The local bands form a major part of the festas held in the towns and suburbs around Malta, so as you may expect, the St Julian’s Band Club bar is to be found right at the heart of St Julian’s.
This is a real Maltese bar, right in touristy St Julian’s and next to symbol of commercialised ‘where has it all gone wrong?’ McDonalds outlet.
I went there for a beer a couple of months ago and ordered a glass of Heineken:
Received a bottle of Heineken and a glass.
Then back to the bar for a pint – (it was a Saturday, so why not?).
Got 2 bottles of Heineken and a pint glass.
If that kind of common sense bar-tending isn’t reason enough to come back for more, then I should tell you that they also dole out plates of cheese and biscuits free and gratis (but only if you’re sitting inside rather than on the terrace). It’s one of the most popular bars in the area with the local crowd, and is right next door to a really nice restaurant. Sit outside and watch the driving acrobatics of the Maltese in action as they negotiate the free-for-all that is the junction at Spinola Bay. Or else cast your gaze out over the more tranquil vista in front of you and watch the fishing boats bobbing on the water. Either way is a winner.
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Ah, the band clubs. Always good for a bit of Maltese-stylee tapas (okay, crisps and gbejniet) and if you like your coffee in a glass then they’re a real experience. Not for ‘refined’ ladies methinks. But then, I never was one of that breed 😉
Refined lady or not, the band club is the heart of St Julian’s, so everyone should make an effort to drop in for one of those coffees, or a can of something cold. (I must admit my ignorance and say I do not know what a ‘gbejniet’ is!)
Gbejniet are the small, round white cheeselets so beloved on the island. There are fresh ones (usually from Gozo) which are very soft and squidgy, or more usually there are the ‘dried’, harder variety either plain or smothered in black pepper. Gorgeous served cut into small cubes with a couple of galletti and some olives…yum.
Band clubs are all part of the heritage. But I still feel like a fish out of water in them 😉
Thanks Gilly, I have encountered these ‘gbejniets’ in the Banda club alright, and very nice they are too.