This is Palodú, Malaga's new Michelin-starred restaurant

Market-fresh cuisine, respect for the product and a strong sense of Malaga and Andalusian soul define Cristina Cánovas and Diego Aguilar's approach at Palodú. These have always been their guiding principles. Almost 12 years after opening its doors, even more so.

This is because the project for this couple from Malaga, both inside and outside of the kitchen, has evolved from a modest gastropub to the heights of haute cuisine, solidifying its position since moving from Teatinos to Centro district. There, on Calle Sebastián Souvirón, they invite diners to stop and take a break in the restaurant premises they opened two years ago after a refurb by Lago Interioriza. In an elegant, yet still welcoming atmosphere, unpretentious and with an open kitchen, they offer two menus that change according to season and market availability. They reinterpret traditional recipes with a contemporary twist, combining a healthy dose of technique with a pinch of the exotic.

The short, tasting menu, called Alcazul, is priced at 110 euros (with a wine pairing option for 65 euros) and includes a sequence of appetisers consisting of green gazpacho with yuzu kosho (Japanese condiment made with yuzu and chilli pepper), corn crisps with chicken and black miso and a herb taco with snapper, nori (seaweed) and tobiko (flying fish roe). The main courses feature mackerel with ajoblanco and codium seaweed, beef tongue with kefir tartare, white prawn with chicken and fermented lemon, roasted pepper with caramel and spring onion, tempura with egg yolk and pork jowl, lamb with celeriac and, of course, a classic that has been their staple dish for years - red mullet with gazpachuelo. For dessert, there is tomato with goat's cheese and sponge cake with yuzu, miso and palodú (liquorice root, also the restaurant's name).

The longer tasting menu, called Palodú, is priced at 130 euros (with wine pairing for 75 euros) and features the same dishes as Alcazul, but with two more dishes added to the main courses: leek with honey and ash, plus hake with orange and Aloreña olives, another dish that evokes Malaga's roots. On the sweet side, the Palodú menu also has an additional creation to tempt the palate: chocolate, saffron and orange salt.

Cristina Cánovas and Diego Aguilar together form the visible face and driving force behind Palodú but, just as the restaurant has grown, so has the team. Now, Sergio Camacho joins them in the kitchen and Nacho Maraña and Ana Cánovas, Cristina's sister, are at the helm in the dining room. Ana gradually honed her skills until, at La Cónsula, she realised she was on the right path. Today, she strives to ensure customer satisfaction, both through the service and a wine cellar with which she aims to surprise diners with original labels. Keeping it in the family.