ANDALUCÍA - MÁLAGA - ESTEPONA - LAS GITANILLAS

Sep 8

2 min read

RESTAURANTE LAS GITANILLAS

This restaurant, which we have visited several times, is located in a wonderful spot on a pedestrianised street in the heart of Estepona.

The family have had a restaurant in Estepona since 1970. In 2004, Paco Bazán, son of Francisco Bazán Hormigo and María Peña Gil, who learned from a young age both behind and in front of the bar alongside his parents, opened Las Gitanillas (which is Spanish for the little gypsy girls).

Paco’s daughter, Gema Bazán, now manages the dining room and front of house, while his son, Javier Brazán, is responsible for the wine list and wine cellar.

Famous for its Andalusian atmosphere, the restaurant offers a traditional menu that highlights fresh seafood from the local fish market and vegetables from nearby gardens, including avocados, tomatoes, and broccoli, all of which were all featured prominently this evening.

Once we were settled in, we began with

Vieiras del peregrino (pellegrino scallops, grilled in their shells with butter, parsley and garlic).

Pilgrims who walked the Camino de Santiago traditionally carried a scallop shell as a symbol of their journey to the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral. As a result, scallops cooked in their shells became known as “peregrino,” which means “travelling from place to place.” The lines on the scallop shells represent the various routes that pilgrims took to reach Santiago de Compostela.

Almejas al ajillo (succulent, sautéed clams with EVOO, white wine and garlic).

Berenjena frita con miel de caña (delicious deep-fried aubergines drizzled with cane honey).

They offer an excellent selection of seafood dishes.

We then chose our main course: Lubina en sal (a delicious sea bass cooked in salt).

Solomillo de ternera a la parrilla (grilled beef tenderloin with potatoes).

To drink, we had an excellent, fresh bottle of Komokabras Albariño 2023 from Galicia.

They offer an extensive selection of Andalusian wines, featuring local varieties from the Montes de Málaga wine region.

Earlier, during a warmer lunchtime, we sat on the terrace and enjoyed a generously portioned pescado frito mixto al estilo malagueño (Málaga-style fried fish) accompanied by a couple of glasses of pleasant tinto verano.

The three people in the open-plan kitchen did a superb job. The restaurant has a family atmosphere, complemented by super-friendly, welcoming service from Gema, Carlos, and Jose.