La Reina Zingara - Málaga
If you are looking for a unique restaurant in Málaga, then look no further than La Reina Zíngara. Not only does this Spanish restaurant provide great Spanish food and Spanish tapas but they do so with an element of mystery and magic.
The Restaurant
This Spanish restaurant is full of character in every sense of the word. The meals are full of Spanish and Mediterranean flavour, the establishment is wild and the entertainment is like nothing you will ever find in any other restaurant in Spain.
A visit to La Reina Zíngara is like taking a Spanish immersion course in gypsy culture. This is because La Reina Zíngara or 'Gypsy Queen' takes its name from the legendary gypsy from Hungary who made a living by reading her crystal ball. For this reason the restaurant has a strong gypsy theme and places a large emphasis on magic, fortune telling and mystery. Everyday the restaurant has live musicians come and play for its customers who often play Flamenco and other folk style music.
The magic side of this Spanish restaurant's theme comes in the form of magic shows and fortune telling which every customer who orders from the main menus is entitled too. One of the most popular magic tricks performed at La Reina Zíngara is making tables levitate. You can also have your tarot cards or your palms read as part of the service. All of this is completely voluntary so if you're a non-believer you don't have to play along!
The restaurant itself is just another part of the whole atmosphere. The restaurant is styled like a stately home that would have been occupied by members of the upper classes in Spain. The main dining rooms are full of antique features such as a giant crystal chandelier and statuettes. There is a multitude of paintings from bygone eras which cover the walls and even the ceilings. According to the restaurant owners, if you look hard enough there are even some paintings by Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró.
La Reina Zíngara is run by its two young owners, Biagio Carroccia and Inmaculada Almeida. The Italian descended Biaggio Carroccia is a young chef who grew up in the hospitality industry in his parents wedding halls in Fuengirola. His passion for cooking, and in particular for Italian cuisine, means that he always provides the best food for his customers. His Italian heritage from his father and his gypsy roots from his mother were the main influence for the creation of the truly unique La Reina Zíngara.
Inmaculada Almeida is a Spanish business woman who has been named by the Spanish newspaper, El país, as one of the most important business women of Spain and Latin America. Her influence has kept La Reina Zíngara on the map and in the Málaga guide books.
The Menu
La Reina Zíngara offers a variety of menus which are all named after famous Spanish artists and writers such as Pablo Picasso and Julio Romero de Torres. Some of the highlights of the menus include 'Solomillo de Cerdo Ibérico Relleno de Queso de Cabra Especiado y Huevo Hilado' (Iberian Pork Sirloin filled with goat's cheese and sliced egg' and 'Lubina Salvaje con Salsa Blanca y Rissotto Arborio' (Wild sea bass in white sauce with risotto).
All of the menus include a drink and one of this Spanish restaurant's delightful desserts which include, among others, 'Trío de Mousses de Chocolate Belga' (Trio of Belgian chocolate mousses) or a glass of cava.
The main menu at La Reina Zíngara is accompanied by the business and group menu as well the daily menu, which offers great value for money. The main menu and the business menu include the price of the entertainment and magic tricks. However with the daily menu you are only paying for the food.