A spacious, new Italian-themed restaurant, called the Italian Job, is now open on Level 2 at the Bay Street Complex in St George’s Bay, St Julian’s. It gets its name from the well-known 2003 American heist film, starring the glamorous South African actress, Charlize Theron, along with the two tough guys of the Hollywood movie industry, Mark Wahlberg and Jason Statham – itself a remake of the 1969
British movie of the same name. Located in the front left hand corner of Bay Street, the Italian Job extends over 600 m² and has a capacity for 300 in various seating combinations. It incorporates an enoteca, salumeria, gelateria, cafeteria, restaurant and lounge that portrays the Italian love for food, good wine and fine dining in terms of gastronomy and all that is pleasurable to our taste buds. The entrance area, including outdoor seating, hosts the enoteca, devoted to wine-loving connoisseurs, accompanied by food platters; the gelateria, dedicated to Italian ice-cream lovers, and confectionery with a choice of cake specialities; and the salumeria, offering even selected cold cuts off the bone. The terrace overlooked Bay Street’s central piazza also has seating for the cafeteria which is open on Sunday afternoons with chill-out music. The major change in the completed refurbished space is the opening of a large, L-shaped terrace that overlooks the front of Bay Street with views all the way down to St George’s Bay. A couple of outstanding features of the restaurant are an authentic, brand new MINI Coupé, which is reminiscent of the fantastic movie scene of the high speed chase in MINI Coopers along the streets of LA, and a large black and white mural of Naples, the city where pizza originated. An à la carte menu is composed of classical Italian dishes including antipasti, pasta and pizzas cooked in an authentic wood oven, but also various types of burgers, salads in an edible bowl and daily specialities. The atmosphere faithfully reflects the movie theme and the ‘Little Italy’ spirit too, with the real MINI Coupé installation in the centre, and three old Vespas, that stand for the freedom, adventure and friendliness of the Economic Miracle period of Italy’s history. A red brick wall with the restaurant’s logo recalls ‘La Rossa’ (the Red) of Bologna, together with all the necessary Italian ingredients for style that this Little Italy atmosphere projects. The Italian Job is open from 11 a.m. to midnight from Monday to Sunday, and is happy to serve both lovers of Italian food as well as those looking for new culinary sensations.