Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)
POLITICIANS, presidents and even kings have eaten in Ronda’s grande dame of dining Almocabar.
So it is incredibly fortunate the historic restaurant is now in the hands of talented local chef Antonio Dominguez.
Having trained at La Fonda cookery school in Benalmadena and a long stint under the Michelin starred ‘chef de caviar’ Diego Gallegos at Sollo, he is breathing new life back into one of Ronda’s most emblematic places to eat.
With a raft of new dishes and a talented new team, Antonio, 30, is aiming to be ‘one of the best’ in Ronda.
“I’m working and working to really push the best KM-zero produce from around the Serrania and really drive this place forward,” he explains.
“I want to be up there with Benito at Bardal and prove to all the famous people who have eaten here that Almocabar is maintaining its reputation,but with new quality dishes.”
The list of galanded diners so far includes the former president of Mexico, the King of Holland, bullfighter Cayetano Rivera and Junta president Juanma Moreno.
Set up by popular restaurateur Manolo, it counts on an amazing wine list and is charm personified not just inside, but out in the wonderful Plaza de San Francisco, particularly on sunny lunchtimes or warm summer nights.
Antonio himself worked his way up from washing plates to running restaurants in Grazalema and later Ronda.
“I started from the bottom and luckily learnt so much from Diego at Sollo,” he explains.
“He taught me everything and even took me on trips to Mexico and to cook for Antonio Banderas, so I’m forever grateful to him.”
