FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL mountains

Halfway up the windy road to Ronda, El Coto is one of the most exciting openings this year on the Costa del Sol, writes Jon Clarke

a ‘real winner’ insisted my dining partner, Olive Press sales executive Matt Jones.

The ‘Tomato experience’ at €12.81 was an absolute steal, while another delicious starter of smoked mackerel, with roasted peppers and parsley on toast came in at €12.48.

These are keen prices cleverly worked out on market costs and overheads and it’s perhaps no surprise that they are starting to finally see diners driving up from the nearby Golden Mile and even Sotogrande, 30 minutes away. Word is spreading.

It is certainly one of the most exciting openings of the year so far. Not to mention most costly, with the renovation and interior design alone, coming in at ‘well over €1 million’.

But the money spent really shows the moment the place appears on a bend of the windy

A-397 to Ronda. Nestled in oak woodland, interspersed with carobs and umbrella pines, the original claret-coloured building is really striking. And its views, particularly from the top floor terrace towards the Serrania de Ronda and the emblematic La Concha mountain, are incredible, while surprisingly you don’t hear the road, thanks to a clever use of fountains.

“When I first saw the place I thought it was too big,” explains Rogers. “It was expensive for just a huge shell with ev erything stripped out. But my business partner thought otherwise.”

That was four years ago and, after a combination of hiccups, including the pandemic and the war, it finally opened this Spring.

And what a stunning intervention the architects have made; a wonderful use of space inside, with original art works, natural wood floors and un usual recessed ceilings and skylights, maximising on light in winter.

The only thing that didn’t change was the wine cellar by the front door, which today is stocked with some incredible chestnuts. Part of Rogers collection that includes a 2015 Mouton at €2,200 and a 1994 Petrus at ‘many thousands’ more, but thankfully with plenty of local Spanish wines, some starting at €25.

Back to the food. And, well, it’s exceptionally good, as it has to be half way up a mountain and with Andalucia’s dining capital of Marbella right on its doorstep.

I would have tried one of the specials of the day, in particular the spicy ginger and carrot soup, if it hadn’t been for the heat. The lobster ravioli with a samphire and shellfish bisque, plus the pork belly and pigs cheek with kimchi, were tempting as starters, while the fish pie with tempura pickled clams as a main did tickle my fancy. A vegan dish of strudel, filled with sweet potato also intrigued me. But I plumped for the pan-fried turbot, with beetroot, fennel and orange salad, vanilla and cardamom and was certainly happy, if there wasn’t quite enough actual fish (and yes, I do get the cost of proper line-caught fish these days).

I must give a mention to the stunning lemon cheesecake which was very light, coming in a crunchy shell of white chocolate with delicious lemon rind. A real work of art… as was head waiter Andy, who grew up in George Formby’s house near Manchester and went off to fight as a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan, next to Prince Harry, and ended up with 750 stitches in ‘first contact’ hand to hand combat. But that’s a whole different story. My advice: get in there now, nice and early, while the average price per head is far too reasonable, and before it wins anything silly like a Michelin star. www.cotorestaurante.com

2nd Disfrutar, Barcelona

MODERN techniques and personal talents come together in Disfrutar’s gastronomic experience.

Set up by the trio of chefs, Mateu

Casañas, Oriol Castro and Eduard Xatruch, it sits behind a typical tapas joint, unfolding into a cavernous space behind. This is the first of ‘many surprises’ in what the judges describe as some of the ‘world’s most modish dishes’. Punters experience the classic