By The "Guiri" Gourmet
Yesterday was St Patrick's Day.
Although I don't have a drop of Irish blood in me, I am 50% Celt, being half-Welsh. I also like Guinness, Murphys and (most) Irish people I have met in my relatively long life. As a result I often celebrate March 17, St Patrick's Day, patron saint of Eire.
[Photo courtesy of Wikipedia]
Dinner at the "Mill"
This year the German missus and I "celebrated" by going for dinner on the re-opening-under-new-management night of the restaurant at Hotel Molino del Santo in Estación de Benaoján (Málaga).
This fine establishment in a refurbished mill first opened its doors as a boutique hotel and restaurant in 1987.
The welcome sign [Photo: Trip Advisor]
It has been closed since the end of November 2024 and has undergone a makeover. It has always been a favourite of ours for a special occasion.
New "owners" are Car
men and Martin. Carmen is the elder daughter of owners Andy Chapell and Pauline Elkin, who retired in 2023. Carmen was born locally and attended schools in Benaoján, Ronda and San Pedro de Alcántara, before university in the UK.
Her partner Martin originates from Norway.
Apart from the alterations and improvements, there is a new menu, and a new website, but most of the staff remain as before.
Andy, Pauline, Carmen and Martin [Jon Clarke]
Pre-dinner drinks
The new owners had gone off-duty by the time we arrived. I think they had had a busy lunchtime!
But, we were pleased to see Inma, head receptionist and last night maitresse D. Victor, the head waiter, was "off sick", but Inma was ably supported by local "girl", waitress Laura.
There was no sign of Andy and Pauline hovering in the background, keeping an eye on things. They truly are retired!
Nor was there any sign of it being "Paddy's Day". No green décor nor free Guinness!
In the bar we bumped into Paul and Roz, who have a house up the road in Montejaque.
I have known Roz since 2000 when we both worked together in Merseyside. Then, we ended up buying property in said Montejaque. Quite a coincidence, eh? Serendipity?
They now live in Lymm (Cheshire), my old stomping ground before I emigrated to Spain.
Paul and Roz in their new home in Lymm [Manchester World]
The meal
They were not very busy - I counted 11 covers. Apart from us four walk-ups there were two English couples and a group of three "escapees" from Trump's USA.
The first thing we noticed was that the new menu had new prices!
No worries. We both ordered fish goujons in tempura as a starter - very tasty.
Rita went for the solomillo de ternera (beef fillet steak) whereas I chose the dorada fillets (sea bream). Rita's steak was as she wanted it, ie al punto (medium rare). My fish was delightful - baked to perfection.
We washed our meal down with a couple of glasses each of Marqués de Cáceres (Rita) and La Cañada verdejo (me).
Then it was time to pay the bill - a hefty 110 euros - before braving the downpour for the 20-minute drive home.
Interesting links:
Couple loves later life in new Hawthorn Grange home
Hotel Molino del Santo under new management
SAINTS COME MARCHING IN!: Award-winning rural hotel Molino del Santo near Ronda gets set for a brand new chapter - Olive Press News Spain
Photos:
Jon Clarke, Manchester World, Molino del Santo, Pronto, The Black Farmer, TikTok, Trip Advisor, Wikipedia
© The "Guiri" Gourmet
Tags:
Andy, Carmen, Eye on Spain, Guinness, Inma, Jon Clarke, Manchester World, Martin, Molino del Santo, Olive Press News, Pauline, Paul Whitelock, Pronto, St Patrick's Day, Secret Serranía, The Black Farmer, The "Guiri" Gourmet, TikTok, Trip Advisor, Wikipedia
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