Clubhouse Restaurant, La Quinta Golf & Country Club

La Quinta Golf Club… beautiful setting, beautiful location, beautiful decor, very friendly staff but terrible food. What a shame! Seriously people, as far as I’m concerned if a chef isn’t even capable of creating a decent plate of pasta then he or she does not belong in a kitchen. The food at la Quinta Golf club is made with no passion what so ever and a chef without passion is a recipe for bad food! What a disappointment!

La Quinta Golf Club, Crta. de Ronda, km. 3.5, Nueva Andalucia, Tel.: 952 762 323

La Finca, Hotel La Bobadilla

I know this blog is all about restaurants on the Costa del Sol but today I feel I must let you all know about a fabulous restaurant which, as you might have guest already, is not on the Costa del Sol. The restaurant is called La Finca and is part of La Bobadilla Hotel, a stunning, luxurious, rural hotel, located near “Villa Nueva de Tapia” (Granada province). During the summer you can enjoy dinner outside on their picturesque courtyard and throughout the winter months you can sit inside their warm, cozy restaurant. If you want to be romantic ask for a table next to the fireplace. Their menu is international with a Spanish touch and it’s spectacular to say the least. For starters, I suggest you definitely try one of their pasta dishes, ravioli with wild mushrooms and black truffle sauce or homemade cannelloni filled with spinach and “Taracon” cheese and dressed with a white truffle sauce. As a main course their lobster gratin with spinach and a sparkling cava sauce is a must. And for those of you who like meat, beef tenderloin with a black truffle sauce which my meat-eating husband described as “meat lover’s paradise”… I think that means he loved it. For dessert I recommend their chocolate cake with white chocolate ice-cream or their chocolate soufflé, perfect for any chocoholic. La Finca is stunning in every sense of the word. As far as price is concerned, well it’s a luxurious, elegant restaurant so be prepared. La Bobadilla Hotel (La Finca) is only one hour from Malaga, so whether you live on the coast or simply spend your vacation days there, take some time out and spoil yourself to a magnificent dinner at La Finca and a romantic weekend at La Bobadilla.

La Finca, Hotel La Bobadilla, Carretera Salinas-Villanueva de Tapia (A-333), Km. 65,5. 18300.
Loja - Granada, Tel.: 958 321 861

El Oceano Hotel Restaurant, Miraflores

I recently had lunch here again and I must say I find it spectacular every time. The décor is warm and elegant with spectacular views overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, simply mesmerizing. The restaurant almost feels like it’s suspended over the sea, making you feel like you’re on a luxurious cruise ship. If you want to relax, THIS is the place to be. Whether you sit inside or outside on their “Water Front Terrace”, chances are you’ll be impressed. Their food is spectacular to say the least and it’s the type of food you can eat everyday either for lunch or dinner. I mention this because at first sight, when you walk into the restaurant the views and the décor are quite overwhelming giving the impression that the food might be a little pompous. But that’s not the case at all. They have a lunch and dinner menu offering dishes such as: shrimp cocktail, warm goats cheese salad, crispy Thai fishcakes, fish ‘n’ chips, Butterfly King Prawns just to name a few. The food is delicious, impeccably presented and affordable. They also offer a daily fixed menu, including a starter and main course at a very reasonable price. During the weekends they also have live music. I personally prefer listening to the sound of the sea but in all fairness the music sounds good so you can leave your earplugs at home. You can find El Oceano Restaurant inside El Oceano Beach Hotel, a cute little exclusive, privately owned hotel situated on the beach at Miraflores. As far as I’m concerned El Oceano Hotel Restaurant is definitely worth trying out, but beware, chances are you’ll probably be coming back for more!

El Oceano Hotel Restaurant, Open all day every day (closed during the winter months except during Christmas) - Miraflores Playa (next to Riviera del Sol), Costa del Sol, Málaga, Tel.: 952 587 550

Calima, Marbella

Why am I starting with Calima? After all, I've only been there once and that was last year. Was it that memorable? Well, I must be honest, it is definitely worth going to, especially during the summer if you can get a table outside on their terrace which overlooks the beautiful Mediterranean sea, I mean that setting just screams romance. So gentlemen, if you want to get lucky definitely take your lady for a nice romantic dinner at Calima. But what about the food? Well, I'm sure we all know by now that Calima was awarded with a Michelin Star, so that should give you an indication of what the food is like...edible art. It's beautiful... However, I must be totally honest, I remember I had Sea Bass as a main course but I don't remember what my starter was or my dessert... ouch.... that's not cool, I know. The question is "is that my fault or was the food just not that memorable?". .. I might not remember what I had to eat but do remember liking it, so I say definitely try out Calima and decide for yourself. Oh just one more thing... Remember to take your wallet because you'll be needing it!

People, don't be shy and post your comments about Calima! Just be honest!

Calima, Hotel Melia Don Pepe, C Jose Melia, S.N., Marbella, Tel. 952 764 252