Menade in Vélez-Málaga: creativity combined with tradition

Pablo Vega and Pablo Domínguez have mastered the aesthetics of the dish, that is to say, the way a dish should be presented to the diner. Both chefs, trained respectively at the Escuela de Hostelería de Benahavís and Castillo del Marqués, know it very well and a good part of the success they are having at Menade is precisely this attractive chromaticism that most of their dishes have. It had been more than two years since I had been to this restaurant and the truth is that I regret not having done so before. I have found a menu that is much more balanced, well thought out and deeply rooted in traditional cuisine, but adapted and updated to current tastes. In short, a cuisine of this century open to new trends and experiences.

Who would have thought a few years ago that this area of our province would achieve such gastronomic fame? The arrival of young professionals and the enhancement of certain restaurateurs who have been in the business for years are what are making and enhancing the cuisine of this eastern part of the Costa del Sol. It is to be hoped that these gastronomic efforts are reflected once and for all in national guides and publications and do not remain a mere informative formality.

Menade is the restaurant where the 'Pablos' show all their gastronomic creativity, mostly based on local products and many of them under the seal of Sabor a Málaga brand. This restaurant would not be complete without the tandem formed by the two chefs and the good work of Moha Lazar in the dining room. Further proof that cuisine and service must work in unison.

From the first course, appetisers, one can appreciate the positive evolution of this cuisine, where the avocado stone trompe-l'œil, the croquettes and the chicken sandwich stand out, whilst a tuna black pudding lacks balance in terms of flavour and texture. Another of those dishes that remains long in our gustatory memory is the 'steak tartare Caesar', whose roasted bone marrow emulsion reinforces and complements all the flavour of the meat. Another of those dishes that are now iconic is the carob ajoblanco. The best thing is to tuck into its tasting menu to enjoy 21st-century Malaga cuisine.

It is, at least for me, the most successful appetiser of the four served in the tasting menu, in terms of flavour and texture. Thin, crispy chicken skins are the two outer parts that preserve the fried and shredded chicken.