Marquisina II

I can´t quite believe how this restaurant has escaped my review so far as it is probably one of the longest established restaurants in Corralejo sitting alongside its partner, the Marquisina, enviably located right in the centre of the town overlooking the town beach next to the taxi rank. I have been a bit stumped for restaurants this week as my friends were over and it was obligatory that we find somewhere to cater for Danielle (12) – garlic bread and spaghetti Bolognese and Ashleigh (9) melon and pizza margarita. Easy, you might be thinking but it does actually cancel out quite a few worthy restaurants. Anyway, la familia had visited this one before on a previous holiday and, due its perfect location, the girls were able to play on the beach mid courses while Jenny and Damien (Mum and Dad) kept an eye on them.

I usually only visit this restaurant for lunch, ably attended to by Mohammed and (young man) José (now transferred to Meson Eve – another sister restaurant) and I tended to think the evenings were just jampacked with tourists (nothing against tourists, mind you – but the restaurants were always exceptionally busy). Admittedly, however, the handful of times I have dined there the atmosphere has been extremely relaxed and I have actually felt “on holiday” myself. The menu has changed slightly in the last few months with slightly more emphasis on the pizzas and pastas but if you require anything specific they will cater for your needs and can obtain any different ingredients from the Marquisina. (I have in the past ordered a fresh fish platter for one which is quite rare as restaurants normally ask for a minimum of two people).

The view the other night was pretty spectacular with the moon hovering just over the horizon in a shady haze, rising quite rapidly during our stay and becoming increasingly brighter throughout its ascent until it was high up in the sky lighting up the whole of the sky and sea. The reflection on the sea was quite breathtaking. (Patrick Moore ain´t got nothing on me!) The restaurant is also one to beat for people watching.

The two waiters (Juan José and Santiago) who work in the evening are extremely friendly and helpful and I have to admit I have never received bad service here day or night.

On this occasion we went for our usual dry white wine and were horrified to hear that they´d run out of Viña Sol but were introduced to another similar wine that I hadn´t actually heard of (shock horror) – Viñas del Vero – a 2003 Chardonnay. I was amazed to find that a more similar version to Viña Sol in taste and colour your couldn´t find. Damien, Jenny and I chose as our starter a beautifully rich concoction of eggs and spinach with cheese au gratin on the top. Virtually a meal in itself and really scrummy. The girls, as I mentioned, had their melon and garlic bread. For our main courses between us, we ordered pizzas margarita, tropical and mariscos (seafood) and also a huge veal escalope as well as the spag bol The pizzas have got a slightly thicker base than most served around town with very generous toppings. They also serve a (now) small number of fish and meat dishes. I actually think (from my previous visits) that the kitchen has the capability of producing some really top notch cuisine and that they are slightly stunted with the new menu. Although anything away from the pizzas and pastas that are still on the menu is excellent. The whole package of location, view, service, atmosphere and food make the restaurant a perfect place for dining (as well as lunching). In fact, just to bulk up my review with more entries from the menu I will go there for lunch with my friend Sue who is arriving today. To be continued …..

OK lunch wasn´t on as the restaurant was closed but I returned last night for supper and had an excellent meal. Sue and I chose the Chardonnay again and we chose an exquisite starter to share of gratinated mussels stuffed with shellfish. Eight very generously sized mussels arrived in a griddle pan filled with a mixture of chopped mussels and crab buried under an oozing coating of melted cheese – mmmmmmm. Sue had the American hot pizza and I had an all time favourite of mine – a very filling seafood spaghetti.

Other starters on the menu include stuffed peppers with seabass (standard Canarian fare), scrambled eggs with shrimps and ratatouille (had on a previous visit and is superb), aubergines baked in honey and tomato or seafood soup. The main dishes include grilled king prawns and grilled squid or in batter, chicken with shrimps, chicken curry, chicken in Roquefort sauce fillet steak and four salads (including melon rolls with salmon and yoghurt sauce).

At the end of our meal on each occasion we were invited to a digestif de la casa – an Amaretto on ice for me on both occasions with a Calypso coffee.