The RED menu at Hermosa for continental cuisine to keep you warm over the winter

WHAT a delight Hermosa is. Just at the entrance of Cabapino port and in sight of the luxury yachts on the marina, I was pleasantly surprised to find a modern, contemporary feel restaurant in a location with predominately traditional looking venues.

Looking through the full length windows into an interior of soft driftwood whites and greys, dark wood floors, black and white photography surfing prints, ceiling fans and elegant lighting, it had all of the subtle elements of the balmy Southern Californian Hermosa Beach theme that is perfect for its location.

With a warm welcome by owners Melissa and Alex I was instantly put at ease and there is a real sense of softness and comfort in the muted colours and sophisticated decor throughout Hermosa, only heightened by the calm and efficient service at this perfectly sized restaurant.

The Winter Red menu that Alex and Melissa offer throughout January and February, two of the coldest months on the Costa Del Sol, and right up until Easter, is guaranteed to chase away any lingering winter blues. With a perfect blend of Mexican and Asian influences, the delicately balanced combinations of traditional, hearty food with a contemporary twist will provide that warm glow we all crave at this time of year.

Contained within the RED menu options are starters which include Chicken Liver Pate, blended to a perfect consistency with green chilli, sage and chorizo which provide a sweet, yet spicy taste sensation unlike any pate I have ever tried before, truly spectacular, especially with the heavenly warm and crusty home-made fojata black olive bread.

Soup of the Day was tomato and oregano and was an unusual creamy Mediterranean flavoured dish. For a main course I can seriously recommend the breast of chicken with wok fried pulses and chorizo and moist, leaf spinach with rosemary and chilli salsa verde which provided a smoky and roasted taste sensation with the chorizo adding a spectacular touch.

The Fisherman’s Pie was a surprise, as this staple dish had a combination of large pieces of salmon, cod and oak smoked mackerel with a delicately flavoured cheddar mashed potato topping, grilled to perfection and served with fresh, steamed broccoli.

For those preferring a vegetarian dish, I am reliably informed by my companions of the evening that the Indo Malay vegetable and pulse curry made with the finest of ingredients and with a sensational steamed herb rice was divine.

The signature dessert dish was yet another regular favourite with a twist, Cherry Bakewell tart beautifully presented, light and flavoursome with an unexpected tea and toast covered ice cream with Amaretto syrup and it is worth a visit to Hermosa just to sample this delectable dessert!

With fresh and original menu ideas such as these you could come to Hermosa many times over and sample items on the RED menu without ever getting bored of what was on offer.

The high end presentation of each dish was only outdone by the taste of the food itself and with a great selection of wines and great value for money at only 18€ for two courses and 22.5€ for three courses all from the RED options and illustrated in red on the menu itself for ease of selection, this restaurant is definitely worth a visit or 10.

Booking is recommended as the restaurant was almost full by 8.30pm but this did not detract from the feeling of individual privacy.

Tel: 952 837 483