El Balcon Restaurante at Hotel El Mirador

It is likely that Rute has more museums than hotels with quality restaurants. By coincidence my other half and I have recently visited the Hotel El Mirador on three very different occasions (one a very presentable Menu del Dia at 8 euros).

The hotel is in a modern Andaluz style and provides stunning views of olive tree clad valleys and hills. At weekends it is often the venue for a wedding reception, which occasioned our second visit. The meal was catered by the hotel for about 350 people and we were impressed with the quality of the food produced for so many, and the speed and attentiveness of the service.

Our next visit was to the restaurant inside the hotel. El Balcon Restaurante is situated at the back of the hotel, overlooking the grounds, decorated in traditional style, using patterned tiles and soft colours to create a sumptuous and comfortable setting. We three were the only diners in the restaurant on the Monday evening, but others were eating in the bar/cafeteria area. The menu has no English translation but our waitress was very willing to help us. The menu is not huge but gives the impression of food that will be well thought-out and prepared.

The extensive wine list , including whites such as Los Moriscos at 8.50 euros and Barbadillo at 12 euros, many reds from a Finca Resalso 2004 at 11 euros to the Yllera 1996 at 32 euros. We chose a very drinkable Penascal Rosado at 8.50 euros with our starters, followed by an excellent Rioja Cune Crianza at 14 euros.

For our starters we chose very well – slices of aubergine fried in a wonderfully light batter, and drizzled with honey; a salad of oranges with smoked cod which my other half said was ‘a surprisingly tasty combination’; and very thin slices of beef with a vodka dressing declared ‘ the best I have ever tasted’ by our other diner. All our starters were priced between 8 and 12 euros.

We awaited our next courses with anticipation. We ordered beef fillet with foie gras and sherry sauce; monkfish with a sauce of garlic, peppers and prawns; and cod in a sauce with ham pieces. All our meals were truly delicious and showed the hand of a very talented chef. However, there was a slight problem as the sauce on my fish was not the sauce detailed in the menu; it contained no ham but had gained prawns and mushrooms. Indeed, both the sauces for the fish dishes were the same and shared the sherry flavour with the sauce for the beef. Upon enquiry, our waiter’s reply was that the chef had decided to make a different, but better, sauce that evening. I must reiterate that the sauces were beautifully balanced with the food and, menu unseen, there would be nothing but praise for an accomplished chef, but if dishes are arbitrarily changed it has an effect. Our main courses were priced between 12 and 18 euros. Desserts were unimpressive but beautifully presented.

In summary, El Balcon is not a cheap restaurant - our bill came to 37euros a head – but the quality of the food is excellent and good wines are not overpriced. We will return on another night to try more of the dishes on offer – but perhaps not on a Monday.

Until next time,

Keri and Gordon Vincent

Rating: (out of 5*)

Food ****
Service ***
Value for money ****
Vegetarian options none
Ambience ****
Entertainment n/a
Toilets ***
Recommendation ****