Arbonauta Zagaleta
Arriving at Arbonauta, a restaurant creating quite the foodie buzz at Zagaleta Golf Course, I start to wonder if I have been invited to review one of the most visually appealing restaurants in Spain. The landscape exceeds all prior expectations and if the food is anything like the views, this is going to be exquisite.
“A journey through flavour” is one of their quotes and it couldn’t be more accurate. The large selection of healthy dishes makes it a perfect spot to refuel after a day of golf, or even if you’re not playing, no excuse is needed to indulge (food is served throughout the day).
The menu is almost guaranteed to tantalise all, from salads to a Wagyu burger. Or oysters to a vegetable curry, I suggest you bring friends so that you can all share the entire menu.
For starters I opted for the “Three Assorted Skewers” which consisted of teriyaki chicken, lamb kofta and crispy squid. Yes, I was won over by the multiple selection in one course and I wasn’t disappointed. The meat was cooked precisely and the pairing was perfect. The crispy squid was true to its name and didn’t offer an ounce of chewy rubber, something a number restaurants struggle to do.
The main course selection is when I started to get very excited. Do I stick to meat or venture to the oceans for some seafood? I chose the latter and delved into a dish of “tuna tartare from Almadraba”. It was accompanied with guacamole, wakame and crisp bread… YUM! The combination was sublime and the presentation was very easy on the eyes. Tartare can be slightly risky, a fishy fish is not pleasant, but the slight aroma of tuna paired with the guacamole was simply divine. Almadraba is a Spanish word of Arabic origin, a technique for trapping and catching Atlantic bluefin tuna, making for a perfect catch.
Dessert wasn’t negotiable after the incredible standards of the starter and main course, I had to discover if I could get a hole in one (golf jokes are not my forte). But my sweet tooth was stuck between a tiramisu mille-feuille and an apple tarte tatin. After asking my waiter for their advice, (the staff go above and beyond, definitely ask for their input as they are more than happy to help) I’m lured to the caffeine side and order the tiramisu. I have arrived in chocolate paradise. With the chocolate sponge and chocolate cream, my chocolate dreams have been answered. But don’t assume that this will be a sweet overload, it is simply perfect. Making a wrong decision with the menu seems impossible, because I am certain it is.
The philosophy of Arbonauta is “cocina viajera” which literally translates to “travelling kitchen”, but it means more of an invitation to come and try our cooking. And that is the desire of the expert, know-how chef and the entire team at the restaurant. They want you to call Arbonauta your home, a place where you can relax and enjoy first-class dishes made from only the highest quality ingredients. Embark on a journey that has only just begun, get lost in the menu, your tastebuds will thank you.
