El Taller Torremolinos: Cooking without flames

Six years ago Álvaro Herreros opened this small, almost minuscule restaurant, barely 28 square metres in size and with a capacity, including the terrace, for 18 diners. What started out as a gastronomic curiosity, as it was positioned as a "cuisine without flames" restaurant, has gradually become one of the most interesting establishments in the whole town.

Here you won't find a griddle, a fryer or a kitchen with a glowing charcoal, just an oven, a roner for sous-vide cooking and a salamander (a high temperature grill), and it is with these features that El Taller's entire menu is executed and developed. From this space come dishes such as the swordfish in butter, one of the most requested by its clientele. This is cooked at a low temperature after being falvoured with aromatic herbs and a slight touch of lemon juice to reduce its fat. The end result is very similar to that of a tuna loin, although in this case it has more flavour.

And as Álvaro often says, you can cook without having to go near a flame, all you need to do is increase your imagination, which is why many of his broths and stocks are prepared in the oven with a more than satisfactory result.

Álvaro has always known, especially when he returned from almost three years in the kitchens of Akelarre in San Sebastián, that almost anything could be done in the kitchen as long as the original flavours of the products and tradition were respected. Today El Taller, despite its small space, is one of those establishments that little by little, without making much noise, is managing to become a gastronomic reference point precisely because of its differentiation with respect to all the restaurants around it.

The best way to get to know and taste the flameless cuisine that is prepared here is to order a tasting menu (70 euros) that includes 10 courses, with or without wine pairing. El Taller is one of those curious restaurants that we have in our Malaga and that, if you look closely, break the rules established for most establishments, especially those located in such a tourist town as Torremolinos.

It is one of the most popular dishes along with the swordfish, although if we leave aside its colour, more typical of squid ink than of its flesh, it is a pâté that is too flat in the mouth and lacks the flavour of the cephalopod.

Good, medium-sized loin, just cooked in the oven, is accompanied by a smooth almond butter. The peas, lightly cooked, in addition to a very mild sweetness, add colour to the dish.

An interesting alternative to the way prawns from Malaga are usually prepared and served in this area. A medium-sized seafood, tasty and, after maceration in a green sauce, is a very fresh dish in the mouth.

Tender beef with a pleasant salty touch is accompanied by braised endives to give it a slightly bitter note that contrasts with the sweet taste of the onion pâté. It is one of Álvaro's main dishes.