Azahar Restaurant, an oasis for celiacs in Ronda

The restaurant Azahar, located at the Catalonia Reina Victoria, has become a sort of oasis for celiacs, a group of people who find it challenging to find places where they can eat out without being limited to specific dishes that are not always available on restaurant menus.

Now, with the arrival of their new chef, Manu Conde, who is celiac, their menu has become a luxury for a clientele in need of options. “90% of our menu is suitable for them, and I hope to eventually offer 100%," he explained.

He explained that the secret to achieving this is to use products available on the market that they can eat or integrate others that are suitable for them to replace those they cannot consume without it being noticeable in the final product.

Almadraba tuna with strawberry salmorejo. / Javier Flores

Currently, only five dishes from their extensive menu cannot be consumed by the customers. “Except for the ravioli, cannelloni, or rice pudding, almost everything else can be eaten without any issues,” the chef noted.

"I am celiac and it’s not that we set out to make a gluten-free menu on purpose, but as we developed the recipes, we adapted them," he explained. He also assured that "what we try to do is allow celiacs or those with intolerance to treat themselves whenever they wish, and also, we try to make it unnoticeable, not by using gluten-free products, but by using products we are accustomed to eating without noticing the difference."

Among the offerings available are croquettes, fake duck magret risotto, roasted red mullet with coconut ajoblanco, stuffed squid, roasted avocado from Axarquía, or bluefin tuna tartare, among many others. The desserts are also noteworthy with dishes like Cantaloupe melon and Manzanilla: osmotized fruits, melon soup, and “Manzanilla Papirusa” granita.

Payoyo cheese cake / Javier Flores

"They could enjoy dishes like ham croquettes, a snapper on yellow using gluten-free bread for the sofrito, chocolate coulant, or the cheese cake, among others," he pointed out.

Commitment to Local Products

A wide range of offerings comes with the renovation he has made to the menu since taking over the kitchen of this renowned hotel located in a historic English-style building amidst extensive gardens.

A radical change in their menu with a shift towards local products featuring elements like manteca colorá, Malaga goat, payoyo cheese, or the famous chicharrón from Cádiz that is also made in the Serranía de Ronda.

All this framed within the goal of positioning the restaurant "among the best in Ronda," a complex square where there are offerings with recognitions from the Michelin Guide, Repsol, and Marcafi. Precisely, this last guide has included this restaurant among its recommendations in the city along with the Kütral grill and the two-starred Bardal, which this prestigious guide considers the best in Andalusia.