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

La Tabenna Del Puerto, Marbella

Located in the fishers harbor of Marbella is La Tabenna Del Puerto. I have eaten here a number of times and I can honestly say that they serve some of the best sea food. If you decide to eat at this restaurant you must try their “pulpo a la Gallega” , Galician octopus, it is so good that I now no longer order this dish in any other restaurant. Another mouth-watering dish is their “pimientos al piquillo”, fire roasted peppers stuffed with a seafood mousse and accompanied by the most delicious, smooth, creamy sauce. If you’re on a low-carb diet then I say don’t order this dish because I can guarantee that you’ll be ordering extra bread simply to dip into that sauce. And for those of you who aren’t planning on kissing anyone, try their “gambas pil-pil", a hot sizzling prawn dish with lots and lots and lots of garlic. And I also highly recommend their “puntillitas”, battered and fried baby squid, so crispy, so delicious and probably so fattening but worth the calories. These are just some of the dishes they have to offer. I suggest you start by sharing a number of dishes with your friends and family and then as a main course order some fresh fish such as sea bass or sea bream. When it comes to sea food, other restaurants could really learn a thing or two from La Tabenna Del Puerto. But in terms of décor… ouch, this place is an eye soar. Luckily the restaurant is set on the beach so on a beautiful day you can sort of overlook the ugly décor or maybe I should be saying the lack of décor. The place is somewhat run down and not much thought has been given into creating a warm atmosphere. As a matter of fact, you definitely do not want to sit inside; it’s cold and darn ugly. But like I said, outside on their terrace it’s not too bad. This restaurant might not score high in a beauty contest and might be in need of a facelift but what it lacks in beauty it makes up for with friendly staff and fabulous food. Proofing that real beauty really does come from the inside!

La Tabenna Del Puerto, Purto Pesquero, Local 6, Marbella, Málaga, Tel.: 952 82 83 25

Australian Ice-cream, Fuengirola

I know that this blog is all about restaurants on the Costa del Sol but I find it absolutely crucial for the survival of human species to know about the best ice-cream parlor on the Costa del Sol. Whether you have a sweet tooth or not this ice-cream is a must! Just ditch dessert elsewhere and go for what I guarantee will be your new obsession. I have travelled miles just to have an ice-cream here and I know for a fact that I’m not the only one. Who cares about the extra money you have to spend on gas, the expensive toll road or the speeding ticket you’ll get rushing over here… it’s all worth it when you taste that creamy, smooth, rich ice-cream. This ice-cream is God’s gift to ice-cream cones. I know I’m starting to sound like an advertorial but this ice-cream really is the best. The actual ice-cream parlor is nothing facy, there are no chairs, no tables, just a hole in the wall. Clearly this ice-cream parlor is for ice-cream eating purposes only. Last but not least, I have to mention that the actual ice-cream cone that goes with the ice-cream deserves to be nominated as well. It’s crispy, always fresh and for the final touch they dip the top part of the cone in fresh hot chocolate. If you’re not drooling for an ice-cream by now then there’s something seriously wrong with you. Forget your diet for a day and treat yourself to that ice-cream… go on, you know you want to.

Australian Ice Cream, Jacinto Benavente, 829640 Fuengirola, Malaga Tel. 952 46 51 87

Restaurant Azúl Marino, Puerto Banús

I have never eaten in this restaurant and I never will. Keep reading and you’ll understand why. The following is based on a true story: In the land of Gucci, Prada, Lamborghinis and Ferraris also known as Puerto Banús, there is a restaurant called Azúl Marino. One day my friend decided to have lunch there with her friend. They sat outside on their cozy terrace, watching the parade of people go by, “oh look a Ferrari… oh look another Ferrari… Is that another Ferrari?”… I guess if you want to be unique you should drive by in a Seat Ibiza. Anyway, back to matters at hand. My friend wanted to treat herself so she ordered their overpriced lobster …. So here’s my question Azúl Marino, since when is the inside of a lobster brown? I mean was this a lobster with a tan? I really don’t understand why, but my friend didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere and so she said nothing about the damn lobster. To all you people who are always too nice, I say “don’t be so nice and tell the cook to stick it!” After all, you are paying for it, so you should expect something in return. But this is not where the story ends. To make matters worse, when my friend was about to leave the restaurant, the maître asked her if everything was ok. This is when my friend confessed that her lobster was indeed not so fresh, and that was putting it nicely. As a result, my friend was “fired” from the restaurant. The maître literally told her never to come back. Honestly people, this is not a joke. This really did happen. My friend spoke-out and now she is a “persona non grata” in this restaurant. Ouch… I wonder what the maître will do when he reads this blog?

Azúl Marino, Muelle Ribera, 14 E, Puerto Banús, Marbella, Málaga, Tel.: 952 81 10 44

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

Pizzeria Picasso, Puerto Banus

First of all, I must confess that I haven’t been here in ages, basically because I’m not so impressed by the place. I mean let’s face it, this pizzeria is like flying with Easy-Jet: it’s always overcrowded, your jam packed into the place like sardines in a can and you have to wait in line to “check-in”. I mean, I know Picasso is probably the only front line restaurant in Puerto Banús that doesn’t leave your wallet empty but people please, this is not McDonalds, you shouldn’t have to wait in line for a pizza! However, having said all that, I must say that when my nephews are here on vacation they seem to live off Picasso’s pizzas. Kids just seem to love the place. Is the pizza really that good or do kids just love the place because they serve pizza? I mean which kid doesn’t love pizza? Honestly, I really don’t get what all the hype is about. At the end of the day, Picasso is just a fast food pizzeria. Just because it’s in Puerto Banús doesn’t make the pizza extra tasty. Sorry Picasso, I’m sticking to my verdict. So ladies and gentlemen, for those of going to Picasso I would like to wish you a pleasant flight… I mean meal!

Pizzeria Picasso C/ Muelle Ribera, Local 48 / 49 H, Puerto Banús, Marbella, Málaga, Tel: 952 81 36 69

Venta Victoria, Casares

For some real “mamma’s food” Venta Victoria is the place to be. This is a quaint little “venta” set on the road to Casares. Inside you’ll find two separate rooms where you can have lunch, one is small and cosy with a fireplace and the other is just a simple room with views towards the countryside. Personally, I find this room a little smoky at times. Anyway, no doubt the BEST place to be is outside on their picturesque terrace overlooking the countryside. As far as I’m concerned, nothing can beat that. But let’s talk about the food: “gazpacho”, “pollo al ajillo” (chicken in garlic), "albondigas" (meat balls), chorizo, cheese from Casares... and the BEST homemade fries EVER... these are just some example of what they have to offer. Like I said, this is a real Spanish “venta”, with real Andalucian food. A great place to enjoy a simple, wholesome meal! So I say try Venta Victoria and make a day trip out of it by visiting Casares as well; a picture postcard village! It’s only five minutes drive from the venta and definitely worth the trip even if you’ve already been there before. So next weekend get off that couch and treat yourself to a good old fashioned cooked meal and a day out in Casares... all in favour?

Ctra. MA-546 Km 7,5, Casares, Málaga, Tel. 952 89 41 99 (Open from 09:00 – 21:00 during the summer and only open for lunch during the winter months)