Given as I am to calling the last palate pleaser the “best I have ever had” how many things within a given half year can actually be the best in my long, long life? And that all three of these overhyped phenomena were from Spain within the last seven months is just a little ridiculous. The alleged world beaters by the way are Zumo de Naranja at Casa Antonia in Gaucin, Lomo de Buey at El Churrasco in Cordoba and Lubina at La Cechalote in Malaga. Loosely translated they're OJ, steak and sea bass. Quiz to follow.
In the post two weeks ago I extolled the glories of fresh
fish, an entry prompted by my stroll through the fish stalls of the old port in
Marseille. And, though I have been mightily distracted by today’s jaunt along
the color rich High Road from Santa Fe to Taos, the tale of the Lubina of
Malaga must be told.
Early in the evening of my one night in Malaga I walked along
the shore as dusk fell over the playa. Hordes of walkers, runners and cyclists lent
an urban vitality to the balmy waterfront as I searched for just the right
place for fresh from the sea pescado. I saw half a dozen palapas with open
fires each adjacent to beckoning restaurants along the beach. The glowing pits
told me that fish cooked the old fashioned way was in the forecast. I was
not unhappy.
I drug it as long as I could but along about 9:30pm I picked La Cechalote empty or not. Well not exactly empty. There was a couple and their three year old. Seventy three and I have the eating schedule of a toddler.
I told the waiter that I wanted a whole fish, sardines and
ceviche and would start with a Cava. He brought an icy tray with the fish of
the day. Most had prices of around 15 Euros while two including the Lubina had
the letters TP in the price column. I figured that this was something like our term
“Market Price” but threw caution to the wind and ordered the bass. I am in the
thrall of all things bass. He suggested tapas of the little swimmers
and the ceviche.
After dinner drink priceless.