The Prince and The Hawker

Wonderful Andalusian seafood with flavours and stories from across the continent inspired by the owner’s heritage and life. That is what we got when we dined at La Alacena de Francis in Málaga.

My partner had walked by this quaint, little restaurant in Málaga and booked a table for the two of us. When you first walk into the restaurant, it appears to be a typical local restaurant, not unlike others you would fine in local neighbourhoods in many Spanish cities. But once your eyes adjust, you’ll see that the dining room with five tables is adorned with items and decorations from a mish-mash of cultures.

As the owner led us to our table, he started explaining the inspiration behind his restaurant. He was born in Málaga, his mother is from the Netherlands, and his wife is Russian. He has travelled to many places and brought back culinary inspiration, culminating in the menu at La Alacena de Francis. When he found out my partner is from Sweden, he started to speak emphatically about his travels there and the food he discovered.

Once we perused the online menu through a QR code and ordered our food, the owner also offered us a shot of Malaga Muscatel, a local sweet wine. Although I don’t really drink, he insisted I try at least a couple of sips. I did and found it very tasty.

Time to Eat at La Alacena de Francis

Soon after our Muscatel aperativos, the owner brought over a small bite of marinated salmon on bread. On top of the salmon was, surprsingly, a Swedish sauce, hovmästarsås, of dill and mustard. This little dish was delightful, with the sauce standing out as tangy and sweet. I found it such a funny coincidence that my Swedish partner would encounter a sauce from home at a restaurant in Málaga.

We were then served some bread and butter while our dinner was prepared.

The first dish we ordered was the colourful plate of varied home-smoked fish. It was served with more of the Swedish mustard dill sauce. On the plate was smoked salmon, smoked sea bream, and smoked herring, garlic, and oil on bread. The owner was very proud when explaining that he and his wife smoke all the fish themselves daily. The smokiness obviously tied the dish together, but it was also interesting tasting the difference in the fishes. In particular, the smoked herring was intense and we were advised to eat that last.

At this point, all the tables had been seated for the night and the owner asked for the whole dining room’s attention. He had distributed shots of vodka and a small gherkin to every diner in the restaurant. He said that this was his welcome to us for dining with him. He then went through the steps he wanted us to take: inhale, exhale, drink the vodka, smell the gherkin, and finally eat the gherkin. Then, everybody in the dining room did it together. It was an interesting bonding moment!

The next two dishes showcased the Russian influence. One was a blini with marinated salmon. The dish was simple but wonderful. The blini was spongy and supple and the dill sprinkled on top enhanced the marinated salmon’s flavour.

We also got the Pelmeni Murmansk. I’ve always enjoyed pelmeni, small traditional Russian dumplings usually filled with meat and served with sour cream. Since my partner is pescatarian, we got the seafood version. I wasn’t sure if I would like it as much as the meat version, but I was pleasantly surprised. The filling of rosada (a white fish) and shrimps was seasoned well and packed a lot of flavour into a small parcel.

We decided to share a tuna steak as a main. Served unassumingly, the tuna was incredibly sweet on the inside, with a perfect sear on the perimeter. I think it was really down to the quality of the catch. It came with a version of ratatouille and some potatoes.

For dessert, we shared a classic French Crêpes Suzette. This was an absolutely perfect dessert to end the meal. The crepes were freshly prepared and the sauce was sweet and tart with just the slightest hint of liqueur, as it should be. The only thing that threw me off was the giant orange peel garnish on top. But it was no problem, I gently pushed it to one side and devoured the delivious dessert.

Final Thoughts

What a great find in Málaga! La Alacena de Francis is veritable proof that mixing of cultures and cuisines can work beautifully. With a base of fresh Andalusian ingredients, Russian recipes, and inspiration from around the continent, the menu is exciting to read through and taste.

The passion and explanations from the owner add to the experience and you feel like you’re eating very personal dishes at La Alacena de Francis. The prices are also very reasonable – we spent roughly €30 per person including drinks. Situated between the two central Málaga Cercanías train stations and near the El Perchel metro station, the restaurant is easily accessible so there´s no excuse not to try it if you’re in Málaga.