Majestic Setting

Located close to the roundabout with the fountain at the entrance to Estepona, on what used to be the site of Palm Beach, access to the restaurant is by descending a solid wooden staircase from the roadside across from a parking area. This sets the tone for what you will encounter below, where natural materials and especially wood predominate with sturdy tables, cushioned chairs, sofas, boardwalks, sun loungers, and a myriad of umbrellas. The setting is so close to the waves breaking on the shoreline, that the scents and flavours of the sea encapsulate you and the menu pays homage to these surroundings.

Curated and directed by the Group’s Head Chef, Txema Palacio, the quality and presentation of the food lives up to the Besaya reputation but here the focus is on the fruits of the sea. Divided into sections: To Share, featuring a myriad of seafood platters you can enjoy with friends; Raw and Natural, with a variety of carpaccios, tuna selections, and more; Oysters with enticing accompaniments; Caviar Riofrío with blinis, Tuna Tataki, Lobster Roll and King Prawn Croquettes; Never Out Of Style offering a range of perennial stalwarts like Alaskan Black Cod with Miso, Steak Tartar and weekly rice specials; The Espeto And The Grill and The Seafoods additional menus; and The Garden, comprising some tantalising side dishes.

We relaxed into our scenic terrace table setting while we contemplated these choices, sipping on refreshing cocktails mixed by Nuria, who has arranged an extensive offering of beverages for all three restaurants. Her bubbly personality is infectious, lending a lot to the dining experience. This was replicated with all the members of staff we encountered, their welcoming attitude and professional conduct leaving you completely at ease.

Fine Dining

Our starters duly arrived and we savoured a plate of succulent Acorn-fed Iberian Ham, also tucking in to flavourful Ajo Blanco Malagueño, Fried Baby Squid with Lime and Ink Mayonnaise, a Trilogy of Red Tuna, and Matured Beef Slices with Smoked Cheese, Truffle and Crispy Bread. These turned out to be ideal for sharing and were a real joy to experience in such a lovely location.

By this time we were in the mood for lingering, and so we took our time in devouring our main course selections, consisting of Grilled Sole with Toasted Garlic which was expertly filleted tableside, Ventresca of Red Tuna, a melt-in-the-mouth Solomillo Rossini, Clams in Salsa Verde, and a delicious Green Salad with Spring Onion and Avocado. All of these dishes exceeded our expectations.

Prolonging our very enjoyable afternoon further, we capped a great lunch with a 35ºC Finca Pascualete retort Cheesecake, lemon sorbert, and coffee.

What else can we say other than “highly recommended”? Grupo Besaya has come up trumps once again with Malva Beach, which can operate even when the weather is not fine, with folding glass doors that open out to surround the core of the premises.