Restaurant Test / Review Lanzarote

Restaurant Test / Review of the "Trattoria" in Puerto Calero in Lanzarote 37°, the restaurant that Max Oster and Moritz Ansgar-Kühn ran before the "emmax"...

"For the first series of our restaurant reviews, we visited a trattoria in Puerto Calero, which opened its doors three years ago. It is located on the first floor next to the Whale Museum, and we could thus enjoy the view not only of the marina, but also of the ocean. The tastefully set tables and the warm and friendly reception by Max, the patrón, provided "buenas vibraciones" right from the start.

Light wood colors dominate the restaurant, the decoration is not overdone, and the blue windows and doors have their counterparts in the blue place settings. The covers are supplemented with wine and water glasses, little plates for the bread before the meal, and the Grisinis are free. Children's seats go without saying, which is as it should be in an "Italian" place. Speaking of Italians, Max could easily be taken for an Italian, but he is German. He is a trained cook and as it turned out, he has really hit the mark with his weakness for Italian cuisine.

As an appetizer we had freshly baked round bread rolls for € 1 each, a jar of herbal butter and olives decorated with bay leaves.

This takes us to the menu and the list of beverages. Unfortunately, the wine card does not have any surprises to offer, only the many standard wines. There are, however, some choices for the wine enthusiast. We settle for Tinto and Rosado Montesierra from the Pirineos Bodega, low priced at € 3 a glass. The menu is supplemented by daily offers, originally presented in chalk on an easel. The easel is carried from table to table, and it explains the special features of the dishes, such as fresh ingredients, unusual spices or the home-made pasta - also in German. We shared three appetizers from the daily offer: ripe, red, sweet cherry tomatos on a branch with vinaigrette and a light tuna fish salad for € 6.50, peppers filled with vegetables and baked with mozarella for € 5.50 and salad hearts, zestfully dressed with chopped peppers, also for € 5.50. We chose the spaghetti mariscos from the standard menu, al dente, with large mussels, scampi, pieces of scallops and calamare, finely tuned at € 13.50.

Three other main dishes from the chalkboard were also delicious and freshly prepared: the pasta del dia, spaghettinis with scampi, seasoned with orange juice and ginger, a real tasting experience with a touch of heat for € 12.50. As pescado del dia there was a juicy gilthead from the oven with cream potatos and spinach leaves, also for € 12,50. The Venetian calf's liver was fried just right, tender and still soft, covered with glazed onions and mashed potatos with a scent of nutmeg for €10.30. All of this brought by a free and easy staff - that is quite attentive: as the evening got cooler, the ladies were provided with a fluffy cover around their shoulders. That worked just fine. Altogether it is very recommendable."

Published in Lanzarote 37°, Issue 08/2006, under the heading: Restaurant Test / Review