Puerto Banus Restaurants

It seems as if Manuel & Co have relocated, and opened a Lebanese restaurant in Marbella / Puerto Banús. The Paseo Benabola, just by the waterfront, has been crowned with one of the – in my opinion, and to the extent of my knowledge – worst restaurants in Spain.

Baalbak is nothing but an ill-managed circus, and misrepresentation of Lebanon and the well-renowned cuisine we’ve become accustomed to from restaurants everywhere.

As we all know, running a restaurant demands organizational skills, efficiency and a genuine will to provide service. Also, it helps to employ a chef or two that can cook, and staff that are genuinely interested in their guests - that they obviously take for granted, probably due to the location by the waterfront.

The food? Simple, horrifically overpriced, bland and of course served with chips AND KETCHUP. The deep fried, overcooked Escalope “Cordon Bleu” was the worst possible result of the utter incompetence that is bluntly demonstrated by the inadequately trained (?) kitchen staff, fashionably served with two slices of cheddar cheese on top. Maravillioso.

When confronted with the fact that we were not at all satisfied, the staff admitted to not having a manager on-site, which was obvious. Or as one of the sympathetic bust-boys admitted as I questioned the authenticity of the Lebanese cuisine: “I’m from Marocco, I don’t think we have a single Lebanese national amongst the staff. Between the two of us, I agree with you. I would never eat here”.

In summary, the terrible excuse for a Lebanese restaurant needs a new owner, new management and a generous portion of professional help.

Never again. Never ever ever.

/MK

PS I’m considering contacting the BBC in order to suggest the idea of producing a reality series at the restaurant Baalbak. But I’m not sure that Gordon Ramsey would manage by himself…

Favorite Dish: To be fair, the Hommos and some of the first courses were fine.

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Home of the legendary Hamburger a foot high!
The Hard Rock Cafe is a restaurant like none other, and the place to go if you are a fan of good atmosphere together with real rock music.
Don't forget to have a look at all the memoralia hanging on the walls from famous rock stars!

Favorite Dish: Everything is good at this place, but the Hamburger is my favourite

If you want great sushi on the Costa del Sol, head for Platinum Sushi -- freshest sushi around if expensive. Just watch out for a surly waitress who likes to add things to the check that you have not ordered.

Favorite Dish: The rolls are excellent. Ask the chef to prepare something fresh for you not off the conveyor belt.

I came to Puerto Banus armed with restaurant tips from friends, but on a couple of nights we decided to find some places we could call our own and recommend to others. This was one such restaurant.

We were drawn inside by the mouth watering display of fresh seafood at the entrance, the lobsters in their tanks, and oysters in yet more tanks. I figured this place certainly meant what it dsaid about the seafood being fresh.

They wanted us to have wine. Indeed, a bottle of house recommended white wine sat at each table and many others sat already open on a side serving table - I didn't like that; different if it had been red. We didn't want wine that night and ordered G&T's. They took forever to come, and when we ordered another it took even longer. It seemed that the only person who could serve us drink was one waitress, and the others would stand doing nothing if she was busy.

In fairness, that was the only downside to this place and anyone who ordered wine was well catered for (speedily).

The Manager welcomed us and spent some time at our table, speaking to us in Irish (Gaelic). We were impressed.

Favorite Dish: The menu was lovely, with lots of fresh fish.

I ordered prawns pil pil with Gulars and asked the waitress what Gulars are. She replied "white fish" and I was happy, thinking of lovely chunks of white fish and prawns in my spicy sizzling garlic oil. A short time later a waiter arrived with my food "Who is for the baby eels?" he asked, and I replied that it must be a mistake. "No, no" he replied "Baby eels, gulars, for this table." I looked with disgust at what to me appeared to be little white worms swimming in a bowl of garlic prawns. After a moment's rumination I decided to be adventurous and indeed they were tasty. However, I still can't get the thought of liottle worms out of my head. It turns out that they are good value here - I paid €22 whereas I subsequently saw them priced at €90 in another seafood establishment.

I followed this with a tempura of mixed fish and shellfish - very tasty indeed and served with home made tartare sauce.

Yes, I'd recommend this place.

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The Gran Hotel Guadalpin is perfectly situated right on the seafront just a short taxi ride from the centre of Puerto Banus. As its four restaurants are positioned on the sea level floor and open towards the beach you would imagine that they'd be packed every night, but they're not. Indeed, most of them are closed every night. I ate there twice and hoped that there might be different menus available for each restaurant, but the same menu was presented each night and seating was only available outside one and inside another.

It is said that the seafood restaurant is open and with live music on Friday and Saturday nights, but I didn't see any guests dining there on either night.

I think perhaps it's worth a visit once, but that's about it.

There's also an Italian restaurant on the ground floor of the hotel and the menu there sounds wonderful, if very pricy. I'd try it the next time I'm there. I doubt that you'd have any problem getting a reservation.....

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I came upon this restaurant by accident while browsing those along the main strip in Marbella. Santiago is situated at the end of the strip closest to the old town.

It's hard to get a table here so we were pretty lucky, as we had no reservation. We commanded a prime table right at the front of the outside terrace seating area, overlooking the strip and the seafront. The guests at the next table struck up a conversation and they were so nice and friendly that it altogether added to a pleasant night's enjoyment.

Service was excellent, if a tiny bit officious, and the menu selection was vast with some very unusual dishes on offer.

The clientele is upmarket but friendly.

Prices are on the high but reasonable side and you definitely get great value for money.

This restaurant is featured in many of the better restaurant guides, to include Michelin.

Favorite Dish: I started with the most amazing dish which was called Spinach and prawn soup. Something must have been lost in translation, however, as there wasn't a drop of soup in sight:-) My dish was a flaky pastry parcel of spinach and prawns in some wonderful sauce. It was divine.

I followed this with a main course of grilled mixed fish and shellfish. It was served with a home made tartare sauce and I relished every morsel. I cannot name every fish on the plate, but take a look at the pic below.

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I've been trying to get to stay in the Marbella Club for years, but for one reason or other I've always been thwarted at the last minute.

This time I decided to settle for dinner in the grill and it was a worthy alternative.

Marbella Club is a magical place in general, and the grill restaurant is even more fairytale in nature than the hotel itself. Tables are pristinely set and situated under the trees by trickling streams in the gardens. Medieval looking candles flicker and wane in elaborate multi branched candelabras under the trees. waiters are altogether pleasant and susprisingly unofficious. I encountered snobbery among waiters in far lesser establishments in Marbella!

Dry Martinis were served with a smile and the sommelier appeared at my side to assist with the wine. he didn't mind that I wanted a white with my rare steak and recommended a fine Torres private collection at €84 a bottle. Yes, it was very pricy, but fabulous. I had a similar Spanish wine about 15 or more years ago and had been searching for it ever since.

My bill totalled a tiny bit short of €300 for two people, but remember where you are and that €84 bottle of wine and you'll know it was worth every penny.

It's generally a great place for star spotting, though we saw none that we recognised.Mar

Favorite Dish: I started with the foie gras - pan fried, perfectly caremalised on the outside and melt in the mouth inside. It was served on a bed of pureed lentils but I would have preferred it without, as I don't really like lentils. However, overall I loved the dish.

This was followed by a rare steak, which wasn't as rare as I would have liked though I think the chef knew what he was doing as I just loved it.

The dessert, a grand marnier souffle, was the piece de resistance and served with the grand marnier sauce on the side. It was so heady with liquor that I might have been drunk on the dessert alone:-)

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Los Bandidos is perched on the waterfront right in the middle of the Yacht Marina at Puerto Banus. It's perfectly situated directly beside Louis Vuitton so that you can, after your meal and full of fine wine, wander into LV and spend money you don't have (as I did!).

It's crowded, always crowded, and when you eat there it's easy to see why.

The atmosphere is casual, with tables both inside and out, but the food isn't cheap and the clientel are wealthy.

It's fun just to sit there and people watch, or to allow your eyes to wander along the pictures of 50's stars and gangsters that line the walls.

Service is very efficient, though they do get a bit huffy with you if you dare request a table without having a reservation (or if you turn up 20 mins late, as we did!). Once you have established your right and entitlement to be there, it's a terrific place to eat.

Favorite Dish: They claim to serve Swedish and French cuisine, but to me it was pretty international - concentrating on really good meat and seafood dishes.

I highly recommend the shoulder of baby lamb. It was small and succulent and full of delicious meat. I have never eaten lamb which was quite so pale or quite so tasty. Accompaniments were plentiful and this is one place you will not leave feeling hungry.