Chinese restaurant in Marbella
It is nearly 1am so just a quick tappety tap before I sucumb to the night demons…..we went out on Friday night to La Canada and ate at M. Wok upstairs near Burger King.
They have a buffet, eat as much as you want menu, I think it was around 11.95 for an adult and half of that for children under the age of 12.
The service was very good, we ate outside on the terrace which was nice and private and the food was super tasty, my favourite was the beef and the steak. Super clean, lots of choice of duck, prawns, noodles all ready with seasoning and sauce. Behind that was a BBQ section. The steak there was absolutely delicious and you could keep on going back, which the boys of the house did. They also have a sushi section and ice-cream, fruits, cakes…..little Erikita couldn’t believe that she could try vanilla ice-cream, then the strawberry and then finish with some peaches and nobody was going to tell her off or call her a greedy guts. Well, apart from her brother.
Once Conrado tried the Hotel Puente Romano’s buffet ( superb if you don’t mind donating a kidney to pay for it) and he fell asleep at the table he was so full. That didn’t happen this time but he didn’t half pack away a lot of food, so it offered great value and the novelty of being able to choose what you wanted and go back again and again amused the children no end.
Will certainly go back again. Lovely people, lovely food.
M.Wok La Canada upstairs opposite Kentucky Tel 952860593
Garum restaurante cafe bar Marbella
Garum Restaurant Marbella, delicious cheesecakes!
I have just come back with my husband from a very pleasant experience at Garum restaurante and cafe bar in Marbella. Garum is located right in the centre of Marbella on the promenade, front line beach and can be recognized from its modern terrace with bright crimson chairs, matching red lamps and decorations. Excellent service from staff that smile and excellent cakes! If you are a cheesecake addict, then pitch up a tent on their terrace…..
With coffee I do like something sweet and today it was New York Cheesecake that I was after. I knew that the chance of me finding somewhere on the paseo that served New York Cheesecake was slim, very slim…unlike my thighs.
Well Garum was the answer to my prayers, or at least my hunger pangs. They have a choice of at least TEN cheesecakes. I know, I counted them. Next task…to try them all. New York cheesecakes, cheesecakes with a boozy kick, you name it, you want it, Garum has it. Great prices too, from 4.50 euros. My New Yorker had lots of raspberry topping, thick biscuit base…..golly I could almost devour another.
My husband had one of the ice-cream cups which he said was really good.
I didn’t get a chance to take a photo of the cheesecake because by the time I thought about taking it, I had already eaten three quarters of it.
Photos of the outside of Garum are here. Will certainly be going back again.
The contact number for Garum is 952858858 and their website is www.garummarbella.com. If you are parking at Plaza el mar it is just a 5 minute walk on the paseo as though you were heading towards the lighthouse.
Enjoy….
Pizza Puerto Banus
Erikita liked the look of her dessert from the children's menu
We struggled today in Puerto Banus to find somewhere good to eat. Goyo was closed until 5pm, Terra Sana in Banus Marina just let us sit and sit and then sit more before I finally walked. We finally settled for the Pizza restaurant opposite El Corte Ingles, it used to be called Pizza Express but I think the sign now says Pizza Pizza. Not as good as Picassos front line on the port, but it was very convenient to where we were shopping and at 4.00pm they were still serving food.
They have a children’s menu for those under 10 years for around 6.90 euros which includes a main meal, a drink and a dessert. The pizza was small, so Erikita shared some of mine ( adults pizza are from around 8 euros and up). The kiddies dessert went down very well as it had some chocolate cake/brownie inside it.
Not that much atmosphere inside, the main waitress was smiley, adult pizza was good, children’s pizza a bit dry on the edges and without any herbs. Most little children would prefer it like this. Erikita said she would share mine in future and then we would probably both have a dessert!
Air conditioned and like the rest of Puerto Banus this afternoon, really not busy at all. I have driven twice there around 1pm and once around 2pm and the roads were only a little more busy than in the winter. No queues anywhere. So if you need to go to Puerto Banus head there around lunch time when everyone has already driven themselves to the beach!
Hard Rock Cafe in Puerto Banus review
The Hard Rock Cafe in Puerto Banus
Our second visit to the Hard Rock Cafe in Puerto Banus, eight months apart and some things haven’t changed.
The front of house at the Hard Rock Cafe in Puerto Banus are the same as the restaurant name – hard. Hard and surly. They were the first time and they were today. The young lady who we dealt with had magnificent fingernails which suggested to me that she wouldn’t get stuck in at the kitchen should she be needed and she also found it extremely difficult to greet us with a welcoming smile. I don’t care how stressed you are in a restaurant, your job is to make the customer feel relaxed and welcome. A smile does that and more. The waitresses were no better. No smiles.
The restaurant was busy but not heaving, to the left of us were plenty of empty tables but we were told there was a 30 minute wait and gave us a pager, suggesting we go to the bar for a drink. We opted for El Corte Ingles and its cool air conditioning instead and came back after 15 minutes to find they were ready for us.
We sat down and were given 3 adult menus. I had to get up to ask if they had a children’s menu…they do. 7.50 euros for a choice of food, drinks and an ice-cream. I think they may provide children with colours as the back of the children’s menu had a colouring page, but we never received any colours. Once Erikita received her meal the waitress whizzed off. I waited expecting her to come back and say “any ketchup, any vinegar, anything else.” She didn’t. I had to go and find someone to get some ketchup.
My son ordered spare ribs for just over 15 euros and they were magnificent. Huge portion and very tender. I opted for a 10 euro burger, which was ok and Erikita ordered the children’s burger. One burger on a small plate with a handful of fries. It was big enough for her. The restaurant is about meat and the chips and any salad on the side are just that..on the side.
Huge choice of cocktails, if you are driving and want a non boozy one, you’ll have to pay around 12 euros, but you get to keep the glass. In fact you have to keep the glass, you are paying for it.
We couldn’t talk. The volume back in November last year was so loud you could hardly talk and it was the same this time. My children were grunting “huh?” everytime I tried to talk to them so if you are on a first date and like the guy/girl, don’t go here. If you are on a first date and can’t stand the guy/girl, go here.
Before my son had finished his meal my daughter was asked would she like her dessert. She was sorted but we were never asked if we wanted a dessert menu. We had been waivering but this just tipped us to say “no, let’s finish and head home.” Erikita’s dessert arrived and it was the head of house that saw we had no spoon. Another wait and the spoon arrived. After a few minutes another spoon arrived. A smaller one more suited to her mouth. She stuck with the first one. The kiddies menu says dessert is an ice-cream sundae but this was much better for her, plain ice-cream, no frills and she enjoyed it.
All in all I have to say it wasn’t a great experience and mostly because the front of the house just come across as so jolly snotty nosed and the waitresses whilst not rude just seem hassled and unfriendly. The Hard Rock Cafe isn’t cheap and so I do expect a restaurant experience, otherwise I could have opted for McDonalds. There are some excellent food items on the menu and the children’s menu is good value.
Sadly that’s it for me. I have been there twice, found it all very lacking in atmosphere ( think some low lights over the table would have helped, it reminded me of an airport lounge today) and the lack of hospitable friendly staff puts me right off.
I’ll stick to places such as Terra Sana on the Golden Mile where the staff are just in a different league and the place has plenty of atmosphere, a kids menu, cocktails, live music nights and cheesecake and carrot cake to die for….
Spare ribs just over 15 euros a portion, finger licking good
6oz burger, most are 10oz, price 10 euros
Children's menu burger, a drink and an ice-cream are included for 7.50 euros.
Mama Gina in Marbella
Mama Gina in Marbella is situated opposite the Palacio de Congresso where the conferences and events in Marbella take place.
They have reduced their prices and you can buy a really good sized pizza for 4.60 euros. As well as their main menu they also have bar foods available, egg and chips, burgers all excellent value. A lovely terrace to sit outside and if you park at the desserted Senator hotel car park you can walk over to Mama Ginas easily.
Cake Shop Puerto Banus
I’ve just wolfed down the most delicious tarta de manzana in Puerto Banus in Goyo, opposite the department store El Corte Ingles. Priced around 3.50 euros, round the size of side plate and absolutely divine with a cafe con leche…….I should have taken a photo of it but sorry, it was too good to stare at.
Have still to try La Moraga Sweet that serves cakes in Puerto Banus. Their tapas restaurant, La Moraga also in Puerto Banus is delicious. Opposite El Corte Ingles across the road near the Hard Rock Cafe. I thought it was a Madrid chain but actually it was opened by a very prestigious Andalucian chef.
Wok in La Canada
My husband and daughter went out for lunch today at the Wok inside La Canada. They were really impressed. It was 12.95 euros per person with drinks on top, 8.95 during the week, and doesn’t just serve Chinese food, you can have steaks and BBQ food. The quality of food was excellent and it was spotless inside. It was also packed. They had as much food as they wanted as it is a buffet style meal. A range of ice-creams for dessert with lots of fresh fruit.
If I’m in La Canada and need something to eat I always head to The Block House so it is good to hear of another restaurant that is good quality and not just catering for tourists that will only eat once and never again….
Take away Sushi
Personally I don’t “get” Sushi. I’m not keen on eating anything that has a pulse and sushi comes dangerously close to that.
However I’ve just had a leaflet through the door advertising take away sushi delivered free to your door if you live in the Marbella/Puerto Banus/Nueva Andalucia area.
The website is www.yakudza.es and the contact number is 952779166. Lots of lovely pictures on the brochure, they remind me of coconut ice sweets and bubbles of chocolate, although on closer inspection that will be salmon caviar sushi and Alaska roll.