If one knows a little about the trajectory of the well-known Hotel Byblos, a banner from the golden age of the Costa del Sol, one will know that, among other things, Joaquín Sabina cloistered himself there for months to record an album or that Julio Iglesias enjoyed long summer seasons.
Even that it was captured there, paparazzi through, the first and only topless of Diana of Wales. Now remodeled and renamed, the Byblos hotel has become the La Zambra Hotel, Five-star Gran Lujo managed by Grupo Marugal, and incidentally it has become the great gastronomic destination of Mijas, a more discreet town compared to the tinsel of the Costa del Sol, but full of charm.
Dotted with golf courses —not surprisingly, the hotel, with 400 rooms and one of the largest spas in Andalusia— It is located in the Mijas Golf Urbanizationwhich also means that the hotel —which does not close throughout the year— is a candy for many travelers who bet on the golf and beach tourism that Mijas offers.
Nevertheless, La Zambra also shines gastronomically and he does it from a curious Andalusian, since the executive chef of the five concepts —to date— that shine in La Zambra is Iker Gonzalezborn in San Sebastian, who, however, has taken the Andalusian point with ease.
Palmito, as the most gastronomic bet, or Picador, something more informal and with the air of a tabanco, are the spearhead to sit at a table that touches Andalusian styles in terms of products and recipes, but also a toast to modernity and, above all, leaves the cellar doors open for Andalusian wine to water the glasses. Not without leaving behind other denominations of origin and international wines, since location and nobility oblige.
Music, bar, wine by the glass and a legion of portioned dishes and half portions are the magnets with which Picador attracts from La Zambra. And not only with a magnetism that hooks hotel customers, but also Malaga customers and non-residents, as it has its own entrance to the restaurant (for all those who are still afraid of crossing a lobby), which allows it to have its own life.
Bet on a binomial that makes the character of tapas and wine by the glass as fundamental pillars, Picador could not be more true to its name, especially when it comes to Andalusian specialties. Perfect for fried fish, for fried calamari or to discover some cuttlefish croquettes with its fried squid, Picador stimulates both foreigners, who seek authenticity, and locals, who are surprised that a hotel restaurant maintains these levels of purism, especially looking for products as close as the Finca La Torre oil or mangoes and avocados from Axarquía.
Without leaving the spoon behind either and, at the same time, aware that the range must be wide for the fate of the European Union mentioned here to include cooking, Picador also raises his puya so that, for example, the Duck magret is lacquered with cane honey from the nearby town of Frigilianaor for the fresh Iberian pork from Dehesa de los Monteros to shine with a Perigord sauce.
“We want to make a letter easy to share, easy to enjoy and also very easy to understand“, explained González, who does not disdain spooning with the chickpeas and lobster or putting the bluefin tuna in dance, treating the tuna parpatana as if it were a meat —which it is nonetheless—, accompanied by a meat gravy.
The stimulus persists in a relaxed atmosphere that never refuses to eat wonderfully and, above all, to uncover a jar of essences allowing capozas of good wine —in the bottle and by the glass— without leaving a fortune. Abundant in notes from Malaga —not only sweet, beware, as we already explained when we talked about the Andalusian red revolution—, Picador gives way to Jerez and Montilla-Moriles wines and from there it spreads to the rest of Spain and the world with a complete, balanced and surprisingly cheap menu for the Costa del Sol and a five-star hotel.
The most gastronomic destination in Mijas
Under a remodeling that has dressed the walls of this five-star hotel in white, La Zambra shines in Mijas Golf, embraced by dozens of holes that vibrate in green and that are a another excuse to drop by the charming Mijasless traveled and battered than nearby Benalmádena, Estepona or Fuengirola -and not to mention Marbella-, which makes it even less touristy and more charming redoubt.
González has managed to capture this charm with proposals such as Palmito, which acts as the dining room for restaurants in the morning, but which at noon and at night mutates into the most gastronomic of restaurants. Grill through, especially for pamper local fish such as snapper or urtaand matured meats —the tomahawk or the tbone are obligatory stops— guarantee that the grill sings por soleares in Palmito.
In the meantime, La Zambra continues marking a son that is complemented by Bamboleoin the form of a bar and cocktail bar, where again Andalusia and the local product follow the tempo of the drink, and which will be complemented from the summer on with refreshing terrace and pool bar concepts for an edible and drinkable enjoyment non-stop.
Images | the zambra
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