Skina:

The upward trajectory of Marcos Granda over the two decades he has been in Marbella, from that small corner on Aduar Street in the historic center to the splendid villa he has occupied since last summer, has never stopped. I have known him for over twenty years and can affirm that few restaurateurs have committed as much to haute cuisine in Spain, very few have traveled and dined as extensively in great restaurants around the world, and even fewer know their intricacies so well. This includes the Michelin Guide, of course. Hence, his openings are counted by successes and awards. And that is something that is not always well received or understood by the sector. Nothing new in this circle.

Now his career has become meteoric, leading him to accumulate seven Michelin stars across six restaurants throughout the country. There is no other non-chef owner who has garnered so many accolades. Not in Spain, not in Europe, nor in the rest of the world. The small Skina venue – which has become the axis of his life project – has given way, with its recent move, to a restaurant with a much larger room featuring an open kitchen that does justice to his cuisine and his concept of hospitality, and it will not be long before he earns an eighth star, his much-coveted third. Just wait and see.

Throughout this long and successful journey, Granda has been shaping a solid and trustworthy team that has gone through successive stages to form a stable structure. A model that he has then implemented in each of his restaurants and which he himself constantly repeats is the secret to his success. Skina's cuisine has always followed the lead of its owner on this perpetual path of mandatory learning for every gastronomy enthusiast. Because Marcos Granda is, above all, a gourmet. A "gastronaut" in the strictest sense of the term. Few people I know, inside and outside this country, have visited so many and such fine restaurants out of pure indulgent passion. With the confidence granted by guidebooks and awards, Marcos clings to the product and the purest interpretation of dishes through it. And he does it hand in hand with his transfer in the kitchen, Mario Cachinero, who has been in charge of the stoves since 2017.

Since Mario took over Skina at 21, a solid and elegant cuisine was envisioned. Despite his extreme youth, he faced the challenge of taking over the restaurant with unusual maturity, and his progression over these years has been enormous, to the point of winning the award for best young chef by the Michelin Guide in 2022, while earning the restaurant its second star. Absolute respect – and here it is not just a cliché – for an outstanding product, elegant simplicity in the harmonies, light dishes, and a clear sense of aesthetics in the presentations.

During my visit to the new and dazzling location on Avenida Cánovas del Castillo in Marbella, I was able to see that the kitchen and dining room are adjusting to the new format and smoothing out small details to oil the machinery. Although I am not very fond of the safaris that some restaurants organize as a prelude to reaching the table, I found the appetizers in the cellar, which serves as an anteroom to the restaurant, and the exceptional hot mushroom tapas, a true autumnal symphony, offered by Cachinero next to the pass table, to be sufficiently fluid.

From there – and now seated at the table – refined, sober, and balanced dishes, harmonious sets without surprises, with that careful aesthetic we spoke of earlier, within a menu very similar to last year's: the classic and luxurious tuna tartare with Oscietra caviar and pistachio "ajoverde," the shrimp with their Thai broth, or the gazpachuelo of olive, black garlic, and smoked eel are good proof of this. And they are also proof of the excellent raw materials handled.

A superior product that continues to be reflected in the rest of the menu: in that carabinero with a curry and coconut soup – a second nod to Thai cuisine – full of nuances. Or in that superb Galician kingfish loin with its crispy scales and a bold, acidic plum meunière, and in that impeccable beef tenderloin with pepper puree and demi-glacé accompanied by a small taco of its steak tartare. A very high level that continues in the sweet part, with a more refreshing dessert based on mango lime and basil and a magnificent rum baba with vanilla and pear, more indulgent. An outstanding menu where only some serving temperatures are penalized. Perhaps some may miss more risk or audacity, but there is a voluntary exercise of self-control in the offering that satisfies a wealthy and demanding audience.

In addition, a multitude of details that adorn Skina's table, from the homemade bread to the option to dine a la carte, to an improved staging, with a decor that almost changes by seasons and a profusion of dinnerware, glassware, and cutlery. The dining room still needs a bit of fine-tuning in my opinion because maintaining that extremely high level marked in the previous stage is difficult in a less intimate dining room. There is no doubt that Granda's command, always discreet and efficient, as the great host he is, with that sense of hospitality and generosity, will know how to impose his stamp anew.

Special mention deserves the extraordinary wine cellar, one of the most complete and interesting in the region, which here is managed with success and good taste. Old bottles of Navazos, historic vintages of Champagne and Burgundy, or a very respectable collection of Sauternes coexist with great national labels. References that are very difficult to have at hand. Few places can you drink this well.

Skina, in its new and splendid location, currently represents the most important bet on the Costa del Sol – along with Bardal in Ronda – to win the three Michelin stars. It has what it takes: that new location with a much more spacious venue; a spectacular cellar at the entrance that operates as a foyer, an outdoor patio as a casual area for snacking, a place for after-dinner conversations and a Champagne Bar, and a spacious and elegant dining room dominated by a huge open kitchen, and that refined, precise, and elegant offering, very marked by seasonal products and with a clear and defined line.

Touched-up classicism, a strong emphasis on sauces, impeccable raw materials, and an undeniable aesthetic. The prices are high, it's true, but both the cuisine and the raw materials, the service, and the overall experience in one of the great restaurants of Andalusia, more than justify it. It will be a three-star; tomorrow, the day after, or whenever. It seems they've even left space on the facade.

SKINA

Rating:

• Cuisine: 5/4

• Service: 5/4

• Ambiance: 4/4