Fuerteventura Forum

Bar & Restaurants - If you've been please vote. => El Cotillo => Topic started by: suendrob on July 29, 2013, 13:04:28 PM

Title: Azurro Restaurant + Map
Post by: suendrob on July 29, 2013, 13:04:28 PM
A very nice restaurant out on the road to the beaches and lighthouse.
We've been there every holiday. Very good food, pleasant service and sometimes local entertainment. Family friendly, but that doesn't spoil it. Excellent views of the famous Cotillo sunsets. Very handy if you're staying at El Caleton, but we wouldn't want to walk back to town on a moonless night. Well worth a visit.

[map]?=28.69438344909956,%20-14.013357087063582=15=Azurro=hybrid[/map]
Title: Re: Azurro
Post by: jg on July 31, 2013, 12:31:33 PM
I would totally endorse the above post and add that we eat there several times on every visit to El Cotillo.

At night just take a torch with you and walk back by the side roads by the beach past Maravilla and Cotillo Sunset apartments. It's well worth the expense of buying one in the local hardware shop if you haven't got one already.
I wouldn't want to walk back along the tarmac road at any time of day.
Title: Re: Azurro
Post by: SheilaW on July 31, 2013, 12:39:52 PM
We had a fascinating evening there last december. I can't remember the food (which is not necessarily a bad thing, believe me!), but there was a friend of ours playing music, which was nice. But he was well upstaged by the geckos! We had a corner window table and once it was quite dark and the outside lights came on, so the geckos arrived for their dinner. I'm pretty sure we ate well that night, but so did they! If you're nature lovers, or you want to keep older kids amused while you eat (if you make sudden movements they all disappear), choose a window seat and make sure you're close to outside lights.
Title: Re: Azurro
Post by: isleswing on August 01, 2013, 14:36:33 PM
We book the front window table farthest from the door (south end) The geckos live in the wall there. Just love the way they lick their lips after eating a moth!

The food's good too. Book ahead, as they're closed one day a week, and we can never remember when it is!
Title: Re: Azurro
Post by: SheilaW on August 01, 2013, 16:13:23 PM
Quote from: isleswing on August 01, 2013, 14:36:33 PM
We book the front window table farthest from the door (south end) The geckos live in the wall there. Just love the way they lick their lips after eating a moth!
That's the one we had! That lip-licking gets you in the right mood for your own meal! Thankfully, it's a bit tastier (to my way of thinking) than a moth. :)
Title: Re: Azurro
Post by: isleswing on August 03, 2013, 12:14:04 PM
You never eaten a moth? Their wings are covered in Moondust, and that lines the inside of your mouth  :o Thpath  Pthaaa !! Mouthful of beer clears it though
Title: Re: Azurro Restaurant + Map
Post by: SoCal on April 24, 2014, 23:44:14 PM
Short story: It is not the best at everything, but the probability of experiencing a memorable meal is higher here than anywhere else I have visited. This is my favorite place for fine dining on the island.

Location: on the road to the faro on the far north west side of the island.

Full disclosure: Azzurro  is the closest traditional restaurant to my apartment. However, La Cochina bar and cafeteria is the closest place to my apartment for food and I have no interest in this establishment.

Atmosphere: With the waves, the sunset and near perfect scenery, Azzurro is 85% spectacular, 15% too many cars: come on... make it 100% spectacular. The scenery is nearly perfect.  Given how few structures there are between the restaurant and the sea, it is delightful to just watch the environment. One night this week, all members of the staff stopped what he or she was doing just to walk outside and witness the spectacular sunset.  The setup is three parts, a completely clean white-washed interior section with tables and chairs, sans cushions, a covered and enclosed patio with plastic chairs and tables, which can get cool at night, and an exterior section of tables and a bed...which generally attracts the kids or somewhat intoxicated females.

Bonus: live music: Usually live on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. Tuesday is a flamenco guitarist, Sunday is a jazz saxophonist and Friday is someone else whom I have not heard.  The guitarist is fun, but the Sunday saxophonist is exceptional. As someone who studied classical music for 10 year, I am overwhelmed by the saxophonist. The story is that the saxophonist is a Cuban refugee and a professor of musicology at one of the universities. He also plays in Corralejo. Unfortunately for me, this coming Sunday he will be visiting his family in Cuba (good for him).  I really don't know if any of this information is true. All I know is that this guy is smooth and absolutely perfect. Even if I don't need a meal, I make the trek out to hear him.

Food: In short, most likely to be a memorable experience.  The mojo, both rojo and verde, is simply the best because the richness of the sauce and the garlic added. The bread is simply a delivery device for the mojo. Hard crust and tasteless interior. But the heck with that: here are some examples of  dishes which I have had that I will remember. There was some whitefish which is rarely served yet was perfectly prepared by the server.  It was truly an erotic experience watching her carefully clean the fish, making sure I received both cheeks. (Vaca Azul was comical in comparison.) With the garlic, butter and olive oil – pure heaven.  Then there was a beef and mushroom dish.  I need to track that one down because I haven't had it since. They served it as a test for the new menu for later this summer. Note - they also serve a  wonderful  ox-tail dish, but ask it to be served with pasta, not the chips. Another memorable dish has been is a general menu staple of tagliatelle, prawns and mushrooms served inside a thin crown made from parmigiano reggiano. The saltiness and strong parma cheese flavors enhance this very simple dish.  My palette has visited numerous areas of Italy including Parma, many times and yet for me, this dish is exceptional.  Tonight's meal, a specialty of the northern region of Spain of lightly warmed very fresh octopus with some sea salt, olive oil and cayenne pepper was incredible.  Against tradition, I added a light sprinkling of lemon (was it the acidity or the sweetness needed?).  Exquisite.  After enjoying my wine for some time, I ordered the main of sea bass, a couple king size prawns and some clams. What made this dish so special was the light white wine, butter, pepper and parsley sauce.  Just delicious. The sauce is an example of a difference between Azzurro and other restaurants that specialize in seafood.  And unlike some place, like La Marisma, the seafood was properly prepared and cooked.

I have tried other items on the menu at Azzurro, many very good, but a few not worth it. For example, they have traditional lasagna.  Boring and a disappointment which is strange given that two years ago they had a fish based version of lasagna which was delightful.  I suspect their pizza is nothing special, (I never  order pizza or toasties.)  And for me, I generally make better pasta than virtual establishment.  The crown of parmigiano reggiano is unique.

The wine selection is good, but pricier than most places. I have been happy with the house red, but less so with the white. I prefer a Prosecco.  Tomorrow I will perform a taste test between the house red of La Marisma, my favorite, and the house red of Azzurro.

Service: like most Fuerteventura establishments, this is a flag down your server type atmosphere.  The servers do pass through very frequently, but will not approach you unless requested. For many Americans, we equate this style to "bad service."  I actually like it when they are busy because it extends the meal and allows me to eat each course more slowly.  I sometimes complain a dish appears too soon after I have ordered it. However, even with 4 servers, they can be overwhelmed.  Recommendation: never visit when there are dune buggies parked outside – usually between 12:30 and 14:30.  Sheer insanity. 

More than any other place I have visited, the servers at Azzurro have made me feel important, i.e., that my interests have value.  English is nowhere near the first language of any of the French, Spanish and Italian servers, and yet they all work very hard to understand me and to help me understand.  An American "shout-out" to Betti (French spelling?) who leaves on Sunday. More than any other server, she understood me and actually told me what I was going to eat. "Your main is going to take a long time. I will order you some cheese. You will like it." What annoyed me the most was that she was always correct.  Because of her youth, confidence and understanding of gastronomical delights, the word that best describes my feeling for her is infatuation.

Overall: I feel I have visited numerous locations in Fuereteventura and am willing to change my opinion.  At this point, Azzurro is my number one choice for a wonderful culinary experience.  So make the trek out there toward the faro. And regardless whether you have been to Azzurro or not,  say to the server, "California Boy says Azzurro is worth the visit."  ;)

Edited to improve readability and spelling.
Title: Re: Azurro Restaurant + Map
Post by: Ivemovedon on April 25, 2014, 19:52:00 PM
another very revealing review SoCal.

Tried this place a couple of years ago and thought at the time it was average, not bad but nothing special. Like most restaurants in Cotillo and indeed in Fuerteventura as a whole you can be lucky with one dish but disappointed in another. Many's the time i've looked at my wifes choice (and portion size ) and realized i'd made a very bad if not critical mistake..

I will make sure we give it another go in september as it could be its one of those places you need to try a few times to get it right.
Title: Re: Azzurro Restaurant + Map
Post by: SoCal on April 25, 2014, 21:38:03 PM
stedge - you make a good point. I prefer to sample a sufficient number of dishes before writing comments Hence I usually try to visit a place twice before writing about my experiences on the forum unless the food is exceptionally spectacular, like El Horno, or exceptionally dismal, like La Marisma. I can think of a couple starters and a main I tried at Azzurro that if those were it, I would say, "Eh, what is the big fuss about?"

Riccardo, the owner of Azzurro, is seriously interested improving the place. Tonight we did a blind tasting of wines and he admitted the wine I brought as a house red was preferable to the wine he uses as the house red - virtually the same price. However, he has found that Spainish tastes are different than his and occasionally he needs to defer to the palette of the customer.

When Lady SoCal and I eat out, I often end up eating her dish because she prefers my selection. ;)
Title: Re: Azurro Restaurant + Map
Post by: jg on April 25, 2014, 23:05:10 PM
It is a rule of thumb that in any reasonably busy restaurant or when dining with others, there is somebody within sight eating something that you wish you had ordered.
Title: Re: Azurro Restaurant + Map
Post by: Ivemovedon on April 26, 2014, 08:05:04 AM
thats probably true. But its still what ends up on your own plate which defines how you rate the restaurant.  I've never recommended a place because the bloke on the next tables fish stew looked good.
Title: Re: Azurro Restaurant + Map
Post by: jg on April 27, 2014, 10:18:56 AM
Quote from: stedge on April 26, 2014, 08:05:04 AM
thats probably true. But its still what ends up on your own plate which defines how you rate the restaurant.  I've never recommended a place because the bloke on the next tables fish stew looked good.
That goes without saying - it must always be on your own experience.
Title: Re: Azurro Restaurant + Map
Post by: suendrob on October 06, 2014, 18:21:12 PM
Sunday night with entertainment, flamenco guitar, though more Reggae for the first set. This place never disappoints or changes. A guaranteed good evening with good food and a sunset as well. What more could you want? To be frank, although this will always be a must visit, it's not really as 'special' as we like to remember it. Nothing wrong, just not truly special.
We shared a very tasty barracuda, simply, but well prepared and cooked, chocolate cake, creme brulee, half litre sangria and small beer 46euro, good value. We'll be back next time.
Title: Re: Azurro Restaurant + Map
Post by: Windermeregolfer on November 05, 2015, 16:58:53 PM
Ate here Saturday 31/10 and Tuesday 3/11  we had just arrived at our accommodation 2hrs later then anticipated so our host got us booked in at Azurro which is the nearest restaurant to Cotillo Sunset.

Nice sea food meal of garlic prawns followed by a very fishy (plenty of seafood) paella with a reasonably priced house wine first night, second night another garlic prawns as they were so good and a squid to share for starters followed by seafood spaghetti and very tender cows tail and another couple of bottles of the reasonable house wine all accompanied by the Flamenco Guitarist. A very enjoyable and relaxing evening.

As others have said the look of others food always make you think you have chosen wrongly the table next to us had grilled seafood platter for 2 looked fantastic.

Will visit again in February.