Bardal, dizzying (and star) cuisine in Ronda
Between tourists and postcards hides ** Bardal .** There his chef, Benito Gomez , offers a great gastronomic journey through local flavors.
Almost hidden among souvenir shops, the location of the bardal restaurant is privileged halfway between The Tajo de Ronda and the bullring. There he has earned, by hand, a gap between the national gastronomy directed by the chef Benito Gomez , a Barcelonan who has been living in this city of Malaga for half his life. The mountains, bike rides and the nature of the Genal Valley they caught him forever.
Cold and citrus gazpachuelo, seaweed with cream and sardine in Bardal
After four years in the kitchens of the legendary Tragabuches, Gómez opened a little over a decade ago swallow , A wonderful place for tapas with all the flavor of Ronda. There he stabilized, matured and grew. Until the body asked for more gear.
"I understood that it was time to open a restaurant that was exactly the way I wanted, where you can work under my philosophy and from the most absolute freedom ", says the cook. This is how Bardal was born.
snack tray
The beginnings cost . There were hardly any customers. There was little work. Until in the spring of 2017 everything began to change. Word of mouth was working and the small room of the restaurant was filling up. In summer booking was no longer easy.
And in autumn a bomb was dropped in the form of recognition: **on November 22nd Bardal received his first Michelin star** (the ninth in the province of Malaga) and the phone never stops ringing. So much so that there is currently hardly any room until March.
His kitchen is hard to define, but Gomez likes to call his "an Andalusian restaurant" . "Here we play to make everything recognizable. The surprise does not come in strange forms, but rather when the menu makes it clear to you that you are eating in Round . Our cuisine is deeply rooted in the local ", highlights the chef, who although he includes in his dishes products that are caught a little further from the city -such as oysters- he always investigates with his environment as a starting point.
Royal and duck tartare
After a few days of rest, Bardal reopens on February 10. It's time to try appetizers like the Fried boletus bun, the very tasty Chestnut and bacon or Monkfish liver confit in colored butter . Bites that transmit the rural and gastronomic context of Ronda, with a traditional point of view and innovative contributions with great research behind each step, each preparation.
And if the beginnings of the menu offer clear and surprising flavors, as it goes through it, the local not only gains presence, but also becomes richer in nuances and the fun grows.
A good example is the exquisite Deer Bordeaux style, cooked at low temperature for 36 hours, but also the Red mullet, juice from their heads and parsley , the Royal and duck tartar either Yellow tomato gazpacho, cured tomatoes and scallop.
Red mullet, juice from their heads and parsley
In Bardal they know that the final stretch of a menu can also mark a gastronomic experience . That's why, the desserts are taken care of to the maximum detail . The Frozen apple water and calvados tablet serves to refresh body and soul, while the plate of Raspberry, pistachio, yogurt and payoyo cheese not only enters the eyes, but is a fusion of flavors as unexpected as amazing.
It will be very difficult to find a dish like that, followed by a mix of chocolates and some sweets among which, how could it be otherwise, is a tasty pit yolk , one of the most traditional sweet snacks in Ronda.
final sweets
But the days of the menu with which Bardal has obtained its first Michelin star are numbered. As of February 10, the team led by Benito Gómez will progressively and little by little introduce new dishes, until the March, 15th They hope to have a totally renewed menu.
"Everything has already been worked on and tested, so we are looking forward to bringing out the new artillery" , relates the chef with enthusiasm, who highlights nearby products such as artichokes and asparagus as part of the new dishes, but also the increased work with local producers.
Among them, he emphasizes the use of the so-called Golden pig, a native breed from Ronda that is signed by the Dehesa de los Monteros It has been rescuing from oblivion for years. "We are going to be practically the first to be able to serve them fresh in prey, sirloin or ribs," says Gómez, who faces this stage with as many ambitions as challenges, which include practically doubling the capacity of diners with the use of a new dining room.
With a firm step, security and heart, Bardal is on his way to exceeding his own expectations. The best excuse, without a doubt, to go down to the south and savor even more the always romantic Ronda.
Address: Calle José Aparicio, 1, 29400 Ronda, Málaga See map
Telephone: 951 48 98 28
Schedule: From Tuesday to Sunday from 1:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and from 8:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. (closed on Mondays)
Half price: €80