El Serbal

A significant change has occurred in this restaurant and its cuisine recently. The dining room has been enlarged and remodeled, making much more of an impact than before. It now attains accordance with the beloved maître d’, Rafael Prieto, business partner of the chef, who aside from being a perfect master of ceremony must also be considered one of the finest sommeliers in Spain, offering unknown wines of the highest quality at truly tempting prices. He is the one who first introduced us to the champagne ‘Clevel’, which we now emphatically recommend.
Apart from the new, distinguished look of the establishment, which demonstrates the ambition of the owners not to mention their success, there has also been a marked improvement in the cuisine (headed by the other owner, Fernando Sáinz de la Maza). It consists in the solidity of the constructions and the always effective finishing of the dishes. You’ll find recipes that center around fine products, precise preparations, with great attention given to doneness, clear concepts expressed, easy, refined flavors, sufficiently complex to mark the difference, and above all effectiveness. The guest finishes the experience with admiration for the kitchen team, for their commitment, knowledge and honesty to convey satisfaction.

An impeccable universal quality adorned with motifs from the Bay of Biscay and modern rhythms: gazpacho with Santoña anchovies, tomato sorbet and aged cheese from La Jarradilla. A more contemporary look returns, in shape and technique, with a construction sustained by traditional values: poached egg with breadcrumbs, parmesan and ravioli made from morcilla-potato sausage, among other elements; a demonstration of complexity and, above all, effectiveness. The bonito, browned on the outside, red on the interior, is dressed with a moderate marinade that gives it freshness, grace and aromas, illustrated as God himself would have it, with baby squid and mussels. The black rice with squid and langoustines in tempura, served with a light aioli–basically a garlic mayonnaise–is a flavorful, easy proposal that nonetheless needs more attention given to its cooking point, in search of something more al dente. Precision and immaculateness is found, however, in the sea bream, truly juicy with clean, sharp flavors, it is served over sautéed vegetables enriched with soy, accompanied by two consummate sauces: parsley and romesco. The lamb filet, seared, red, natural and juicy, shares the dish with a slice of its brisket cooked low-temperature, fatty and succulent, with two delightful, added incentives: foie gras and mango puree. To finish the feast, if one has such gourmand inclinations, the torrija (soaked bread) with cinnamon and Liébana eau de vie ice cream.
Among the non-season dependent dishes, the flavorful and colorful lamb carpaccio and foie gras with fried wild rice, ewe milk cheese shavings and mushroom oil. And the salmon, roasted and smoked with rosemary, impeccable in doneness and fragrance, with various attractive, popular accoutrements, such as a rich, delicious romesco sauce.