Vino Mío - Málaga
Vino Mío is a Spanish restaurant in Málaga that offers the finest in Spanish and international cuisine for a cosmopolitan clientele. Aside from its great food, Vino Mío also pays special attention to Flamenco, the famous Spanish dance, and is considered to be the best restaurant in Málaga dedicated to the dance.
The Restaurant
Vino Mío is located right in the heart of the city of Málaga, just down the road from the 'Plaza de la Merced' (Mercy Square). The owners thought that Málaga was the ideal city in which to set up a restaurant, and particularly one with a Flamenco theme. However, it took them a long time to find the perfect spot in the historic centre of the city. Seven months hard work later, their dreams had been realised and Vino Mío opened its doors on April 1st 2003.
The restaurant is run by the owner, Hélène, who has brought all of her experience from her many trips across the world and her education in the hospitality industry which she studied for four years in Amsterdam. During her studies she also specialised in becoming a sommelier and her passion for good wine can be found in the restaurant, particularly in the name 'Vino Mío' (My Wine).
Towards the front half of the restaurant, you can find the bar and Spanish tapas bar. There is also a private dining room which can be hired for celebrations. At one side of the restaurant there is a raised platform which has 12 tables on it. This elevated position allows the customers who sit there to see directly into the open kitchen and watch the food being prepared.
Vino Mío is decorated in a cosy style which is produced through the use of warm colours. However it also evokes a sense of nature as the majority of the furniture and decorations are made out of wood. The bare wooden floors and trees also add to this natural effect.
The real focus of Vino Mío is the music, dance and art that fill the restaurant. Every night during the summer and most nights of the winter, this Spanish restaurant puts on Flamenco shows which include dancers in their elaborate dresses, guitarists and Flamenco singers. Sometimes there are also other forms of live music such as pianists and singers. Therefore if you want to experience some Spanish culture, Vino Mío is definitely worth visiting when you visit Málaga.
The other form of art that can be found in Vino Mío is visual art. The restaurant is passionate about promoting local and international artists and for this reason all of the paintings on display in the restaurant form an exhibition of an artists work. One of the latest exhibitions was of an Argentinean painter called Javier Gaviola, but exhibitions change every month so there is always something new on display.
The Menu
Vino Mío prides itself on being one of the first restaurants in Málaga to be dedicated to creative cuisine. They provide a number of traditional Spanish dishes with a modern twist as well as many international dishes, including some from the Far East.
Although the main menu is not as extensive as some restaurants, it has enough variation to please everybody. Furthermore, they have a section dedicated to vegetarian meals which can often be quite hard to find in a Spanish restaurant in Spain. From the main menu, some of the highlights include the 'Canguro' which is Kangaroo steak all the way from Australia which is served with a sauce of your choice, potatoes and vegetables, 'Solomillo de avestruz' which is Ostrich steak also served with a sauce of your choice, potatoes and vegetables, and 'Jardín asiatico' which consists in a large vegetable springroll served with Teriyaki sauce and rice.
Aside from the main menu at Vino Mío, there are also a number of set menus available including a children's menu. If you want to try some of the Spanish food on offer at the restaurant, then you should order from the Málaga Cultural Menu or try one of the Spanish paellas they make during the evenings.
Vino Mío would not be worthy of its name if it didn't have an extensive collection of wine. Fortunately, Hélène's passion for wine shines through in her wine knowledge and wine collection. The wine list is extremely long and includes many wines from the local region, including some wines from the nearby mountains in Málaga, as well as from the rest of the world. You don't have to study Spanish wine to appreciate the effort that has gone into the creation and collection of this selection.