El Refectorium Catedral

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Shawn

Updated July 2016

refectorium catedral

This sister bar of the El Refectorium Malagueta couldn’t be more different in style, but happily it has many of the same dishes from the original menu. El Refectorium Catedral is all chic minimalist elegance – designed by Jean-Claude Schmidt and Rafael Raez Ariza – with a lovely curved wall of windows that lets in lots of natual light. Service is professional and refreshingly unstuffy.

For me a visit to Málaga isn’t complete without at least one stop-in here. You can get the tapas menu at the bar, raciones at the tables. A couple of the many must-try dishes: the super tender slow-chargrilled octopus and the langoustine and jamón brochette. Also make sure to ask about the daily specials. Excellent wines by the glass and I think on par good value for money.

Calle Postigo de los Abades, 4
Málaga
Tel. 952 602 389
€ € € €

Food 8 | Wine 8 | Service 8 | Ambiance 8

refectorium cathedral entrance

refectorium catedral boquerones boquerones al vinagre – lots of them!

cheese!

caña de lomo

refectorium catedral bolos bolos (a type of clam served live with a squeeze of lemon)

salmorejo with jamón and egg

refectorium catedral conchas finas conchas finas

refectorium catedral ensaladilla ensaladilla with tuna

refectorium habas broad beans and jamón with fried egg

white asparagus

refectorium cathedral lamb lamb pinchito with chips

refectorium catedral ligeritas ligeritas: pringá, secreto serranito, solomillo & seta (and cheese)

refectorium cathedral langoustin jamon langoustine and jamón brochette

refectorium flamenquin flamenquín

refectorium cathedral padron pimientos de padrón

refectorium catedral chistorras grilled chistorras with chips

refectorium catedral artichokes grilled artichokes with jamón

refectorium catedral coquinas coquinas (small wedge clams in olive oil, white wine and garlic)

refectorium catedral mussels mussels al ajillo

refectorium catedral pulpo slow-chargrilled octopus with smoked paprika

refectorium cathedral albondigon beef albondigones (BIG meatballs)

refectorium catedral green beans jamon green beans with jamón

refectorium catedral presa iberica grilled presa Ibérica

refectorium berenjenas fried aubergine with salmorejo

grilled squid and veg

refectorium catedral calamaritos calamaritos fritos (tiny squid in batter)

refectorium catedral boletus boletus mushrooms with jamón

refectorium catedral equipo Horacio, Victor, María, Abelardo, Paco & Julio (Tío Pollas)

refectorium catedral dining

Updated July 2016

Bar Nerva

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Shawn

Updated October 2017

Bar Nerva was first recommended to me by my friend Victor @WeLoveMalaga back in 2012 – it’s a bit off the beaten path but definitely worth making the effort. Now more than 25 years old, this traditional family-run tapas bar and restaurant will immediately win you over not only with its fabulous home-style food, but also with the genuine warmth and enthusiasm of the staff. There are only a few tapas on the menu, so best to go with friends and share larger plates. Or try the menú del día, which is excellent value. Be sure to try the croquettes (which is not something I usually say) and the arroz de Ibéricos, which is chock full of jamón and various sausages. Though I think it’s safe to say that you really can’t go wrong here – I’ve never had a dish that wasn’t exceptionally delicious.

Cristo de la Epidemia, 55
Málaga
Tel 952 267 949
€ € €

Food 8 | Wine 8 | Service 8 | Ambiance 8

nerva bar

nerva wine list wine list

la carta

nerva starters complimentary starters

ensaladilla de gambas

nerva croquetas croquetas: Málaga sausage (L) and puchero (R)

nerva gambas pilpil croquetes spicy gambas pil-pil croquetas

nerva serranito serranito especial with bulltail, fried peppers and
jamón Ibérico on toasted beetroot-dyed roll

selection of montaditos

nerva frozen grape white wine kept cool with a frozen grape

nerva arroz de ibericos arroz de Ibéricos

fried hake

nerva clams garlicky clams in sherry sauce

grilled presa Ibérica

nerva pork cheek tender-stewed carrillada Ibérica

nerva solomillo cabrales solomillo Ibérico in cabrales (blue cheese) sauce

nerva choc mousse chocolate cheesecake mousse

father and son Joaquín & Agustín

nerva tio pepe

Updated October 2017

Almocábar Bar & Restaurante

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Shawn

I’m afraid that the other photos I took of Restaurante Almocábar have gone missing – this is one I salvaged from my iPhone. But it’s probably enough to make you want to go there, right? We were on a lunchtime “tapeo” as I wanted to try as many places as possible during our 24-hour visit, and the Almocábar was stop number one that afternoon. It’s a very traditional place with both a dining area and tapas bar inside. Outside in the square there is a lovely terrace set up under the trees with a view of the Almocábar gates, which is where we ate this wonderful grilled swordfish with perfectly grilled vegetables.

Friends had told me this was one of the best places to eat in Ronda and one look at the menu made me wish we were stopping there for a full meal. The service was pleasant but (ahem) a bit relaxed. Nice wine list. And nothing came served on slate or lathered up into a liquid nitrogen froth. Just well-executed, good quality food. I’ll be back.

Ruedo Alameda 5
Ronda
Tel 952 875 977
Closed Tuesdays
€ € € €

Granada Senzone

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Shawn

senzone terraza

Tucked away inside the gardens of the Palacio de los Patos hotel, Senzone is a fabulous oasis in the centre of the city, with various fountains cooling the patio area where you can either sit at tables to eat a meal or curl up on sofas to enjoy a drink. Large trees and hanging wisteria provide natural shade and all the greenery running along the wrought iron fence shuts out traffic and city noise. My favourite was the gnarly pomegranate tree, which I was told was over 200 years old. If you don’t know, the pomegranate (or “granada” in Spanish) is the emblem of the city.

The Senzone Restaurant offers tapas as well as a full-service menu, and an intriguing tasting menu made of Riofrio caviar products.

Solarillo de Gracia, 1
Tel. 958 53 57 90
Senzone Website
€ € € €

senzone salmorejo salmorejo cordobés with chopped egg and jamón

senzone croqueta creamy bulltail croquettes

senzone mozarabe pastela mozárabe: lamb & cinnamon in sweet pastry

senzone alpujarreño

designer alpujarreño: soft-cooked egg, jamón, chorizo, potato foam

senzone pomegranate 200-year-old pomegranate tree

senzone wisteria

El Caleño

Posted on August 17, 2011 by Shawn

el caleno playa

Another fabulous seafood restaurant in the old fishing quarter of Málaga, Pedregalejos. Right on the beach you get wonderful food with a view. Best to call ahead and book a table.

Paseo Maritimo (El Pedregal)
Malaga
tel. 952 299 148
€ € €

Food 9 | Wine 8 | Service 8 | Ambiance 7

el caleno conchas finas conchas finas

el caleno bolos bolos

el caleno salad a “small” house salad

el caleno salmoretes salmonetes

el caleno puntillitas puntillitas (baby squid)

el caleno pimientos roasted red pepper salad

el caleno coquinas coquinas (cockles)

el caleno gambas gambas a la plancha

el caleno espeto sardines “espeto”

el caleno boquerones fried boquerones (anchovies)

La Cosmopolita

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Shawn

Updated August 2015

Opened in October 2010 and run by chef Daniel Carnero, La Cosmopolita is just off the calle Granada in the centre of Málaga. The decor is fresh and fun, with a twist on traditional. As are the tapas, which have become more inventive each year (though there are fewer tapas these days, and they are only available at the bar and selected outdoor tables). The food is very good – past favourites include the bulltail meatballs and the “pan de cristal” options (long chapata-style bread scooped out and filled with meat or cheese and then toasted). I also really like the croquetas (not something I say often) and the bacalao fritters.

Another innovation is the seasonal specials menu, usually a new one each month, and this is really worth checking out. The grilled bone marrow with prawn tartare and artichokes with pork jowl we tried were especially stunning. Also ask for recommendations from the terrific wine list.

José Denis Belgrano 3
Málaga
tel. 952 215 827
Open: 8.30 – midnight
(kitchen open 13.00 – 16.30 / 20.00 – midnight)
La Cosmopolita Website
€ € € €

Food 9 | Wine 10 | Service 8 | Ambiance 8

cosmopolita dani

chef and owner Dani Carnero

cosmopolita bulltail albondiga bulltail meatball in gravy

cosmopolita puchero croquetas de puchero

cosmopolita buñelos de bacalao buñuelos de bacalao (little cod fritters)

cosmopolita ostras Guillardeau oyster

cosmopolita ventresca lightly grilled tuna belly (ventresca)

cosmopolita pared

cosmopolita bone marrow baked bone marrow with prawn tartare

cosmopolita patatas patatas a la importancia with king crab

cosmopolita chistorra grilled chistorra with potato purée

cosmopolita ravioli aubergine with mojo rojo ravioli filled with smoked aubergine,
topped with red mojo picon

cosmopolita calamar calamares en pepitoria

cosmopolita pringa roll quail egg pringá in a warm bread roll, topped with quail egg

cosmopolita pan de cristal grilled beef with pesto on “pan de cristal”

cosmopolita pringa winter truffle pringá with winter truffle

cosmopolita lagartita lagartijo Ibérico with fresh herbs and sriracha sauce

cosmopolita jamon

cosmopolita dining area dining area

cosmopolita terraza the terraza

El Refectorium Malagueta

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Shawn

Updated July 2018

This is a fabulous neighbourhood bar just behind the bullring and a stone’s throw from Malagueta beach. Always busy and bustling, always serving excellent food. The tapas menu is small but, as with the longer restaurant menu, it’s all high quality stuff, and the service is top-notch, fast and friendly.

Sister bar to chic El Refectorium Catedral this original location has its own special charm. Make sure to try the gambas pil pil, the grilled chistorras and the rice of the day. Aside from the bar area and dining room inside there is a spacious sidewalk terrace.

Cervantes, 8
Tel. 952 21 89 90
12.30 – 16.30 / 20.30 – 23.30
Closed Sunday and Monday lunchtime
€ € €

Food 8 | Wine 8 | Service 8 | Ambiance 8

boquerones al vinagre

caña de lomo

arroz del día

prawn & jamón brochette

grilled chistorras

flamenquín

gambas pil pil

stewed oxtail

beef “albondigón” with spicy almond sauce

biznaga seller

Belén, Horacio, Curry, Julio, Belén, Alberto & Sergio

Updated July 2018

Andrés Maricuchi

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Shawn

Updated August 2018

Superb seafood, great wines, a fabulous sea view and friendly efficient service. Could you ask for anything more? I’ve been going to Andrés Maricuchi in the old fishing village of Pedregalejo since 2008, and it never disappoints. These days it always feels like going home, being greeted by Andrés with a big kiss on the cheek. And the food is always outstanding.

Favourites include the perfectly fried boquerones al limón and, in season, the espeto de sardinas (BBQ’d onna stick). Garlicky urta and whole BBQ’d squid are also fabulous, and the tomato and garlic salad is a must have. Nice wines by the glass or bottle – the Mar de Frades albariño goes especially well with the fish and seafood.

Be sure to call ahead and book a table as the terrace fills up fast.