite spicy and delectable. The accompanying crusty bread was fresh, soft and perfect for dipping in the tasty sauce. I had to add a side of chips (€3) because that is the way the French do it and we all know that the French do it better than the Brits ... I'm winding you up, so don't get your knickers in a twist!

The food and service, thanks to Julie, were spot-on, but the prices are just a tad high compared to other places on Malta we have frequented, so that is one reason for the small deduction in rating. The other being the fact that the first time we heard about The George was from a gent on the corner across from the bus terminal advertising free music and £1 pints that night, but when I ordered a pint of Bombardier later that evening, I was charged €3.50 (£3.09), more than three times the advertised price. Finally, a €10 to €14 burger should also come with a side of chips, but that is just this reporter's opinion.

My blog is called "TravelValue", so I must be honest when it comes to little things like "value", bang-for-the-buck if you will. For example, €4 for a pint of John Smiths last night seemed a tad high, the bangers and mash (with no side/salad) would be better priced in the €7 to €7.50 range, and at €16 the mussels might come with a side of chips (fries) as has been the case in most places I have had mussels in the past. Otherwise, I can find no faults with The George and we shall return after a week's closing for maintenance on the 11th.

Cheers big ears!

CombatCritic Gives The George 8 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better Mate!

Eight Bombs Equates To:

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Title: Bugibba, Malta: By "George", This Little Pub Was Quite The Find

Key Words: Bugibba, Malta, The George, pub, the, George, mussels, moules, frites, chips, Qawra, San Pawl, il-Baħar, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, review, Yelp

Translation for Civilians: WTFO! = "What-The-Fuck ... Over!"

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Omaha, NE: Le Voltaire ... Très Bien!

Le Voltaire

569 N 155th Plaza

Omaha, NE 68154

Phone: (402) 934-9374

Website: levoltaireomaha.com

Prices: $$$$

With two medium size rooms and drop ceilings in the corner of a strip mall in Western Omaha, Le Voltaire does not exactly ooze sophistication. What it lacks in charm is compensated for by the friendly service, quality food, and fair prices. Our server never told us her name, but she was very nice and attentive considering it was a Friday night and the place was fully-booked, always a good sign.

It took our server 10-15 minutes to tell me she could not find our first choice of wine, a French Syrah, so I had to make another choice. With bottles of wine starting at $26, I found an excellent value in the Château Sainte Eulalie, Plaisir d'Eulalie, Minervois 2014 at just $27. It was a deep, medium-bodied red (40% Carignan, 35% Syrah, 25% Grenache) with hints of dark berries and spices that complimented my beef main course very nicely.

For our appetizers we had the Brie Josette ($8.95), baked brie served on toast with an apricot-cranberry chutney, and the gratin aux fruits de mer (seafood gratin - $10.95), bay scallops, shrimp and mussels in a béchamel sauce covered with cheese and broiled. The baked brie and chutney came on six small slices of their toasted baguette and while not the greatest appetizer I have ever had, it was an interesting and tasty balance between sweet and savory. My seafood gratin was a tad on the small side, but creamy and delicious with small chunks of seafood that balanced well with the more savory baked cheese topping.

Our main courses consisted of moules frites façon Jacques Brel ($17.95), 20 ounces of fresh mussels in a Lucky Bucket beer and bacon broth served with French fries, and boeuf Bourguignon ($18.95), a beef stew simmered in red (Burgundy, hence the name) wine, with carrots, mushrooms and onions accompanied by whipped potatoes. The mussels were plentiful and yummy, balanced well by the big chunks of bacon in a beer broth. My beef stew was a bit light on beef, but what was there was tender and delicious. The burgundy-based sauce was very well done and the whipped potatoes creamy just like they should be.

The only things that detracted from the experience (and my rating) were small details, but important ones. First, in a restaurant where you drop $100+ for a meal for two, there should be tablecloths. There were none. Second, when I made our reservation (for my wife's birthday) through OpenTable, I specifically requested a "special dessert", but her special day was never even acknowledged. We left without a formal celebration or a sweet ending to our meal.

The atmosphere adequate, the service friendly and efficient, the food tasty, and the prices fair, Le Voltaire is an excellent choice if you are craving French cuisine and an exceptional value and a pleasant surprise in the Midwest where quality, gourmet cuisine is a rarity.

CombatCritic Gives Le Voltaire 7 out of 10 Bombs ... More Bombs Are Better!

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TripAdvisor - "Top Contributor" 

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Le Voltaire Restaurant

Title: Le Voltaire ... Très Bien!

Key Words: Le Voltaire, le, voltaire, French, restaurant, food, Burgundy, mussels, Lucky Bucket, beer, Bourguignon, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Omaha, NE, Nebraska, Yelp, TripAdvisor