PurOsushi Omakase Marbella – Review

Even in the height of summer, when Puente Romano Marbella is at its fullest and La Plaza is alive with people and music, there’s a sense of calm just a few steps away. In an adjacent building, surrounded by gardens, one finds PurOsushi, housed in an elegant and composed Japanese-styled restaurant.

Only 14 guests are served at each omakase, seated at a polished, blond wood U-shaped counter for one of two sittings.

We arrived for the later, at 9.30 pm, beginning with cocktails (xpertly prepared by Sergio, the sommelier) in the lounge just outside the dining room. The space is contemporary, softly lit, and prepares you for what is to come, a quiet, focused encounter between guest and chef.

Chef Andrés Médici leads one side of the counter, his son Agus the other. Both stand as we sit. The chairs are high, placing us at eye level with the chefs as they begin their work. The knives glide. The fish is sliced, the wasabi freshly grated. This is a family effort from the start. Andrés’ wife Ivana welcomes guests, while their daughter Abril is attentive throughout.

The meal begins with a bento box of small seasonal dishes, including sunomono de pepino, wakame, and scallop. A ceramic bowl cradles each element with intention. Then, the nigiri: nine in total, including several cuts of tuna with varying degrees of richness, each balanced and brushed with just enough tare and some with a touch of wasabi. There’s red mullet, sea bream, and mackerel, with each bite shaped and served without haste.

After the nigiri, a small ceramic cup of miso soup arrives, savoury and clear with just a garnish of chive. Then, the tuna roll, prepared just in front of us. Andrés rolls and cuts it with quiet precision, the seaweed gently holding everything in place. A temaki of eel is handed across the counter, warm, soft, deeply satisfying. Then the final bite of this extraordinary omakase is delicate and sweet, a handmade mochi, filled with white chocolate and yuzu.

There is a selection of wine and sake for an optional pairing. We tried the 2021 RINGS Riesling from Pfalz, and a glass of Dassai 45 sake, decanted into a small ceramic jug. Each drink selected to respect the food’s character.

PurOsushi first opened in 2007. The restaurant has evolved over time, and now finds its home within Puente Romano Marbella, where it stands confidently among the resort’s Asian dining options, including Thai Gallery and Nobu Marbella.

PurOsushi is distinct, both for the technical skill behind each dish, and the intimacy of the setting. There is no fixed menu. This is omakase, guided by the day’s seafood and the chefs’ judgement.

There are two menus to choose from. We opted for the Omakase Menu: 18 courses, starting typically with a bento, followed by nigiri, sashimi, makis, a robata course, and dessert. You can also enjoy a more elaborate Kiwami Menu, which begins with toro tartare and caviar and includes the finest daily cuts.

It is, without doubt, the most accomplished omakase experience in Marbella, with a focus on the exceptional quality of the produce, and a slowly paced dining experience.