La Barra de Zapata — Restaurant in Málaga

Update: Reviewed last summer but updated.

This might go down as a top 5 dinning experience of all time. We enjoyed the food, the staff, the cooks, the owners so much we booked two nights later and went back for a second visit. IMO this restaurant is worthy of a star rating one day soon.

Here is what stood out food wise and I will describe the first one in detail to let you know how creative this couple can be:

Chistorras - They center this dish with a chistorras (sausage tastier then anything you can find from the Basque Region of Spain). They melt a generous amount of Manchego Cheese over the top and under is the surprise of the dish = A polenta type base but instead of using corn has somehow created this entire base with the most flavorful of chickpeas. This dish was sinfully delicious.

Momo - dumplings but once again done with a twist of unique flavor Ensalada de Cangrejo - They list this as a salad? LOL this is a delicious creation of open flavorful crab on a bed of delicious green sea weed with some sort of white foamy cream that together blend into heaven to your tastebuds. Arroz Meloso - a large risotto dish where once again they somehow combine some flavors to make you want to grab all 4 spoons they give you to share and instead try to eat as much of this as possible for yourself - LOL. Bao - These buns where simply unreal. They spend 8 hours slow cooking the pork and the spices and even the bun all come together in a delicious dish.

Once again we went back twice and tried 5-6 more things that are not listed above but these where the...

The enthusiastic and personable owner, Rafael, greets and takes every guest through the contents of the menu. The culinary tour begins in the imagination as he spells out the methods used to cook, how it will be plated, and accessory items such as sauces or foams that will accompany the dish. The appetite is whet and the "difficult" decision as to what to order is left to the guest. Rafael is the star of this establishment in that he is the heart and soul with his enthusiasm for the food igniting a similar yearning in the guest. One certainly feels at home here. Not rushed. Not hurried. The decision to eat is central to the experience and he allows the patron to do just that.

The co-host to Rafael is his son who is the Chef. The vision for each dish is developed by both but the son executes. And he is exemplary in his execution. The guest is presented with food that is visually stunning. One almost doesn't want to eat the food for fear of ruining the creation on the plate! The flavours surpass the presentation. We eat with our eyes! And this establishment gives us the combination of look and taste to satiate the senses of sight, smell, and taste.

I would highly recommend the beef carpaccio ball. The Bao are pillows filled with braised pork cheek. All seafood selections are intensely flavourable and delectable.

La Barra de Zapata is a must if you are in Malaga. Be sure to make a reservation. Space is limited and demand is high. Word of great cuisine...

La Barra de Zapata is a hidden gem of a restaurant. Nestled away from the bustling main streets, it offers a cozy retreat in a quiet side alley.

The hospitality here is exceptional and incredibly personalized. Rafael welcomed us warmly and took the time to introduce us to their diverse menu.

Our choices included the Momos, Carpaccio, Crab Salad, and the Three Mushroom Risotto (one of them being truffle). Each dish was a culinary delight and presented with artistic flair. The Carpaccio, although bursting with various flavors, had one minor drawback: it was slightly creamier due to the presence of cream cheese, which was unexpected "heavy" for a Carpaccio. However, the Soft-Shell Crab stole the show with its eye-catching presentation, and hearing Rafael explain the preparation of this unique combination was intriguing. It's unfortunate that these crabs need to be imported from Vietnam.

In our opinion, the standout was the Risotto, surpassing even the one we had at El Meson des Cervantes. Of course, this depends on your affinity for mushrooms, especially truffles – we absolutely loved it.

Thank you for the delightful evening, Rafael and team. We'll be back next...