AVE - Luxe Train Travel

I almost forgot to post about the AVE and how it's our favorite way to travel to Madrid.  Quick, easy and super comfortable, its' a pleasure to travel by train especially in these times of airport stress and flight delays.  It takes a mere 2.5 hours by fast train from Malaga to Madrid and you arrive right smack in the center of town at Atocha station.  The ride is quick and if you take either Preferente (Business) or Club (First), complimentary WiFi and refreshments are included in the fare.  There is already an AVE from Malaga to Barcelona (via Zaragoza) and another one to Sevilla very soon.  We choose train travel over air travel any day and hopefully, it will soon be possible to hop on a fast train to get around most of Europe.

LA MORAGA

La Moraga is a tapas bar located in a small alley off Malaga's main pedestrian street, Marques de Larios. It's at the end of Calle Fresca and might be hard to find if you don't know where to look. We had heard about this place from a few people and it was highly recommended by a chef when we asked for restaurant suggestions in Malaga.

We reserved a table a few days earlier since we didn't want to arrive and not have space at the tapas bar. Upon booking, we were told that all those who made a reservation (there is a small closed off section at the back where two tables are) must order the 35 euro menu de degustacion (tapas tasting menu). I inquired if we could order some other tapas as well and was told that normally there were seven tapas in the set menu and they were more than enough for a meal.

We arrived at the bar about 10 minutes after they open at 8 p.m. and were able to snag two stools at the corner of the long metal bar. Before we ordered, we indicated that we would like to cancel our table booking and just stay at the bar, the reason being we wanted to taste as many different tapas as we could and with the tasting menu, we both had to eat the same seven tapas throughout. The waitress told us that was fine and then went to tell the maitre'd that we were the table for two that had reserved and were now opting to stay at the bar. The maitre'd was upset and said that we couldn't really do that since he would lose several seats at the bar etc. In the end, he agreed saying that this time he would allow it. (I say why not give the customer what they want? Why penalize the ones who reserve ahead of time by forcing them to eat the same seven tapas which was our main contention.)

After the issue was resolved and we were finally settled at the bar, we were given the menus. The tapas listed are divided into nine sections - Frias (cold), Sopas (soups), Tarros (jars of spreadable items), Fritura (fried), Flamenquin (rolled, fried bites), Pan (bread), Pinchos (skewers), Guisos (stews) and finally Dulce (sweet or desserts). Each section has about three or four items. We decided to try something from every section except for the soups which were all cold soups which is a bit strange especially since it's gotten quite chilly recently. We made our choices and were served a small basket of bread - salty crackers and bits of Focaccia which arrived with our wine, both Ribera del Duero reds - a Montebaco for myself and an Arzuaga Crianza for A. The tapas came one after another soon afterwards so here's a rundown on what we had.

From the cold tapas, we chose three tapas - Lasagna de Boquerones (white anchovy), Brandada de bacalao (cod puree) and the Ensalada de Kumato (tomato salad). The cod was a smooth mash of fish with just the right amount of salt while the boquerones and tomate were cheekily presented. The former served in an open sardine tin and was layers of anchovy interspersed with roasted peppers and roasted aubergines to make it look like a lasagna. The latter was quartered tomatoes draped with a bit of anchovy and drizzled with a creamy dressing for a modern take on a caesar salad. We also ordered a Morcilla y manzana (Blood sausage and apple) from the spreads as well. The mini mason jar was filled with a tasty spread of smashed blood sausage topped with a layer of apple puree and served with some Melba toast.

Next up were the fried items - croquetas de salchichon (a deep-fried sausage croquette) and the Flamenquin de espinaca (similar to a Cordon bleu, this version had ham filled with spinach and rolled in breadcrumbs).

This was followed by our bread choice - a mini Mollete de Antequera (a special white slipper bread from Antequera that is typical in Andalusia) filled with choricillo (small chorizos). It came warm with caramelized onions and spread with mayonesa de mostaza (mayonnaise mustard) and chipotle sauce.

There were only two pinchos, so we ordered them both - cordero con taboule and pollo barbacoa. The lamb were tender chunks of meat marinated in a spice rub on top of taboule while the chicken were barbecue-flavoured chunks served over crushed potatoes. The lamb was much tastier than the chicken and more tender too. The chicken pieces were a bit dry and frankly pretty boring after all the delicious tapas we had already had.

Last on the list was one of the four stewed items or guisos. We chose the ravioli de rabo de toro (oxtail ravioli) as rabo de toro is a typical dish in this region, especially with the many bullfights that take place around here.

Finally, we ended our meal with a tarta de limon (lemon tart) and the mousse de chocolate negro (dark chocolate mousse), both of which came in their signature mini-mason jars. The lemon tart was creamy and sweet-sour while the bitter chocolate was offset by a sliver of passion fruit.

So far so good - we managed to polish off ten delicious tapas and a dessert each totalling twelve mini dishes and actually only two short of the tasting menu we had initially booked for. The big difference is that we spent 53 Euros (including two glasses of wine and mineral water) instead of 70 Euros (tasting menu for two people).

My advice - forget about booking a table, get there early instead, grab a stool, enjoy the elbow-to-elbow crowded bar and dig in for some wonderful tapas. The best part about this little place is that it's packed with a local clientele, something that's rare in this part of Andalusia, and definitely a good sign.

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LA MORAGA

Calle Fresca, 12

29015 Malaga

Tel: +34 952 226 851

**** Food - cheekily presented tapas and tasty little dishes

**** Atmosphere - a modern tapas bar bustling with a local clientele

*** Service - quick and efficient although they should change their table reservation policy

Mini-break: Malaga

Malaga, a port city in Andalusia, is often bypassed by tourists on their way to the beaches of the Costa del Sol. Although lacking the historical landmarks of nearby Granada and Seville, Malaga does have a few interesting sights that shouldn't be missed. The oldest would be the Alcazaba (the Arabic word for fortress), which was built during the 11th century, while the most impressive would be the 16th century cathedral. There are also a few cultural landmarks worth a visit - the Picasso museum and the contempoary art museum - CAC Malaga.

The drive to Malaga is about forty minutes so on Saturday, we left home in the afternoon with just enough time to check in at the hotel. We had booked a deluxe room at the Molina Lario, a four-star hotel right in the center of town with views to the Cathedral. It is also very near the pedestrian street Marques de Larios that leads to the main square, Plaza de Constitucion, where the chic boutiques and cafes of Malaga are found. After a short walk around the area, we went back to change for dinner at a tapas bar that came highly recommended - La Moraga.

Sunday morning was another bright and sunny day so after our hotel breakfast, we headed to the cathedral to peek inside and appreciate the mixture of Gothic and Renaissance interiors then continued on for another stroll around the tiny side streets that eventually lead to the Plaza de Constitucion. It was already noon by then and time for us to end our mini-break and head back home. We had already been to the Picasso museum so we still have the Alcazaba, the Gibralfaro castle and the contemporary art collection at the CAC to see on our next visit to Malaga.

CAFE OCHO

Once a month when I go to see my doctor in Malaga, my husband and I always stop for a quick coffee with a pan con tomate at this little cafe - Cafe Ocho- right below my doctor's office on Malaga's main street - the Avenida de Andalucia. Ten cafes name is taken from the eight different types of coffee traditionally served in this part of Spain from the solo (espresso) to the nube (meaning cloud, it's a small glass of hot milk with a drop of espresso).

Matteo (actually Matthew), the proprietor, is from Northern England but has lived in Malaga for many years and speaks Spanish fluently, albeit with a distinct accent. One can see that he loves what he does and enjoys interacting with his many regular clients, remembering their names and what they usually order. The coffee he serves from Cafes Castel is very good and the Catalana (toasted bread with Jamon Serrano, crushed tomatoes and olive oil) is very good plus a steal at the set breakfast price of 2.70 Euros. If you ever find yourself in Malaga, drop by and see what I mean, I'm sure that you'll enjoy the service, the ambiance and the coffee.

QUIDAM: Cirque du Soleil in Malaga

Went to see Cirque du Soleil's Quidam yesterday afternoon with our six-year old. It was his first time at the circus and he really enjoyed himself. My husband and I had been to Cirque du Soleil's Corteo when we were living in Montreal and once to see Ka at the MGM in Las Vegas. Although the Las Vegas show was understandably the flashiest, I really still enjoy the big-top travelling shows the most. The atmosphere of watching a show on a round stage inside a large tent while having popcorn and drinks beats the auditorium version.

Photos taken from the Cirque du Soleil Quidam website from upper left, clockwise: the Diabolos, the Aerial wheel, the Statue and the Clown

There were 5 different acts in the first half, followed by a half-hour break and then another five in the second half. My husband's favorite were the four Chinese girls with their spinning tops, called the Diabolos while my son's favorite was the man inside the large wheel. I really enjoyed the couple who did a balancing act, statue-style. The crowd had a good laugh with the clown's antics especially when he chose four spectators to participate in a funny pantomime. After the two and a half hour show, we drove back to Marbella and stopped by for a quick Chinese dinner at our new favorite restaurant, Golden Sun (more on that in another post soon), before heading home.

24 Hours in Malaga

After our dinner in Montana, we checked in at the Hotel Larios which is on Malaga's main pedestrian street, Calle Marques de Larios. The classical facade has been retained while the interiors are art deco. Our corner room overlooked the plaza de la constitucion and had a perfect view of the square and the young people enjoying the warm spring weather on a Friday evening.


Early the next morning, we had breakfast at the Cafe Central . One of the oldest cafes in Malaga, the Central is famous for the unique way one can order coffee from a solo (espresso) to a nube (cloud) and the amount of milk added to it giving all clients a chance to adapt their coffee to their own taste. This historical institution dates back to the beginnings of the 20th century and was actually the site of three different establishments - the Cafe Suizo, the Cafe Munich and the original Cafe Central - which were then combined into one. The walls are decorated with historical photos of the Plaza de la Constitucion. There is also a delicatessen with regional food products from wines and jamon to cheeses and olive oil.

We explored many of the side streets afterwards and noticed that many of the facades were being renovated. There's a lot to see in Malaga - from 3rd century Roman remains to the impressive 8th century Alcazaba fortress built by the Moors as well as cathedrals and churches from when the Catholics took over the city in 1489. Most of these are within walking distance of the plaza.

We didn't have time to do all the sights in one day so we chose to just walk around the city center towards the cathedral and then make our way to the museum of Malaga's most famous son, Pablo Picasso. Opened in 2003, the Picasso museum is in the beautifully restored Buenavista palace, a national monument and an example of 16th century renaissance architecture. The permanent collection of 155 of the artist's works were donated by Picasso's grandson and his wife and is composed of oils, sketches, sculptures, ceramics and graphic works which shows the extraordinary and prolific career of the artist. In the museum's basement there is also an archeological site wherein Phoenician, Roman and Arab remains and ruins were unearthed. There is also a small bookstore and a modern cafe with wonderful outdoor seating in the museum's garden.

After our visit, we walked slowly back to the hotel, checked out and drove home to spend the rest of Saturday and Sunday with our son along with an armful of the weekend newspapers.

MONTANA

Late Friday afternoon, we decided to drive to Malaga (7o kms. away) have dinner there and spend the night. Having lived in Marbella a year now, I'm ashamed to say that I've never actually explored the city except to go to the airport or see my doctor.

The Spanish have dinner very late so we were able to make a last-minute booking for the first seating at 9:00 p.m. We arrived in Montana a quarter past nine and not surprisingly, we were the first ones to arrive.

This year-old restaurant in the city center is in a 19th century palacete (small palace) which was the former German consulate. The building has been beautifully restored and is now a gastronomic palace focusing on modern Mediterranean cuisine. A central courtyard typical to the region's architecture provides outdoor seating in the warmer months and the back wall has been planted with several palm trees to create a lovely garden. Tables are spread out on both the upper and lower levels and the dining area has been transformed into a sllek space accented by abstract art and contemporary furniture.

The menu focuses on Mediterranean cuisine with a strong leaning towards regional specialties. This can best be experienced by the six-course tasting menu. We opted to go a la carte this time around and save the degustation for another time. (I should mention here that as it is Lent and it was a Friday, we guilty Catholics made sure to avoid ordering meat).

The sommelier helped us choose from their extensive list of 400 wines. We had the Naranjuez, a regional wine from the hills of Sierra Nevada in Granada. It was a 2004 vintage and was a light red composed of six varietals: Tempranillo, Syrah, Merlot, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

After placing our order we were offered the bread basket which had at least a dozen types of bread. We both chose two: corn and olive for me and wholewheat and olive oil for Alex. Amuses-bouches were set down on the table soon after - a shot of velvety smoked pumpkin soup with a sesame crisp.

To start, I had the grilled Chipirones served over potatoes cooked in squid-ink and Alex had the poached and truffled free-range eggs on crispy breadcrumbs. The smoky sliver of truffle contrasted well with the runny egg yolk and the crispy breadcrumbs. My appetizer of tiny grilled squid squid were fantastically fresh and the smashed lumpy potatoes that accompanied them tasted of the sea.

My main course was the one of the two fish specials that day - Pan-fried sea bass served with grilled baby vegetables - carrot, leek, fennel, cherry tomatoes and zucchini - drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and a splash of wine vinegar. It was simple, perfectly cooked, quite delicious and light. Alex had two typical and well-known Spanish fish together in one dish - the bacalao (cod) confit with hake cheeks in garlic and chili or more commonly known as "al pilpil".

We finished the meal with a molten-centred hazelnut cake and spice ice cream for me - just like having a hazelnut flavoured baby cake oozing with liquid Nutella - and Alex had the dark chocolate cream with mandarin sorbet. Coffee was needed after those rich desserts and we ended the meal with two espressos served with petit fours of lime yoghurt shots, mini madeleines and a tiny spoonful of chocolate mousse. They were lovely to look at but we were too full to try any of them.....maybe next time..

It was a wonderful meal made even more special by the company and the fact that it was all spur-of-the-moment. Montana restaurant is a great reason to visit Malaga again.

Montana

Compas de la Victoria 5, 29012 Malaga

Tel: +34 952 65 12 44 or +34 952 26 32 81

TIP: There is a wonderful living room upstairs overlooking the courtyard which can be booked for private dinners.