You may have noticed the sleek new eateries bringing Marbella right up-to-date with the latest culinary trends. Now the Estepona marina has a fine contemporary restaurant of its own.
As you stroll along the waterfront of the Estepona marina, Bar Grill M10 immediately catches the eye with its clean modern look. However, rather than an über-minimalist white box, this particular eatery offers a more informal, organic look that adds a distinctly urban, trendy feel to the port.
It is a philosophy that is central to M10, where the stylishly laid-back and inviting décor serves to support the ambience and underline a menu that is designed around people who wish to lunch, dine or socialise informally, but in a pleasant, contemporary environment.
During the summer months, the terrace overlooking the yachts in the harbour will be the main draw, but the interior of M10 is also very welcoming and at once modern and cosy. Grey floors, retro-trendy design chairs and tables made from recycled scaffolding wood create an ambience with a pleasant urban, industrial hint that will sit well with locals and visitors alike.
In so doing M10 raises the bar in this part of the coast, and indeed, the centrally located bar and serving area (also designed with scaffolding wood) is the kind of feature that adds character and a sense of uniqueness.
A CONTEMPORARY MENU
The offering at this bar/grill is well balanced, for it is not just the décor that offers a stylish 21st century feel. The menu is perfectly in sync with it and though the owner is Belgian – hailing from a nation with a great gastronomic reputation in own right – the range of options is handpicked from choice Mediterranean, Asian, American and classic French/Belgian dishes.
As a result, this is a menu that will appeal to many, offering a great range of daytime tapas and raciones that are also an ideal accompaniment when meeting up for a drink – or alternatively you can also enjoy a languid lunch or dinner in a relaxed setting.
On the night of our visit, we sampled both the meat and fish options, washing them down with a refreshing glass of Gilda Verdejo 2016 from Rueda, the crisp dry white house wine.
As the servings are by no means limited, we selected a racion-sized starter. For those not familiar with this Spanish term, it is a larger sized tapa somewhere between a conventional tapa snack and a full-sized dish. In other words, ideal for snacking, a light lunch or as an accompaniment when you meet up with friends for a drink.
We chose a classic – scampi with delicious, slightly spicy but also refreshing homemade guacamole, and home-prepared Angus beef croquettes. The quality of the ingredients tells, and the lightly battered prawns with tartare sauce are a true find that is of course also very well matched with a cool glass of Belgian Leffe Blonde bier.
Quality is a central theme at M10, especially in such main courses as the tuna tartare and the Wagyu beef and hamburgers. The latter come with a choice of sauces and accompaniments, but here the prime meat is the star, its succulent taste derived in large part from the marbled cuts that at M10 you sizzle to perfection on a hot stone at the table. Our meal was concluded with a classic Coupe de Dame Blanche and a delicious pineapple carpaccio with homemade vanilla ice cream.
With its avant-garde ambience and menu, Bar Grill M10 is a fine example of the trendy new eateries we can now enjoy on the coast, and a great addition to Estepona port.
Words Michel Cruz / Photography Kevin Horn
First line Estepona Port. Tel: 952 636 430.