BY NICK STARK
AFTER AN arduous sailing passage from Sicily to Sardinia to Menorca, a return to terra firma was most welcome as I touched down in Malaga after a short flight from Mahon. I was visiting an old friend from London who lived in Estapona, a charming town on the Spanish coast about 30 minutes south west of Marbella. I’d been here several times in the past ten years, but never tire of the chilled Spanish vibe, the cheap and excellent eats and the good local wine.
My host Richard, originally from Shropshire, has been an expat in Spain for 30 years and knows the ropes, and took me to a host of excellent tapas bars in Estapona shortly after arrival, before we ventured further afield for a short road trip the following day.
Our first stop was Tarifa, a formerly fortified town whose Moorish heritage still looms large today, with its fortified old town and Arabesque architecture. It is famous as the windsurfing capital of Europe but its brutal winds – most often coming across the straits from Africa – also give it the unwelcome distinction of being the suicide capital of Europe. I had no such dismal thoughts during our short visit, where we stopped off at a seafood restaurant right by the docks and had three superb dishes that epitomize the local food scene.
The first was the tortilla de camarones – a simple fritter of ultra-fresh batter enveloping tiny shrimp and flashed fried. This is Spanish comfort food at its best; hot, crispy and redolent of the sea. We followed this with some clams, Tarifa style, cooked in a garlic and tomato sauce that amazingly did not overpower the delicate flavor of the molluscs which are meaty and assertive in this part of the world. Finally we opted for a tuna tataki – Japanese style seared bluefin tuna belly with a piquant dipping sauce. I’ve had this in Los Angeles countless times, but the freshness and quality of the Spanish tuna made for a memorable experience. With beer and water the two of us feasted for less than $40.
About thirty miles down the road lies the town of Zahara….once a sleepy fishing village but now a growing (but still small) resort town boasting a gorgeous wide sandy beach and countless inviting local restaurants and boutiques. We enjoyed a couple of hours lounging on the beach and cooling off in the Atlantic – whose cold, clear waters were a welcome antidote after two weeks in the warmer, but far more polluted Mediterranean.
After a couple of hours bronzing and chilling we headed off on the 45-minute ride to Vejer de la Frontera, a charming hilltop town full of whitewashed buildings and fabulous small, inexpensive restaurants. I had been here before in 2018 and enjoyed a great meal at the former palace of the Califa during Moorish rule, but this time opted for the small and inviting Piccolina restaurant, where we shared the carpaccio of salt-marsh beef with a sugar-cane and cinnamon salsa, a fabulous salad of smoked mozzarella with endive cooked on the grill and tomato confit, and an entrée of pulpo (octopus) a la plancha. With four glasses of tinto de Verano (summer wine – basically a red wine spritzer beloved by the locals) and two coffees the bill came to 40 euros. Very good value for a great meal enjoyed al fresco on the cobblestones while we watched the world go by.
Spain remains a charming, beguiling yet frustrating place – their Covid entry requirements being a case in point – but still one of the best travel destinations for the adventurous traveller. I would recommend it always….but try to avoid the heat of summer if you can. I’ll be back….but only in the spring or fall.
Next time….onwards to Provence.
