ANDALUCÍA - MÁLAGA - ESTEPONA - LAS GITANILLAS - SEAFOOD

2 days ago
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 (4th Family generation), now manages the dining room and front of house, and his son, Javier Brazán is responsible for the wine list and wine cellar.

Renowned for its Andalusian atmosphere, the restaurant features a traditional menu showcasing fresh seafood sourced from the local fish market and vegetables from nearby gardens, including avocados, tomatoes, and broccoli, all of which were prominent 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 that walked the Camino de Santiago traditionally carried a scallop shell as a symbol of their journey to the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, so that scallops, cooked in their shells, became known as peregrino (meaning travelling from place to place). The lines on the scallop shells indicate all the different routes the pilgrims had of getting to Santiago de Compostella.

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

Lubina en sal (a very good seabass cooked in salt).

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 managed superbly. The restaurant has a family atmosphere, complemented by super-friendly, welcoming service from Gema, Carlos, and Jose.