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I had promised myself I would check out La Moraga, as I have heard nothing but good things about these luxurious and stylish restaurants. When I ventured to the quite recently installed establishment (June 2010) on the top floor of El Corte Ingles near the copper tower in Marbella, I have to say – I was less than impressed.

Firstly, the staff took ages to take our order – despite the fact that the restaurant barely had four customers – (my friend and myself included.) We were just about ready to walk out when a surly waiter came over to attend to us.

Secondly, when I ordered an Iberian pork kebab and my friend ordered a warm cod and tomato “bocadillo” (sandwich) we were not informed that my choice would take significantly longer to cook and thus it was that my friend was almost three-quarters of the way through her chosen meal, eating very slowly (all will be revealed in a minute) before I attracted the attention of the waiter to complain. I was met with a half-hearted shrug as he informed me that my meal was taking longer to cook. Read more »

Calling all lovers of fine cuisine.

El Lago restaurant in Marbella are offering a select few the opportunity to join the chef and help prepare the haute-cuisine dishes that have earned this restaurant their Michelin star.

The price is all inclusive (dinner, cooking presentation, accomodation and breakfast) and is a mere 135 euros per person for a suite or 120 euros for a studio.

So, what’s on the menu? Well, these Masterchefs-in-the-making will get the opportunity to cook up some of the gastronomic delights that make up the “Tenth Anniversary Tasting Menu” following direction from top chef Diego del Río. There will also be an opportunity over the weekend to do some wine tasting with Paco García, director and sommelier.

For more information regarding this very special offer, check out the website: www.restauranteellago.com

“Sex sells” A truer word regarding marketing and advertising has never been spoken, so when I heard about this titillating gastronomical event I just had to write about it.

Around 60 establishments have signed up to participate in the second annual “Erotic Tapas Route” which is being held in Fuengirola town from 1^st to 21^st November. Bars and restaurants will be offering erotically designed tapas for €1,50 each. This campaign is purported as being a way to promote bars and restaurants in what is typically a slow month. And you can certainly guess why….!

Those inquisitive souls who wish to participate should collect a “tapas passport” from the Town Hall (ayuntamiento) Tourist office, or any of the included establishments. A stamp is issued after eating an erotic tapa in each venue and a prize draw will take place for those who have accumulated more than 10 stamps. (Considering there are 60 bars and restaurants participating, that shouldn’t be too hard!) Read more »

A trip to Marbella Port would not be complete without a visit to the amazing “Patagonia” Argentinian tapas bar. (so named after an actual region of South America in Southern Argentina and Chile extending from the Río Colorado to the Straits of Magellan and from the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean.) The study of its original inhabitants, the Tehuelche (“the Patagonian giants”), and its unusual wildlife have attracted many scientific expeditions, including that of Charles Darwin between 1831-1836.

The tradition of Tapa‘s (meaning lid or cover in Spanish) is somewhat confusing, as some say it dates back to the reign of King Alfonso 10th, between 1886 and 1931 when due to an illness, the King had to take small bites of food with some wine between meals. Once recovered from the disease, the king decreed that no wine was to be served in any of the inns of Castile, unless accompanied by something to eat. This was indeed a wise precaution to counteract the adverse effects of alcohol on those people who, through lack of money to buy a nourishing meal, drank alcohol on an empty stomach.

Alternatively, you could choose to believe what may be a more logical theory, since “tapar” literally means “to cover”. The name could simply have come from the olden day tradition of covering a cup of wine with a small piece of food to keep the flies away. Read more »

Just a few weeks ago on the 29th October was the Grand Opening Celebration of Hard Rock Cafe Marbella. The Marbella cafe is Spain’s fifth Hard Rock Cafe after Barcelona, Madrid, Mallorca and Gran Canaria. It is situated in the heart of Puerto Banus, on the corner of Plaza Antonio Banderas, opposite the El Corte Ingles department store and adjacent to the Marina Banus shopping centre. The new establishment is of around 1000sqm and has recently received a 2.5 million euro installation and decoration investment. There is space for around 300 people. As well it includes a bar, an open-air terrace and Rock Shop, and also features Hard Rock’s limited-edition merchandise. The new cafe is expected to create about 70 permanent jobs and up to 100 in summer and will definetly bring some more tourists to the port of Marbella. Read more »