'Strait' out of the 1920s

PROMO

THE THIRSTY LAWYER BAR AND RESTAURANT IN VALLETTA’S STRAIT STREET IS A 1920S PROHIBITION-STYLE BAR AND RESTAURANT WHICH OFFERS A MIX OF ENTERTAINMENT, APART FROM A VARIETY OF QUALITY FOOD AND DRINK.

The design of the place incorporates a performance stage in a bid to stick to the Strait Street era and the venue reminiscent of the Silver Horse, as it was once called. The venue features a dining area, a lounge to chill in over a drink or two designed to make you feel at home, a luxury VIP room and two bars, with a wide selection of drinks to choose from.

Owner George Adade said that in terms of design elements, that is materials, textures and colour schemes, the idea was to keep as much of the original features, at least as much as possible. The original tiles were saved, while a marble stone, displaying the original name of the bar, Silver Horse, engraved on it, was also kept.

The underlying theme of The Thirsty Lawyer goes back to the 1920s/30s, with a mix of Prohibition and art deco in line with Strait Street’s past. “We have been dubbed a fine-dining restaurant, but we like to think of ourselves as a high-end eatery,” Mr Adade highlights. Mr Adade wanted the eatery and entertainment establishment to stand out: “It is vital that our service, food and drink tie in well with the quality of the interior.”

“People come to the capital city for upmarket and better quality. This has been achieved through the fact that each area in The Thirsty Lawyer has a different feel to it: The Hemmingway cosy, homely, library area; Al Capone, a VIP space, which has its own tinted entrance for privacy; Greta Garbo, adorned by three trumpet lights; Broadway, the seated dining area facing the stage; Chumleys Bar, which lies adjacent to the Broadway area; and The Garrison Bar at the front end of the building, attending to the needs of those simply wanting a drink only.

“People want a night out rather than just a meal, and that is one of the reasons for having kept the stage and emerging with a programme of events, including wine-tasting, cabaret, comedy and live music such as acoustic jazz and tango.”

We have been dubbed a fine-dining restaurant, but we like to think of ourselves as a high-end eatery