30 Jun, 2022 @ 15:00
1 min read

REVIEW: Leone is definitely roaring in frontline Puerto Banus on Spain’s Costa del Sol

Leone5 (1)
Image Jon Clarke

IT somehow remains cool and calm, while sited in one of the Costa del Sol’s most emblematic – and bustling – locations to dine.

Leone is a scarily good addition to frontline Puerto Banus, writes Jon Clarke

That’s Leone, that has roared to life this summer in Puerto Banus with a strikingly good menu and equally good vibes.

Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Sinatras, Picasso and Jacks, it is never easy to get noticed in this high-end busy Marbella marina.

But Leone counts on hip design and a great use of light, as well as pale/neutral colours to make its debut.

Leone 6 1
Restaurant Leone in Puerto Banus. Image Jon Clarke/The Olive Press.

After a few key menu changes over its first couple of months, it is starting to brim with confidence.

A part-Asiatic menu broadens out into a wide enough palate, with enough original and off-beat dishes to stand out above the nearby hordes.

The duck terrine starter with foie gras marinated in cognac is a good example, while the ‘fresh’ Spring rolls, with a Nuoc sauce, were excellent and original, as were the superb Rock Shrimps in tempura.

The best starter, by far, however was the beef tartare, served as a sort of triple decker sandwich, but with wafer thin bread and spicy capers. A small serving of French fries made up the melange.

Leone 2 1
Triple decker sandwich. Image Jon Clarke/The Olive Press.

There was a nice looking salad menu, in particular a creative nectarine and feta number, with olives and cucumbers.

For mains I loved the mussels, which came lightly grilled and served with parsley and garlic, while the salmon in an Asiatic sauce and served on a banana leaf was super.

Leone3
Mussels in the menu of the restaurant Leone. Image Jon Clarke/The Olive Press.

The wine list was not expansive, but varied enough, and our waiter, Naf, who I’ve known from other restaurants in the area, steered us towards an excellent verdejo, Meraldis, oaked for 13 months in cask and with a lovely body.

He talked us into trying the Paris-Brest choux pastry pudding, which was a praline buttercream twist on profiteroles, that I’m still thinking about today, two weeks later.

Leone, Front line, Puerto Banus. www.leonebanus.com 952 811 621

READ MORE:

Click here to read more Food & Drink News from The Olive Press.

Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)

Jon Clarke is a Londoner who worked at the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday as an investigative journalist before moving to Spain in 2003 where he helped set up the Olive Press.

After studying Geography at Manchester University he fell in love with Spain during a two-year stint teaching English in Madrid.

On returning to London, he studied journalism and landed his first job at the weekly Informer newspaper in Teddington, covering hundreds of stories in areas including Hounslow, Richmond and Harrow.

This led on to work at the Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Mirror, Standard and even the Sun, before he landed his first full time job at the Daily Mail.

After a year on the Newsdesk he worked as a Showbiz correspondent covering mostly music, including the rise of the Spice Girls, the rivalry between Oasis and Blur and interviewed many famous musicians such as Joe Strummer and Ray Manzarak, as well as Peter Gabriel and Bjorn from Abba on his own private island.

After a year as the News Editor at the UK’s largest-selling magazine Now, he returned to work as an investigative journalist in Features at the Mail on Sunday.

As well as tracking down Jimi Hendrix’ sole living heir in Sweden, while there he also helped lead the initial investigation into Prince Andrew’s seedy links to Jeffrey Epstein during three trips to America.

He had dozens of exclusive stories, while his travel writing took him to Jamaica, Brazil and Belarus.

He is the author of three books; Costa Killer, Dining Secrets of Andalucia and My Search for Madeleine.

Contact jon@theolivepress.es

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Policia Mallorca Wiki Commons
Previous Story

British 17-year old holidaymaker reports Vietnamese performers over alleged rape in Spain’s Mallorca

IMG
Next Story

Off the beaten track: Escape to Arcadia with a holiday in Spain’s northern region Asturias

Latest from Food & Drink

Go toTop