Alba by Serafina: Italian cuisine in Marbella

Alba By Serafina is not a new restaurant in Marbella, quite the contrary. For years it was called Serafina and was located in the plaza of the Puente Romano Hotel. It has now moved to the Ancón Sierra area and occupies the place where another restaurant used to be years ago. After undertaking an extensive remodelling of the different spaces, both indoors and outdoors, the cuisine that was once so popular is back with a vengeance, i.e. eclectic elaborations of Italian cuisine.

Perhaps what is most striking at first glance is the setting of the restaurant, very bright and with large outdoor spaces, but it is also interesting the popularity of this restaurant among a public that has not hesitated to move from the so-called Golden Mile to the other side of the boulevard Príncipe Alfonso Honhenlohe. A well-executed cuisine, free of superfluous flourishes, at a high price but without being too much of a shock to the clientele, and an attentive service, have made Alba By Serafina one of those restaurants which, despite not being in the media centre of Marbella's hotel and catering business, enjoys a good reputation among foreign residents and visitors.

The menu is wide-ranging in terms of the diversity of dishes and is designed to meet the demands of its clientele. It ranges from pasta and rice dishes, with pizzas, linguini, ravioli and risotto with pea cream. One chapter is dedicated to antipasti and another to fish and meat dishes. It is perhaps in this latter chapter where we will find the greatest disparity between classic Italian dishes and other fusion cuisine as with the exception of sea bass, salmon, cod and prawns, other seafood is not featured, and there is a much greater variety of meats and cuts. The kitchen is the responsibility of Andrea Di Bartolomeo and the wine cellar of José Aragonés, who keeps a very careful selection of national, international and, as expected, Italian wines. It all adds up to make Alba By Serafina a restaurant of Mediterranean cuisine with Italian influences.

Veal carpaccio . This is one of the most classic dishes on the menu. A good, thin—but not too thin—cut of meat, paired with a flavourful garnish, makes each bite more satisfying as the cheese melds with the veal

Escalopines a la milanesa : Although escalopines a la milanesa is not a traditional dish from Milan, but rather from Argentina, this dish is right on the button.

Calamarata Fruti di Mare : A good, medium-sized, almost al dente pasta is served with a slightly thick and very tasty seafood sauce. It is one of the most popular pasta dishes.

Strawberry and cream sponge cake and kefir ice cream : There is a wide range of desserts on the menu such as this soft sponge cake with cream and red fruits. The kefir ice cream is a perfect accompaniment to the sponge cake.