El Muelle de Arriate an essential stop along the way

You'll feel right at home in this friendly and cozy rural restaurant just bordering the railway.

Near the small town of Arriate lies a treasure hidden among the mountain range of the city of Ronda, Malaga. Along the road, you will encounter a magical region splashed with countless robust oaks and flowering almond trees. This is the Serranía of Ronda.

Once arrived, parking spots are freely accessible at the restaurant. However, make sure you arrive on time because it gets packed pretty quickly.

The uniqueness of this quaint place left me in awe. We were immediately attended to and had our drinks sent out to us as we enjoyed the spectacular views. For beer lovers, Estrella Galicia is on tap. Those who prefer wine, you're in store for a real treat. I was recommended a red wine named 'Dominio D Fontana' made from a blend of Syrah and Tempranillo grapes from the region of La Mancha, Spain. It was exquisite! Just what I wanted, velvety and fruity, like drinking a divine glass of black cherry juice. The scenery was ideal and the service was lovely.

They were punctual with our reservation and were taken to our table right on time. As we sat down, we ordered our drinks and were brought an appetizer of olives and carrot sticks with a lovely dip that seemed homemade hummus, a bonus for uniqueness.

Now for the food, the true stars of this story. Everything on the menu looked scrumptious and cooked homemade to perfection. We were magnificently guided by Angela as she made mouth-watering recommendations of several dishes. It was difficult to choose, but we finally decided. First off, the 'Ensalada de queso de cabra con frutos secos tostados y crema balsámica' is a beautiful salad with a mix of fresh butter lettuce and red lettuce leaves and roasted hazelnuts, almonds, and walnuts. Topped with a generous roulette of grilled goat cheese and a creamy balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

The salad was quite large, but was easy to eat because with every bite it just got better and better. We also tried a couple of their croquettes, just as a small appetite opener. We ordered the 'croqueta casera de bacalao con mermelada de mango' homemade cod croquette with sweet mango sauce and the 'croqueta casera de ternera con salsa de mostaza' homemade beef croquette with dijon mustard sauce for dipping. Both are covered in crisp panko and fried to perfection.

Next up, is the main course. A typical dish from Ronda with a personal touch from The Muelle of Arriate, bull's tail cooked until tender in its sauce with a serving of semi-mashed potatoes.

Now you won't always find this dish on the menu because they have what we call 'Fuera de Carta' or off the menu. The sauce tasted like it was made with wine and the juices from the meat itself. The potatoes seemed neither roasted nor boiled, tender but not soggy, and possibly cooked with a bit of butter. '

We also ordered the 'Pollo relleno de ciruelas y salsa de brandy' Stuffed chicken with prunes and brandy sauce. I loved this sauce! The chicken also had sliced leaks in the filling, making it even better. Both dishes were served with crisp, braised veggies that were lightly seasoned in garlic and fried potato slices. Everything was such a succulent feast that I forgot to try the bread, something I usually tend to do.

We were quite full but decided that we couldn't leave this charming place without having some dessert and coffee for the ride back. So we did. As usual, we couldn't make up our minds, so Angela came to our rescue once more and gave us a few suggestions. We opted for her favorite; the 'torrija con chocolate blanco caramelizada con helado de vainilla' The caramelized french toast with white chocolate and vanilla ice cream.

A definite crowd-pleaser and a superb end to a splendid lunch. I was quite pleased to have made the right decision about having dessert after all.

Thank you Muelle de Arriate for this fine day. We will be back!