Page 399 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

Eating & Sleeping

include a delicious salmorejo (thick garlicky
Nerja 1 gazpacho), barbecued sardines, and almejas
(clams) in a spicy paprika-based sauce. The
5 Oliva Modern European €€€ terrace fronts onto the sand.
(%952 52 29 88; www.restauranteoliva.com;
Calle Pintada 7; mains €19-23; h1-4pm &
7-11pm) Impeccable service, single orchids, a Fuengirola 4
drum-and-bass soundtrack and a charcoal- Seafood €
grey-and-green colour scheme; in short, this 5 La Cepa
place has class. The menu is reassuringly brief (Plaza Yate 21; tapas €3, mains €7-10; hnoon-
and changes regularly according to what’s in 4pm & 7-11pm Mon-Sat, to 3.30pm Sun) Hidden
season. The inventive dishes combine unlikely away on an attractive bar-and-restaurant-lined
ingredients such as pistachio falafel and square, the menu concentrates on seafood,
mango panna cotta with black-olive caramel. including such tentacle ticklers as fried squid,
Reservations recommended. and prawns wrapped in bacon. SPAIN 28 COSTA DEL SOL BEYOND THE BEACHES
Málaga 2
Marbella 5
5 Uvedoble Taberna Tapas €
(www.uvedobletaberna.com; Calle Císter 15; 5 El Estrecho Tapas €
tapas €2.70; h12.30-4pm & 8pm-midnight (Calle San Lázaro; tapas €2.50-3.50; hnoon-
Mon-Sat; W) There’s not much elbow room at midnight) It’s always crammed, so elbow your
this slick contemporary place, but this local way to a space in the small back dining room
tapas hotspot is planning to expand to meet the and order from a massive menu that includes
demand for their famously popular seafood- tapas such as salmorejo (gazpacho) and
based tapas such as fideos negro tostada con seafood salad.
calamaritos (toasted black noodles with baby Hotel €€
squid), and grilled octopus with potatoes and 4 Hotel San Cristóbal
chives. (%952 86 20 44; www.hotelsancristobal.com;
Avenida Ramñon y Cajal 3; s/d incl breakfast
4 El Hotel del Pintor Boutique Hotel €€ €60/85; W) Dating back to the ’60s, this
(%952 06 09 81; www.hoteldelpintor.com; Calle solid midrange hotel has recently revamped
Álamos 27; s/d €59/70; aiW) The red, black rooms sporting tasteful pale-grey and cream
and white colour scheme of this friendly, small decor contrasting with smart navy fabrics.
hotel echoes the abstract artwork of malagueño Most rooms have balconies and a pool is being
artist Pepe Bornov, whose paintings are on planned.
permanent display throughout the public areas
and rooms. Although convenient for most of the
city’s main sights, pack your earplugs, as the Estepona 6
rooms in the front can be noisy, especially on a
Saturday night. 5 La Esquina del Arte Tapas €
(Calle Villa; tapas €2-3; hnoon-midnight
Mon-Sat; W) This place may be in the middle
Torremolinos 3 of the historic centre but there is nothing old
fashioned about the creative tapas and pintxos
5 El Cordobes Andalucian €€ (Basque tapas) here. Expect tasty bites such
(Playamar; mains €12-15; c) The best of the as prawns wrapped in flaky pastry, pâté with
beachside chiringuitos (seafront restaurants), fig jam and peppers stuffed with salt cod. It has
attracting a loyal Spanish clientele. Specialities excellent wines by the glass.

397