Málaga - A Taste of Spain
Written: Apr 23 '08 (Updated May 08 '08)
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Pros: Good tapas
Cons: Parking can be problematic, disappointing manchego
The Bottom Line: I'd go back for more if I were in Austin again.
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| lyagushka's Full Review: Malaga |
Málaga is a sleek tapas bar with an arty, hip atmosphere in the Austin's downtown Warehouse district. I had the chance to eat there recently when visiting family and friends. My husband and I thoroughly immersed ourselves in the lovely tradition of tapas during a trip to southern Spain, so we looked forward to enjoying this casual sort of meal that encourages everyone to nibble, share, and talk. Our Spanish hosts, who were familiar with the restaurant and knew the owner, warned us that the authenticity of the dishes was pitched to what the American palate will bear. We had to concede that they were right, but we still enjoyed our meal.
We arrived, Spanish-style, for a late dinner just after 9pm. The place was mostly empty by that time on a Monday night, but the kitchen stays open until 10pm. Still, our waitress hurried us through our decision making process a bit. The menu selection was reasonably wide. Taking a scatter shot approach we quickly ordered the following: cordero cacereno (lamb), pincho moruno (pork), lomo a la planca (beef), patatas bravas (roasted potatoes), asparragos en cazuela (sautéed asparagus), gambas al ajillo (shrimp), and queso de cabra frito con miel (deep fried balls of soft goat cheese). For "dessert" we ordered a plate of manchego cheese just before the kitchen closed.
The restaurant has cleverly arranged for a large number of plates to fit on each table with the help of wrought iron racks that hold three plates each, one above the other. Fitting two of these racks on our four top was no problem at all. We dove right in the food.
Each of the tapas we ordered was good. Some were very good. Although the lamb with curried aioli stretched the bounds of what could be considered authentic Spanish cuisine, it worked for me. That and the goat cheese with caramelized onions were my favorites. The goat cheese fritters were light and delicate with rich melting centers perfectly complimented by the caramelized onions on the side. The roasted potatoes with spicy aioli were great too. Although the menu said the asparagus was sautéed, it seemed almost roasted to me, with a concentrated flavor and slightly charred exterior. The chef is definitely into aioli and garlic. Four of the plates we ordered came with some variation on aioli, and two others had other garlicky sauces. That was fine with me as I'm a garlic fanatic.
The biggest disappointment was the manchego cheese plate we had in lieu of dessert. I've bought better manchego in supermarkets outside of major metropolitan areas. The manchego served at Málaga was very young, without any of the rich character developed in a good aged sample. Also, the overly sweet quince jelly that came with it missed the mark. Regular membrillo would have been a better choice. It was too bad that our dinner ended with such a letdown.
It may seem that our choices were heavy on the meat and light on vegetables. This is partly a reflection of the menu, which is skewed towards the carnivorous. I could have gone for just a good green salad to balance the meat. However every meat or seafood dish we ordered came with some sort of vegetable accompaniment (e.g. plantain chips with the sautéed shrimp and garlic) and often a bread of some sort. I don't want to give the impression that it's a full on meatfest, but neither would it be fair to say that Málaga is vegetarian friendly.
Málaga does have a wine list which I never saw. Our host had something specific in mind which he ordered for the table. My guess is that the list is extensive and that Spanish wines are heavily represented. Certainly the full bar suggested that pretty much any alcohol you could wish for would be available.
There were no table linens, which surprised me in a restaurant that looks so upscale. The tabletops were dark granite, which contributed to the atmosphere, I suppose. But the air conditioning was also on full blast and this meant that the table was downright chilly to the touch. It was a little uncomfortable resting bare forearms on such a cold table, and the food cooled down very fast as well.
I love having the opportunity to sample many small dishes when eating out. I much prefer it to being "stuck" with one large main course. Fortunately, the food at Málaga was so good that it was difficult to choose a favorite, which is just as well. When you share small plates with several people, you don't get many opportunites to go back for seconds. But certainly I prefer walking out of a restaurant feeling like I could have eaten a bit more of something to waddling out stuffed to the gills with too much food. Eight plates of tapas for four people was a good amount of food. After finishing just about every morsel, none of us went away at all hungry, but neither had we overindulged.
Our Spanish friends lingered well past the typical signs of a waitstaff that wanted to close up shop. I felt a little badly about that, but they were either oblivious or indifferent. Still, there weren't any really heavy-handed or rude signals that we should pay up and get out. The staff maintained a professional and polite attitude even as they dropped subtle hints. Service during our meal was competent and unobtrusive; the sort that's good enough that you never have to think about it.
Our tab for eight tapas plates came to around $84, including a good tip. Our host insisted on paying for the wine separately, so I'm not sure what the charge was for that. The food bill seemed pretty reasonable to me, given that four of us ate well in a major city. If I lived in Austin, I probably wouldn't eat at Málaga all the time, but it would certainly be a temptation.
NB: Málaga identifies itself as an "over 21 establishment." What this means precisely is a little unclear to me, as I'm over 21 and didn't try to dine with anyone underage. There's a full bar, but this is clearly a sit-down, full service restaurant. I've never heard of a restaurant that bars minors from even entering, so I don't quite know what to make of this. If you are not yet 21, or if you want to include someone underage in your party, I recommend you call ahead to get the skinny on this.
I would definitely eat at Málaga again on a return visit to Austin. While its menu is not exactingly faithful to Spanish cuisine as I experienced it, it's good food in a format I really enjoy. My guess is that the atmosphere in this restaurant can get really rocking on a Friday or Saturday night. So if you want an intimate dinner there, try it early in the week.
Other restaurants in and around Austin:
• The Salt Lick - heapin' helpin's of carnivorous joy
• Mongolian Grille - have it your way, really
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Seared lamb bites with curry aioli
Best Suited For: Friends
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