Heading to Costa Del Sol (staying in Malaga and Nerja)
Hi Hounds,
My wife and I will be on the southern coast of Spain for a few days in September and are looking for food and wine/drink recs of all kinds. When we last went to Spain, we did Madrid and the Rioja region and we've been to San Sebastian a couple times for great food (Mugaritz included). Unfortunately, when I last spent time in the South of Spain I was 16 years old and I have few specific food memories. I also will probably not be drinking Bacardi con Limonada : ).
We love all food. We are fine splurging on special meals but it seems that the smaller coastal towns are not as into the more formal Michelin star places but I might my wrong. Looking for local places and trying to avoid tourist traps. Fried things are good and when the Spanish do it well, man can it be special!
Sorry not to be more specific but I had trouble finding recent recs for this part of Spain!
Thanks in advance for your help.
JeremyEG
homecooklocavore.com
By JeremyEG
on Jul 18, 2010 08:45 AM
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My impression ( though i've never been ) is that Nerja is full of fish and chips.
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We've been twice and found a couple very good places doing rice dishes with local shellfish as well as some fish and chips places as well. We don't have solid travel plans though so I'd love to hear your thoughts about towns that might have more to offer. Thanks.
JeremyEG
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If you stop by Marbella for your trip, I recommend checking Restaurante Calima out as a special meal/splurge.
For more details, you can check out my blog www.salondeg.com. I just did a brief post on my trip to Andalusia and listed some restaurant suggestions. Hope it helps!
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My recs for Málaga are:
Two must-visit tabernas in Málaga:
"Antigua Casa de Guardia" on Alameda Principal 18. This taberna was founded circa 1840.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3385/3490178313_5eeda70d41_o.jpg
"Bodega Bar El Pimpi" on Calle Granada 62, a funny classic not far the Picasso museum. Read the barrels!
http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/24339161.jpg
Two restaurants in Malaga:
"La Casa del Piyayo" on Calle Granada 26. This restaurant is specialized in fish and seafood. My rec: cazón en adobo (marinated, fried monkfish
)http://maeb09.lcc.uma.es/images/P1010...
"La Cosecha" on Calle Echegaray 4. Rollito de puerro (leek roll), berenjena con miel (eggplant with honey).
An new experience in the beach:
"El Tintero II" on Playa El Dedo
Tapas bars:
"La Campana" on Calle Granada 35.
"Pepa y Pepe" on Calderería 9.
Nerja? IMHO Nerja is dead when the summer declines.
I'do Malaga and Marbella
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Thanks Juan. we actually like the quiet feel of Nerja off peak season but perhaps that means we need to downgrade our food! I like Marbella but found it a bit too ritzy for us. Any other towns nearby that you like for food even simple cuisine? Thanks for the great Malaga recs!
JeremyEG
homecooklocavore.com
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Hire a car to visit inland. Just outside Alfarnate is an inn built in 1690, the Antigua Venta de Alfarnate, which was a practically obligatory stopping place on the road from the coast to the interior, and where the stage coaches used to stop to change horses on their way to Granada. Prisoners on route to justice spent the night in the venta's well-preserved prison cell. This cell has been preserved.
The Antigua Venta de Alfarnate is now a museum and restaurant that offers an ample menu of strong dishes in the most popular style, such as 'migas' (fried breadcrumbs) and 'chivo al ajillo' (goat and garlic). Both are highly recommended. This venta is famous for its speciality for foodies: 'Huevos a lo bestia' (fried eggs with fried breadcrumbs, pork sirloin, chorizo and blood sausage). Adress: Antigua Carretera Málaga-Granada, km.513, Alfarnate. Closed Monday.
One of the most beautiful routes and one that is easy to make is the route that leads from the Malaga to Colmenar --called carretera de los montes--, through the Natural Park Montes de Málaga. Within 5 minutes from your departure you will be surrounded by a great forest of pines, oaks, and cork and enjoy several viewpoints. Along the road are 'ventas' to have popular dishes. It is an easy route because you can make the turn onto the motorway A-45 and back to Malaga in just 25 minutes. Venta Lanada, built in 1924 near Colmenar, serves migas simples (fried breadcrumbs with egg and pepper), migas completas (migas simples + pork sirloin, chorizo and blood sausage) and 'conejo al ajillo' (rabbit and garlic). Venta Galway specializes in 'cabrito' (goat kid) and 'jabalí' (wild boar). Best time for this route: mid-week.
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The two best places I've eaten at on the costa del sol (and I've spent considerable time there) are Calima and La Moraga Iberica, both creations of Dani Garcia.
Calima is a prix fix only Molecular Gastro place that is out of this world. Think 20+ courses and 5-6 hours of culinary bliss. La Moraga is a "Gastropub," with highly modernized tapas fair, of superb quality.
Given what they are, both are very reasonable on an international scale.
Andy Gavin http://andy-gavin-eats.com
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