A luxury grill, intermingling the identity of grills from the north of Spain with a Mediterranean flare. From the first, they have taken the fiery revolution principally headed by Bittor Arginzoniz, of whom the chef, Sebastián Abad, considers himself a disciple, using his teachings to lend a certain local and personal identity. The finest from the local gardens, the best seafood from the fish markets of Santa Pola and Denia and championship slices of meat, giving light and splendor to an offering sustained by superb product, served in relevant sauces, impregnated with seductive, complementary grill aromas and a few touches of haute cuisine, to which we might add that the establishment is where the old Monastrell was located and it continues to be owned by Pitu Parramón and María José San Román.
The char-grilled vegetables are impeccable: eggplant, zucchini, green asparagus, peppers, snow peas, maximally seasoned, perfectly done, accompanied by a delicious, freestyle, heterodoxical version of romesco sauce. In fact, as a starter they serve a refined, creamy aioli that keeps you coming back for more; it can be enjoyed alone or accompanied by the vegetables or many other dishes. The deboned summer sardines were excellent, served with a rosy center, never better, and slightly “smoked”, similar to those found at Etxebarri. Another fine moment came with the baby squid, also char-grilled, majestically seared by the embers, smooth, sweet, bold, adorned with an herb oil–a colorful brushing that is accompanied by a small mountain of onion confit tinted black with the squid ink. The tuna belly, incredibly fatty, is served red, exultant of its nature and delicacy. The red mullet and red prawns receive the highest honors; they buy the best available and the doneness skirts perfection. The char-grilled cod is immaculate, iridescent and succulent, also in a line with Etxebarri and Epeleta. The aged Galician beef chop (similar to a T-bone), though it comes from various ranches in the north, confirms this restaurant as the best grill in all the Spanish Mediterranean, and with a decisive margin. And the owner conveys a doctoral culinary approach through the torrija, which Sebastián executes with impeccable French technique. An impressive sweet brioche.
