Frou Frou, Puerto Banús – Review

Frou Frou Restaurant has opened in Playas del Duque, within strolling distance of Puerto Banús, Marbella. It comes from Bulldozer Group, the team behind Eva Estepona, and it shows the same attention to theatre, only here the mood is evocative of a playful French Riviera terrace, combined with an expansive urban-style interior restaurant.

Upon arrival one passes the ice counter set right at the entrance. The day’s catch rests on crushed ice beside chilled bottles of champagne, an extravagant temptation to order from the seafood and raw bar menu.

Designer dining

From there the space opens into a sequence of dining areas on different levels. The restaurant design feels celebratory and urban. To the left, a glass wine cellar. Ahead, a generous dining room glows under contemporary designer chandeliers. Drop down a level and the open kitchen is visible, a bright space where chefs cook over flame. To the right of the entrance, another salon flows towards a bold, unisex bathroom zone with a freestanding bath and floor-to-ceiling mirrors; all pure theatre.

The terrace is framed by subtropical planting, with tables under elegant parasols with long fringes. The look hints at the Côte d’Azur while the ceramics bring a touch of the Amalfi coast. You are five minutes on foot from the marina, and just a couple of minutes from El Corte Inglés, yet this doesn’t feel like a tourist trap. Instead, a chic destination restaurant with a colourful Mediterranean terrace.

Cocktails and more

We started with signature cocktails, the Aura and Neroli. Aura arrives in a tall coupe with a single circular ice disc and an edible flower. Gin, lychee, rose and a lift of chardonnay keep it bright and scented. The Neroli comes in a weighted tumbler over a square block of ice stamped with the Frou Frou mark. Cognac, Campari, Pedro Ximénez and tonka bean give depth and a gentle warmth.

The broader list includes Mistral Bloom, mixing jasmine and Noilly Prat into a clean aperitif. Hespéride threads calvados and palo santo for something aromatic. Sol y Sandía brings tequila and watermelon for a summery freshness. If you are off alcohol, Wild Rose uses Seedlip with lychee and verjus, and the house lemonades run floral, from rose and cardamom to violet with milk oolong.

Mediterranean menu

The kitchen is led by Executive Chef Alejandro Rivera and Brand Chef Sergey Yurchyshyn. In the open kitchen during our visit was another Chef Alejandro. The menu moves across the Mediterranean but anchors itself in Andalusia. Raw plates are first on the menu. Scallops in ají amarillo sit under a flick of black caviar. Beef carpaccio comes with truffle sauce and artichoke. Tuna tartar arrives with an egg yolk and crisp straw potatoes for texture. There is king crab tartar with caviar for those in a celebratory mood, and a tomato salad that sings with freshness; the skins are peeled, making it a pleasure to eat.

Warm starters include Camembert baked in filo with black fig jam and truffle. Iberian ham croquettes come properly creamy. Artichoke hummus with tuna blends flavours of the Mediterranean. Calamari are lifted by yuzu alioli. Mini beef-cheek burgers arrive with quail egg and caviar. The scallops are a delight, served on salmorejo.

Main dishes include  lamb chops with chimichurri, excellent quality. The ribeye is priced by weight. Duck confit with braised spinach and tomatoes is tempting, yet we went for the Moroccan-style couscous and lamb tagine.

Pasta includes spaghetti alla Nerano with courgette done right and gnocchi finished with black caviar for a richer route, and a spider crab paella. Sides are simple but tasty, including chips, Robuchon-smooth mash and broccoli with a romanesco sauce. Kasha and José Antonio looked after us with friendly, attentive service.

What sets Frou Frou apart is the sense of occasion built into the design. It has flair, as the name suggests, and as the news gets out, it’s sure to be a lively destination.