Base9 — Restaurant in Málaga

Cozy place with great food close to the city center ✨

That’s another one of the places that’s been so highly recommended by friends that I couldn’t wait to go and visit it myself. I’ve heard wonders about their croquetas and tortilla, so on a Friday evening it was time to test them out and see for myself what all the buzz was about.

Let’s start with the location - super centric and close to the metro/train stations, yet avoiding the hectic rush of the city center, Base9 is located in Malaga’s Perchel Sur, just next to the river canal. It has a very cozy and welcoming atmosphere, making you feel like you are in a peaceful little bubble and could be anywhere in the world.

The staff is super professional and kind, and the owners themselves are present, coming and going between the kitchen and serving some of the dishes as well. This close care shows as well in the quality and the aesthetics of the food - the dishes are not only super tasty, with a variety of flavors in each one, but very eye pleasing as well. The croquetas were definitely a hit, perfectly crunchy on the outside and very creamy / almost liquid on the inside. The tortilla as well is served in its modern version, with the egg yolk only lightly cooked (yet pasteurized) and with a wasabi mayonnaise on the side. We’ve also ordered a serving of alboronía and rice - both extremely rich in flavors, which made it very difficult to decide which one was the best, as we loved every bite of both plates.

Dessert wise, I fell in love with the brownie moruno. I know some people might find it surprising as it mixes the sweetness of the traditional chocolate taste and the flavor of moruno spices with a touch of yoghurt, but if you are like me and enjoy going beyond the usual recipes, you’ll definitely get a lot of value for your courage with this dessert ;)

Important to know: the menu is not too long as the owners focus on quality over quantity and give a lot of attention to each dish, the menu changes often as well, so I’ll definitely be going to Base9 again to see what they come up with next time, the dishes are tapa/media sized and are thought to be shared between two people, and 4-6 dishes is the recommended amount to order (4 + dessert is what worked for us).

Lastly, I was quite curious about the restaurant’s name and I’ve been told it also has a deep meaning for the owners as 9 is their lucky number and had to be included in their venture. I’ll be crossing fingers for them and for the amazing waitress Silvia, that made our visit go from enjoyable to extraordinary with her delightful attitude and the wonderful attention she gave us all throughout...

About a month ago, I made a reservation at this restaurant and visited for dinner. I had booked the table about two weeks in advance and arrived three minutes before my reservation time. Although it was a perfectly normal arrival time, I was asked to leave because the restaurant had not officially opened yet. I was a bit surprised, but thought, “Fair enough,” and went for a short walk before returning three minutes later.

When I came back, the same waiter told us that the restaurant was already fully booked for the day. I explained that we had made a reservation. The waiter, clearly busy, told us to wait again, and eventually seated us at a small, high table tucked away in the corner; the only one of its kind in the entire dining room, and quite uncomfortable.

There were plenty of regular tables available in the main dining area, so we asked if we could sit at one of those instead. However, we were told that we could only sit at the table we had been assigned, and that we would not be served if we moved. No effort was made to explain why we were given that particular table.

The food itself was good; delicate flavours and well-prepared dishes. But the service really undermined the overall dining experience. My impression was that the restaurant tends to prioritise local guests. The guest who arrived later and were seated at the regular tables all appeared to be locals.

I do appreciate when a restaurant values its local community, but if that’s the case, why is it listed in the Michelin Guide; a guide meant for travellers seeking fine dining experiences? I’m generally an easy-going person, but this visit left me feeling distinctly unwelcome. The waitstaff weren’t rude per se, just inexperienced; it felt as though someone from the kitchen had been asked to handle...

Great ideas, food beautifully presented but considerable room for improvement

Having read the gushing reviews we chose Base9 for a special lunch. It’s a small restaurant and we were encouraged by the number of people they turned away. They serve small plates and we asked to be taken on a journey through the menu. I intend these comments to be constructive criticism. It is the fashion these days to have paper napkins and no tablecloths or place mats. That’s fine but with a bill that ran to 220 euros for 3 we expected fresh bread rather than the pan de ayer we were served and the toilets should be cleaned before service. The food was beautifully presented - picture perfect. However in every single case there was an issue with the seasoning. In general the sauces were too sweet and with one dish too salty. The secreto had been carved finely and was cooked to the point - but it was unexpectedly tough. At an adjacent table we saw one person having to hold the meat with their fork whilst the other sawed through it. As other reviewers have mentioned there was little choice of desserts. In saying that one of us is a real aficionado of arroz con leche and he thought the crunchy topping a la crème brûlée was novel and delicious. Clearly a lot of thought and work goes into the recipes and cooking in Base9. They have great ideas and the presentation was faultless - perhaps review the consistency and flavour balance of the sauces - and always serve...