Felix at Healthouse Las Dunas – the return of a local legend
Words: Michel Cruz
The once famous Bistro Felix at the Las Dunas Hotel is back – and it’s better than ever, set to become a towering reference for finedining on the New Golden Mile.
If you remember Bistro Felix at the Las Dunas Hotel you’re in for a treat, for now part of the Healthouse Las Dunas, Restaurant Felix is back and set to impress. The wonderful setting overlooking the atmospheric square at the entrance to the hotel is the same, but this fine dining establishment is even better, drawing inspiration from the earlier restaurant of the same name but taking the experience to a new level altogether.
So, if you’ve been wishing for a true quality dining option in the New Golden Mile/Estepona area your prayers have been heard and answered. Felix has every credential to measure itself with the best that Marbella has to offer, and join the gastronomic elite of the Costa del Sol. Based upon our own experience it will do so in record time, for this is already not just a beautiful venue that serves beautiful food, but the service and operation already function like a well-oiled machine.
A work of art
And yet, there is nothing machine-like about this restaurant. In fact, the tasteful, stylish décor, impressive wine cellar, gorgeous cuisine and the friendly efficiency of the knowledgeable staff elevate the dining experience to a new high in this part of the coast. Taken together, you might say that Felix embodies the concept of gastronomy as an expression of art.
Whether you opt for a table in the refined opulence of the interior or choose to dine al fresco overlooking the emblematic little square, this is an experience not to be missed by anyone who loves it when food and quality come together. Our evening started at the sushi bar, where the dishes are freshly prepared and seasoned for you.
If attention to detail is the first step towards excellence Felix is certainly on the right path, for everything from the cutlery and crystal glasses to the napkins and of course the beautifully weighted chopsticks stands out. We noticed this as we enjoyed a glass of Ayala Champagne at the restaurant’s sushi bar.
It’s a pleasure to see the chef at work there, and an even greater delight to sample the delicacies he so skilfully prepares. They included a fresh oyster with Japanese Ponzu sauce, followed by individually prepared and served Nigiri Sushi dishes such as Garoupa with a fresh, zesty lemon aftertaste, smoked Spanish horse mackerel, Unagi eel in a sweet soy sauce, belly salmon with a ‘touch of fire’ to burn off the excess fat, and toro – accompanied by Blanca Nieva Sauvignon Blanc from Segovia.
The gently sweet and floral bouquet masked a very smooth, soft flavour low in tannins. This excellent wine was followed by a dry muscatel from the Montes de Málaga, Ariyanas 2016, which is proof of just how much this region near us has gained in sophistication in recent years. We moved to a table outside for the remainder of the meal, enjoying gorgeous oven grilled scallops with apple purée and Szechuan king prawns matched to a glass of Martin Codax 2013 Albariño.
For the main course we chose a beautifully crispy poularde chicken prepared with five spices and a Wagyu beef loin with wild thyme, one the of restaurant’s specialities. Though not Spanish, the red wine was a real treat, a glass of the Chocolate Block from Boekenhoutskloof in South Africa. This wonderful blend of Syrah and Grenache Noire is a pure delight and a worthy companion to the beautiful meals prepared in a restaurant that has even taken the effort to reinstate two chefs from the original Felix – such is the attention to detail practised here.
It won’t surprise you to know that the ‘intensities of chocolate, sweet orange heart and kumquat’ upheld the consistently high standard of the evening to round a wonderful dining experience in a restaurant that is set to not only tingle the taste buds but also get gourmet tongues wagging. Dust off your good shirt and get your best dress out – fine dining has arrived on the New Golden Mile!
Photography by Healthouse Las Dunas
First published in Essential Magazine.
