Delete
Paco Lorente
Lila in Fuengirola: Elegant cuisine
Food critic

Lila in Fuengirola: Elegant cuisine

Authentic Nikkei dishes with personality and creativity

Enrique Bellver

Fuengirola

Monday, 12 August 2024, 10:23

Omar Ben Hammou, although his name might lead one to think that he comes from Morocco, is a native of Peru, where his family runs a family hotel. At the age of 21 he decided that cooking was his vocation and left to work first in Colombia, Chile and Brazil and then in the United States, Australia and finally Berlin, where he has been running his own business for more than four years. Since last April he has been in Fuengirola - the birthplace of his partner, Carlotta Tomasi - where he decided to move because of his paternity and open this small restaurant in the heart of the town centre.

His knowledge of the different cuisines of the countries he has passed through is evident, together with his creativity, in Lila's menu. I must admit that my visit to this restaurant was a real culinary revelation, as Omar combines what we could call traditional Peruvian cuisine with the so-called, and so often misinterpreted, Nikkei cuisine and with the forms and ways of cooking that he has known in other countries; the result is a very well understood and better interpreted cuisine.

To whet your appetite, there is nothing better than the sourdough bread he makes himself, which will serve as a base and accompaniment. Some of his snacks are a real nod to Peruvian-Japanese-Malagan fusion, such as the oysters with pickled onion or the clams with ginger and shallots.

However, if we want to opt for more traditional dishes, although at Lila creativity and readaptation is the house philosophy, we can always choose the ceviche or the octopus causa [causa is a typical Peruvian dish]. For the ceviches, Omar usually uses fish that he has matured depending on their fat, although he admits that he never matures them for more than two weeks and always uses fish with firm flesh such as sea bass, mackerel, grouper or monkfish....

I particularly prefer Lila's snacks and starters to the main courses as they are much more creative and a reflection of how far Omar's cooking can go.

For this type of cuisine, there is a lack of more modern wines, as the wine list is a bit classic. Carlotta is in charge of the dining room.

Lila

  • Address: Calle Marconi, 19. Fuengirola

  • Telephone: 699 111 126

  • Web: www.lilarestaurant.com

  • Prices: Ceviche: 22€ Causa de pulpo: 18€ Truffle pasta: 28€

  • Valuation: Cuisine: 8 Room: 6.5 Wine list: 6.5 Rating: 7 / 10

Dishes on the menu

Causa de pulpo: In a restaurant that has its creative roots in Peruvian cuisine, one of the most typical starters, the causa, could not be missing. Omar prepares it with yellow potatoes and a smooth avocado cream with slices of octopus and Provençal sauce.

Ceviche de Lila: If you're expecting the same old ceviche, you're in for a surprise. Lila's ceviche is made with sea bass caught in Conil and subjected to a short maturation process. The leche de tigre with red jalapeños brings out the flavour of the fish.

Choritos a la chalaca: An adaptation of another typical Peruvian dish, choros, a mollusc of the mussel family, although Lila uses classic mussels. They are spicy due to the ingredients used in their maceration. Very well executed.

Truffle pasta: This pasta alla chitarra is a variety of fresh egg pasta very typical of Italian cuisine. Omar cooks it just al dente and accompanies it with truffle butter and lemon confit. The caviar option is great.

Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para registrados.

Reporta un error en esta noticia

* Campos obligatorios

surinenglish Lila in Fuengirola: Elegant cuisine

logo

Debido a un error no hemos podido dar de alta tu suscripción.

Por favor, ponte en contacto con Atención al Cliente.

logo

¡Bienvenido a SURINENGLISH!

logo

Tu suscripción con Google se ha realizado correctamente, pero ya tenías otra suscripción activa en SURINENGLISH.

Déjanos tus datos y nos pondremos en contacto contigo para analizar tu caso

logo

¡Tu suscripción con Google se ha realizado correctamente!

La compra se ha asociado al siguiente email