Malaga is one of Spain’s most vibrant, creative, and on-trend cities. Renowned for its cultural scene, this Andalucian port city is also home to a lively food scene, driven by home-grown talent. Chef Álvaro Ávila is one such pioneer, at his La Alvaroteca restaurant Malaga, in an authentic city centre neighbourhood. His approach is bold and innovative and beautifully executed. He is the Malaga chef to watch. So next time you visit the Malaga capital, pay a visit to his restaurant – you will be mighty impressed.
Chef Álvaro Ávila has been refining his culinary skills over the last decade, so now his restaurant is a destination for his distinctive cuisine, where the flavours of quality local, regional, and national produce, stand out.
La Alvaroteca was conceived from Alvaro’s non-conformist, almost rogue philosophy. Over the years the personality and intuition of this talented chef has led to the formation of consistently impressive dishes.
‘Origen’ Tasting Menu
It was a both a treat and surprise to devour Alvaro’s tasting menu. Priced at €67 (and available for up to tables of 6 people) this gourmet treat is original and daring, Origen consists of 14 courses with the distinctive style of Álvaro Ávila’s signature cuisine. The menu has a clever start, with the AOVE ‘olives’ followed by more delicious morsels of cod, salad, and red prawn toast; oyster, ponzu and kimchee. Next a goat taco; black rice toast; smoked eel with ali oli. Before ethe turbot, with escabeche sauce, Alvaro surprised us with an additional course, of fresh local prawns in ‘ajoblanco’, which is a class cold almond soup, but here made with macadamia. The Malaga red prawn taco was superb!
Then the plates kept coming, including suckling pig confit, with mango chutney and ginger ice cream. And to finish, a selection from the cheese trolley; and for dessert, the leche merengada, with violet and amaretto ice cream; and an assortment of petit fours.
The restaurant at the moment is quite a mix of designs – with a surprising aesthetic that reflects the chef’s passion for comics and science fiction films. Found in the Cruz de Humilladero neighbourhood, the restaurant is where he grew up (close to the María Zambrano high-speed train station).
To visit La Alvaroteca restaurant is to embark upon an unconventional, yet well-founded and balanced, culinary adventure, that also represents very good value for money.
Carta Blanca
La Carta Blanca is an ingenious and playful idea from Álvaro Ávila, which offers the possibility of trying many dishes from La Alvaroteca’s menu, as a delicious succession of tapas and small plates. Guests are guided by the chef, based on the season dishes on the menu and the guest decides when they are full.
The Menu
The starters La Alvaroteca’s menu includes dishes such as partridge croquette, foie lingote, red prawn fritter; or sweetbread gyozas, and a contemporary interpretation of the classic gazpachuelo.
Hearty dishes include duck cannelloni with foie gras and truffle béchamel; oxtail and pumpkin risotto; rice with chicken liver and quail; or wild boar meatballs stewed in Thai style.
Fish dishes include cod confit, with miso cream and corn; red mullet with Rioja, corn, and endive; turbot, pickled pil pil; and seared sea bass. While from the countryside guests can enjoy Spanish game, such as venison flambeed with pear, and garlic rabbit.
Deserts embrace creative combinations as well as modern takes on classic like lemon tartlet, or honey ice cream, with toffee and pine nuts.
The Wine List
La Alvaroteca offers a wine list of some 150 references. Among the national wines, the highlights are whites such as the albariño García de Caamaño 2019 from Rías Baixas, a godello from Bierzo such as Polvorete 2019 by Emilio Moro, or a chardonnay from Málaga such as Cloe 2019; and among the rosés, Chivite Las Fincas 2021 and Conde de San Cristóbal. The red wine cellar includes wines from Bierzo such as Massura 2015, Kolor 2019 by Raúl Pérez, from Ribera del Duero, Valbuena 5º 2017 or Pago de Carraovejas 2019, from La Rioja, Marqués de Vargas Reserva 2017; and wines from Toro such as Pintia 2017, Vega Sicilia. From the United States comes Three Finder Jack 2019, from Italy, Barolo Azelia 2018; and from South Africa, Rooddeberg Western Cape 2020. The French selection includes wines from Burgundy such as Cuvee Latour and champagnes such as Jacquesson Cuvee 745, Pierre Gimonnet-Fils or Dom Perignon Vintage 2010. And for fans of fortified and sweet wines, amontillado del Duque, from González Byass; sherry La Bota Fino 91, from Equipo Navazos; manzanilla Maruja Pasada, from Juan Piñeiro; or El Candado Pedro Ximénez, from Valdespino.
Contact details
Address: La Alvaroteca estaurant, Calle Gerona, 38, 29006 Málaga, Spain
Website: www.laalvaroteca.com
Contact Details
Website: www.laalvaroteca.com
Address: C. Gerona, 38 bis, Cruz de Humilladero, 29006 Málaga, Spain
