It has one of the cheapest Michelin Stars in Spain and is one of the premium restaurants where you can enjoy 'stocks, sauces, and juices'

Restaurants in Málaga are plentiful, although the selection narrows when focusing on those that have been blessed with a Michelin Star. The search narrows even further if we mention that it is one of the cheapest Michelin Stars in Spain and even more so if we tell you that it is one of the benchmarks in Spain 'for enjoying broths, sauces, and juices'. In a short list of those restaurants that continue to bet on the "old school gastronomy" from Sobremesa magazine, restaurant Kaleja by Dani Carnero is obviously mentioned.

"We talk about a cuisine of dark stocks, demi-glaces, and meat juices, but also of fish and seafood fumets and broths that, while they do not require as much cooking time, do require proper technique to concentrate the flavor while avoiding strange tastes and bitter tones," explain from Sobremesa, discussing Spanish restaurants like La Mesa de Conus (Vigo, Pontevedra), Varra (Madrid), Don Dimas (Madrid), Alma (Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz), Ababol (Albacete), and evidently Kaleja.

And the fact is that Kaleja, besides being one of those restaurants that value the old-school of broths and spoon dishes, is also one of the more affordable gastronomic experiences, understanding the high price of a tasting menu and the dishes tasted in it. The Michelin Guide stands as the main global reference in haute cuisine, known for the demand of its juries and the difficulty of obtaining its coveted Stars. Achieving the excellence represented by the three Michelin Stars is a feat reserved for a few: only 12 restaurants in all of Spain hold this recognition. Although accessing these culinary temples can be an unattainable luxury, with prices exceeding 300 euros per diner, there are more accessible exceptions. Among them, a restaurant in Málaga stands out.

The restaurant Kaleja by Dani Carnero is a benchmark of traditional cuisine reinterpreted with mastery. Carnero, who since 2019 has worked to position his unique proposal, combines ancestral stews with modern techniques, making it one of the most affordable options in haute cuisine. Located at calle Marquesa de Moya, 9, Kaleja breaks away from the stereotype of haute cuisine by giving prominence to stews and local products. It offers two tasting menus: the more affordable, Menú Memoria (100 euros and includes four appetizers, six savory courses, and three sweet courses) and the more extensive, the Gran Menú Memoria (130 euros and includes nine savory courses, in addition to the four appetizers and three desserts).

The two tasting menus at Kaleja

Gran Menú Memoria (130 euros)

Menu made with market and seasonal products, so its composition is changeable, but not its process and cooking, which maintains our traditional imprint.

• Bolo
• Leek and chicken wing fat
• The sardine moraga
• Hot gazpacho
• White porra, sea urchin, and quince
• Pochas beans with cauliflower water
• Fish head scrap
• Fish of the day with Moroccan lemon muslin
• Grilled sweetbread with herb pickle
• All i pebre eel maimones
• Weed rice
• Roasted quail with snail mojo
• Candle-roasted pepper
• Chamomile, anise, apple, and celery
• Drunken sponge cake, pumpkin, and vanilla
• Suso

Menú Memoria (100 euros)

Menu made with market and seasonal products, so its composition is changeable, but not its process and cooking, which maintains our traditional imprint.

• Leek and chicken wing fat
• The sardine moraga
• Hot gazpacho
• White porra, sea urchin, and quince
• Pochas beans with cauliflower water
• Fish head scrap
• Fish of the day with Moroccan lemon muslin
• Grilled sweetbread with herb pickle
• Weed rice
• Roasted quail with snail mojo
• Chamomile, anise, apple, and celery
• Drunken sponge cake, pumpkin, and vanilla
• Suso