PiCú, in Puerto Banús: Fusion seafood cuisine

It is becoming increasingly difficult to find good seafood restaurants in Marbella. With little fanfare, restaurants specialising in high quality seafood and fish have been disappearing and what we find today are places where the speciality is conspicuous by its absence, although there are always a few, not many, exceptions. Once upon a time, for example, in Puerto Banús it was relatively easy to find more than one restaurant where fish and a variety of seafood formed an essential part of the gastronomic offer of these establishments.

PiCú is currently the only interesting option for seafood cuisine, where fish and seafood are the mainstay of the menu, a menu that also offers some Asian-Mediterranean fusion dishes. The influx of a varied public, mostly international, has forced Noelia Thames, its owner, to expand the dining room. PiCú's location, at the prestigious end of the dock, is another attraction when it comes to choosing this culinary option, where there is always a selection of rice dishes, mostly seafood. Amongst these rice dishes, the most outstanding is the mellow seafood rice and for lovers of rice with meat there are two options, the classic chicken and vegetables and another, much more powerful in terms of flavour, the beef rice dish made with a rich stock and flavoured with saffron and rosemary.

The menu is quite explicit and, along with the whole fish and seafood there are the more classic starters, including battered prawns accompanied by a kimchi sauce, which makes this classic dish one of those Asian-Mediterranean fusion dishes that uses one of the most commonly used condiments in Korean and Japanese cuisine. Perhaps this sauce could have done with a little more spice to round off the tempura and make it even tastier. Another of PiCú's classic dishes, according to demand, is the "mussels with dill" or, rather, dressed with a soft cream where the aromas and flavour of this herb accompany the steamed mussels very well. The "Japanese" touch, so fashionable in most seafood restaurants, is essentially based on a variety of sashimi and tuna tataki. PiCú is the most authentic offer in this cosmopolitan port.

A dish designed to be shared and especially for those who do not like it raw. Good-sized prawns, battered and fried just long enough to be crispy, warm and juicy.

A light cream, but with a strong dill flavour, accompanies these medium-sized mussels. The dill cream is the link between flavour and juiciness, although the mussels should have been cooked for less time.

The most striking thing is the size and quality of the oyster, Gillardeau num 2. The best thing to do is to order one of each per diner and try the chef's suggestions, one with mojito, one with passion fruit and one in ceviche.

The classics, i.e. the Romans and Greeks, called this fish the "pheasant of the sea" and they were right. Its gelatinous and soft flesh makes it a special fish to be prepared whole in the oven. At PiCú they prepare it perfectly.