Seaside Gazette » Restaurants

Feria Gastronómica

Nicola Westby — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:07:48 +0000

Well it came and was fantastic. On the 11, 12th and 13th of June in Majuelo Park in Almuñécar, the Gastronomic Fair took place.

I took a little wander down with my family and some friends to spend a warm Saturday afternoon passing a few hours sampling some of the very best dishes, the local restaurants prepare, and then wash it all down with a glass of vino or two. And I was not disappointed; in fact the opposite I was spoilt for choice and it took me several circuits of the feria to make my first decision. However once into the swing of it all I quickly learnt to travel from stall to stall, order my tapas and enjoy.

The food was presented beautifully and all freshly prepared. We had a great selection on our table of paella from Chambao de Joaquín , to a selection of warm meat dishes from Reina Sofia, caesar salads prepared by Los Laureles and much more.

It was early evening when we finally left and started the long walk home, which we surely needed to work off some of the calories.

(Ed.) Mari and I also descended upon the park, like a swarm of locusts and stallholders fended us off with savoury dishes to stop us nibbling at their awning canvas and leering at passers-by with plates of goodies.

Seriously though, the concept of the gastronomic fair is a brilliant one, because it allows you to combine dishes from your favourite restaurants, all in one sitting.

Some of the tasty dishes to be had over the weekend on which the fair was held were: Arbol blanco’s rabo de toro, the Mirador de Cerro Gordo’s croquetas, La Trattoria’s omni-present pizzas and Mari & Miguel’s grilled meats.

Ventura Flamenco

David Darby — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 17:38:20 +0000

Quite a few people have mentioned to me just how much they have enjoyed the Flamenco evenings at La Ventura in Almuñécar.
Well now, it’s going to be bigger and better! With the patio to the rear of the premises having had a stage installed, there will now be live Flamenco music and dance every Thursday and Sunday from 20.30h.
They are even putting on a special menu for the Sunday show.
So, if you want to get down with a bit of Spanish tradition and culture, pop along any Thursday or Sunday evening.
With their extremely popular menu del dia, and now these Flamenco evenings, no wonder La Ventura is becoming the place to be seen!

Father’s Day Laureles

David Darby — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 17:35:57 +0000

Sunday June 20th is Father’s Day, and to celebrate, Mark is creating a five course menu for just €15!
So don’t let the old fella down by missing out this year, book early and make this Father’s Day a special one for the dad in your life.
You can also catch the Los Laureles team at the Feria Gastronomica where you can sample some of the fantastic dishes available in this special Almuñécar restaurant. They will be at their stall daily on 11th, 12th and 13th June.

Great Gallinero

David Darby — Sun, 02 May 2010 08:21:19 +0000

Driving out of La Herradura on the N-340 towards Cerro Gordo, I realised I hadn’t been for a meal in the fantastic Gallinero for quite a few months! A colleague of mine has been recently and took her family along, reporting back the food was as good as ever, with chicken dishes to suit every taste.
When I took my daughter to eat there, I can still remember how much we enjoyed the Honey Glazed Chicken dish.
But what I really love about the place is Margarita, the owner and sweetest front of house person you could ever meet. Against the odds, and through extreme adversity, she has made this great little restaurant the success it is today.
Even with the fun ‘chicken theme’ of the place, it doesn’t detract one iota from the standard of the food or service.
If you haven’t been there, or haven’t been in recently, get over there and have a bit of fun (especially in the gents toilets!), Margarita has a smile for everyone that comes through the door, and even based as I am now in Almuñécar, I will be over there very soon!
Gallinero, La Mezquita, N-340, km 307.3. La Herradura. Tel. 958 618 109. Open Wednesday to Saturday from 1900, Sunday 1300 – 1700. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

Zarcillo

David Darby — Sun, 02 May 2010 08:06:00 +0000

All you lovers of good food and fine wines are in for a special treat with this place. Situated on the Paseo de la Esplanada in Motril, Álvaro and Manuel have managed to marry tradition and modernity to create a spectacular restaurant.
At this point, I must confess to just going there and having a couple of beers with accompanying tapas. But I did have a walk around the dining area, which is beautifully decked out with carefully chosen artwork, and an intelligent feel for interior design, and the food coming from the kitchen looked spectacular.
But, as I mentioned, I haven’t actually eaten there, so here is a little bit of input from our good friend, Heloise Nolan, who is lucky enough to have sampled the food:
A well thought out small menu in Spanish at present, although the owners say they will be getting a translation into English at some point in the near future The menu is changed four times a year through the seasons. Nouvelle Cuisine, so big eaters may need to have a starter, main and dessert to fill up on but all are delicious and extremely well presented. The present menu has a wonderful, slow-oven-cooked duck leg, which just falls off the bone and is presented with fruit sauces or try the baby lamb legs placed on a bed of shell pasta, drizzled with a mustard and sweet sauce.
If you are a fan of desserts then you will be in heaven as their delicious range has plenty to choose from. Don’t be afraid to ask for potatoes or vegetables, as we are training the restaurant to add additional side dishes
The Zarcillo restaurant has at last managed to raise the bar several notches here in Motril and their restaurant has some lovely touches to the decor and the overall presentation and service is excellent.
You can rest assured readers, it will not be long before I force my wife to treat me to a meal here, and if you beat me to it, we’d love to hear what you thought. I for one am very excited that such a top venue should appear in Motril and let’s hope the owners get all they deserve from such a venture.
If you want to have a walk around the place, without actually going there, check out www.restaurantezarcillo.com it’s fantastic!
Restaurante Zarcillo, Paseo de la Esplanada 2, Motril. Tel. 958 824 887 or 635 945 769 or 686 455 992.

Restaurante Dante

Mette Owens — Sun, 02 May 2010 07:51:47 +0000

Everyone should be as lucky as I am – I’ve got one of the very best Italian restaurants in Almuñécar at my doorstep. I am ecstatic that Ciro Guarrancino decided to re-open his Restaurante Dante again after a 7-year hiatus.
He and his food are as Italian as Italian gets! He is originally from Naples and has been in the restaurant business his whole life. It’s no wonder he knows what makes his customers happy. One of Ciro’s specialties is his pasta dishes, which vary from spaghetti with fresh clams in a white wine sauce to handmade pappardelle (similar to fettuccini) in a porcini (mushroom) sauce. He also serves delicious vegetarian lasagna with special béchamel sauce, flavoured with nutmeg, cloves and bay leaves.
His selection of pasta dishes is vast and all are simply divine. Another specialty is his thin-crust pizza. They taste so heavenly because he bakes them in a clay oven (not in a mould as most places do) and only uses 100% mozzarella. Naturally, he offers a variety of fresh fish and meat on his menu as well.
However, unlike many restaurants, all his main courses are garnished with fresh, wedged baked potatoes and tossed stir-fried mixed vegetables (no frozen veggies here!). Both the food and the prices are fantastic. Two people can easily dine for a total of €20 – drinks included. Almost unimaginable but true. His prices are unbeatable. In fact, he has actually reduced his 2003 prices by 30%. Next time you are in the Cotobro area, do yourself a big favour and visit Restaurante Dante. You can enjoy the perfect Italian meal seated inside or outside. You deserve it. Located at Paseo de Cotóbro, Edif. Los Ramos 7, Almuñécar. Tel. 697 864 385

El Chaleco Easter

David Darby — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:38:50 +0000

Every year Renaud and Lydia come up with something special for Easter, and this year is no exception.
From the 31st of March you can partake of their Easter six course menu which is available for just €24.95. Lydia told me she is expecting a lot of people to take advantage of this Easter treat, so make sure you book early!
El Chaleco, Avenida Costa del Sol 37, Almuñécar. Tel 958 632 402 email elchaleco@terra.es elchaleco.com

Los Laureles Spring

David Darby — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:31:31 +0000

Well, the clocks have gone forward, so it must be officially Spring at last, and as we dare to put all thoughts of that rain behind us, we can now look forward to the fantastic new Spring Menu at Los Laureles.
With exciting dishes that include Rack of Lamb, or if you prefer fish you could try a beautifully prepared Hake dish, although, these are just a couple of the culinary treats available, so you should really pop up to Los Laureles in La Ribera Baja, Almuñécar and check out the full Spring menu.
Mark and Sandra assure me that Fridays will still feature the constantly changing Weekly Tasting Menu, and of course the popular Menu del Dia is still available.
Los Laureles, La Ribera Baja 14, Almuñécar. Tel. 958 069 132 or 691 909 267. www.loslaureles.net

Mirador Returns

David Darby — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:05:06 +0000

Judging by the amount of people I saw up at Mirrador de Cerro Gordo in La Herradura, there a great many who have been waiting with baited breath for Alix and Kevin to return from their holidays.
They are not being disappointed either as Kevin has come up with a completely new menu for this year, which, having read through thoroughly, does not disappoint!
The lunchtime specials are still available, and you can still have a your slice of lemon drizzle cake and a coffee, they are even doing the a la carte menu at lunchtimes!
The big question is, of course, when to go there to sample all of these delights. The answer is, any time you like really, because they are open every single day from 11am. So there’s no excuse, get up there and check out the exciting new menu now! Go on!
Mirador de Cerro Gordo, La Herradura, 958 349 099 or 659 785 011
www.miradorcerrogordo.com

El Faro Update

David Darby — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:12:47 +0000

Take mum to El Faro for a Mothers’ Day Roast Dinner on 14th March, with a free gift for all ladies. Booking for this is strongly advised.
Also, Paddy’s night on Wednesday 17th March from 7pm, lots of fun, games and music – free buffet and even a prize for the most original Irish costume.
March midweek madness! Selection of main meals and tea or coffee for just 5 euros – served Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from midday through to 5pm.
Sports tapas special – hot dog and chips at every football and rugby match shown live during March.