Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin This year, to celebrate World Tapas Day in Spain, there were numerous tapas bars to choose from. Instead, I picked Azulete in the white village of Gaucín in southern Andalusia, a cozy rooftop restaurant where the main soundtrack is the song of the swirling swallows. There, 29-year-old chef Gabriel Arnaud and his partner in life and work, pastry chef Daniela Rodriguez, 34, have created a simple haven, far from trends and clichés.
Typical Andalusian architecture in Gaucin, Malaga Province, Andalusia, southern Spain. Simple perhaps, but one bite and it’s clear there’s nothing simplistic about the cuisine. In fact, it’s personal, thoughtful, delicious.
Their tapas bar, Azulete Bar, will open nearby this summer. At Azulete, the seasonal menu is solidly rooted in the Andalucian repertoire but each dish, including the original desserts, reveals strong personalities. The chefs work with fishermen, “down the coast,” a butcher in Malaga who specializes in free-range meat, and an organic farmer from “the campo,” the fields that surround the village.
A bonito tiradito in orange and apricot broth at Azulete in Gaucin, Spain In the tiradito, cubes of seared cured bonito bathe in an orange and apricot dressing dotted with cilantro and avocado lime cream, surrounded by ethereal rice crisps. Lamb sweetbreads are glazed in butter. There are croquetas, of course, but they are made with liquified local goat cheese, honey and .
