A restaurant under the direction of Enrique Martínez of the Grupo Maher Restauración, which also manages La Ontina in Zaragoza as well as the chief establishment of the company, Maher, in Cintruénigo, all of which are notable restaurants in this guide. They are typically distinguished by their creative, modern haute cuisine, reproducing historic flavors with great succulence. They maintain a symbiosis between the cultish and the popular, between yesterday and tomorrow, between the familiar and the unexpected, connecting all palates along the way.

This restaurant, located in the middle of an olive grove in an idyllic spot on the outskirts of Jaén, replete with gardens and ample installations, is nothing short of gastronomic luxury. The owners, Paulo and Leonardo Cruz, are devoted to artistic cuisine, as is the chef, José Luis Navas, who not only participates but even promulgates the philosophy of the house. Imaginative dishes are created to leave an impression on their guests, and that is exactly what they do, taking risks along the way by not pandering to more general tastes.

Davide Scabin has always been unpredictable. Now, in the heart of his maturity, he’s changing his style. The ones who know all his work say this is the fourth time he changes his course. This new orientation has nothing to do with irreverent provocation, with techno sophistication of the first period nor with the personal academism of the past few years. Davide is now in a stage of pure creativity. What really matters to him is originality and total achievement. Purity, intellectual and palatal naturality. Creative materialization and perfectionism. Everything has got a specific reason of being here; nothing is trivial. Lucid and deeply reflected ideas, stellar products, exceptional technique, elegance and harmony, sobriety and affinity, attractive and simple staging. Everything is reaaaaaaaaally polished up here. The message is deep and transferred with utter quietness and modesty.
With his vision of the vitello tonnato, Davide makes all the difference: he arranges two pretty and pure – almost – raw beef “raviolis” which hide a traditional exquisite tuna sauce with only two ingredients: red onion from Tropea and corn salad. This mental and palatal essence is also expressed through the rabbit saddle served with another adaptation of a classical condiment: the brüsca sauce, based on vinegar and boiled egg, reinforced with unbeatable julienned carrot, courgette, onion and sprouts. The pasta version of the check salad is not less brilliant: spaghettis with tomato; penne with butter and sage; chioccole with carbonara; fusilli with olive oil, garlic and pepper; and some magical black spaghettis that taste like caviar, in honour of Gualtiero Marchesi. Another stroke of genius without any fuss: the Tropea matrioshka; an onion served as a millefeuille you can pull the “petals” off with the fingers and impregnate with a sauce of liquorice and other elements, all being arranged over yoghurt with caviar. The vision of the raw cod is minimalist as well as memorable: the raw cod strips are proposed with a tremendous tomato that has been soaked into Cointreau and extra virgin olive oil. Nobody can offer more with so few elements. The same thing can be said about the fried (leaves) and cooked (stalks) artichoke with marinated tuna. Or about the langaroll: raw meat and foie gras rolls stuffed with vegetables and potatoes served with a bowl of salad and soy sauce to dip in and garnish. Utter strong sensations are guaranteed with the risotto, prepared with fennel, lamb brains and sea urchin bisque. The mindblowing kidneys cooked at low temperature with cucumber and gin has got the same strong spirit. And the two proposals of veal tongue, the best in Italy are real masterpieces: the classical one roasted with Barolo sauce and puréed Ratte potato; and the innovative one, smoked with an emulsion of extra virgin olive oil and boletus.
Let us remind some historical dishes. His daring in such lucid dishes such as the “check salad” remains as always, offering a new concept of salad by presenting six raw vegetables, independent of each other, served in distinct spaces, simply sprinkled with water and salt before the attentive eyes of the guest and adorned with a few minimal details of almond, truffle and caviar. Vegetable cuisine has never been so green… so natural. The Candele Gerardo Di Nola (the finest pasta in southern Italy) with scorpion fish, chickpeas, clams and broccoli signifies the height of inerrable complexity in a pasta dish without affecting the immaculate sense of the components, manifest here in a state of culinary grace. His virtuosity remains patent once again with the Acquerello rice (a brand that receives the highest praise in this guide) with succulent, meaty additions of foie gras and crispy slices of artichokes – an exaltation of textures and character. And from there the spectacular gastronomic moments kept on coming: the turbot filet with oyster sauce, melted lemon potatoes and “Calvisius” caviar, and a spectacular cut of beef, rosy, juicy, succulently breaded with grissini bread and chamomile (a truly magic touch of freshness), which enjoys the company of a ratte potato and truffle mille-feuille…
Davide Scabin is experiencing the sweetest phase in his career, definitely.
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Domenico Pichini is a bohemian chef who fulfills himself by cooking. His state of bliss is seen in his dishes. He offers regional formulas infused with personal style, distinguished by their light, immaculate nature. His is a simple, charming cuisine that conquers palates and hearts thanks to the natural purity and inherent good taste.