Take Your Own Gastronomic Trip to Andalusia

Take Your Own Gastronomic Trip to Andalusia

It seems hard to believe that the latest series of The Trip starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon playing vaguely fictionalised versions of themselves comes 10 years after we first met them on a gastronomic tour of Northern England. Now they are following in the sandal-steps of Odysseus in Greece but our suggestion is that you go on your own trip to Andalusia.

This southern part of Spain may be best known as a destination for millions of package holidaymakers each summer, but it also has more than its fair share of Michelin-starred restaurants. So here is a tour taking in three of the most notable examples.

José Carlos Garcia, Malaga

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Ya está lista nuestra sala para tomar el aperitivo antes de pasar a la mesa. . . . . #Saboramalaga #josecarlosgarcia #michelinguide #michelinstarchef #gastronomia #muelle1#cheflife #foodie #minichef #kitchen #andalucia_turismo #malagueta #cocinasaludable #wine #kitchendesing #jcgrestaurante #foodpicture #avoe #michelinrestaurants #mystorywithmichelin #instafood #cuisine_captures #tasty #foodiegram #foodphotography #foodpics #mediterraneo #producto #aceitedeolivavirgenextra

A post shared by Jose Carlos García (@jcgrestaurante) on Oct 22, 2019 at 4:54am PDT

A suitable first step on this foodie tour would be to pick up your choice from the many hire cars from Malaga Airport. It’s also a good idea to pre-book a GPS as you’ll be venturing quite a way on the journey and you won’t want to be late for any of your reservations. First port of call is Malaga’s only restaurant to have been awarded a star in the latest Michelin guide. Owned and run by celebrity chef José Carlos Garcia and occupying a perfect location in the Muelle Uno port area, the 13-course tasting menu is a great way to start this tour. Highlight of the courses must be the ajobanco, a local speciality flavoured with almond, garlic, red wine and cinnamon. Another very notable feature of dining here is the view of the kitchen where your delicacies are being prepared. It’s encased in a glass cube right in the middle of the restaurant.

Sollo, Fuengirola

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Aguacate asado, esturión ahumado y encurtidos. Un plato de nuestro nuevo menú degustación ” Caminho 2020″ #malaga #michelinstar #guidemichelin #Fuengirola

A post shared by Sollo (@sollorestaurante) on Feb 19, 2020 at 10:57am PST

A little further westwards along the coast you’ll find Sollo, another recipient of a single Michelin star. But when you experience chef Diego Gallegos’ interpretation of fine dining you are sure to believe he’s been somewhat short-changed by the guide. Unusually for fish restaurants in the region, he favours freshwater over sea fish and a speciality of the house is sturgeon. Not only does he perform gastronomic miracles with the fish itself, but his fondness for its roe has also earned Gallegos the unofficial title of “the caviar chef”. In fact, the precious substance forms a central part of the 16- and 19-course tasting menus and the restaurant is even named after the 16th-century word for a sturgeon.

Bardal, Ronda

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Un rincón íntimo y tranquilo donde la máxima es disfrutar. #bardal #bardalrestaurante #restaurantebardal #disfrutar #gastronomia #gastro #andalucia #espacio #deco #decoración

A post shared by Bardal (@restaurante_bardal) on Nov 7, 2019 at 4:53am PST

The final course on our mini-tour is at the two Michelin-starred Bardal. The inspectors declared the dishes “expertly crafted”, showcasing seasonal and locally-sourced ingredients. The chef here is the Catalan Benito Gomez Bardal and the restaurant’s cellar also contains over 200 wines to pair with the 15- or 19-course tasting menus. It goes without saying that an expert and welcoming sommelier is always on hand to advise.

So there you have them, three sublime dining experiences which are amongst the finest you’ll find in Spain. Whether you choose to accompany the meals with impressions of Michael Caine, Al Pacino and Ronnie Corbett à la Coogan and Brydon is up to you. But for the comfort of fellow diners, it’s probably best that you don’t!