Located in Fuengirola, one of the most beautiful areas of the Costa del Sol, Sollo Restaurant is a benchmark of exclusivity. Sustainability with capital letters, respect for the environment and quality in its preparations are the pillars on which the cuisine of chef Diego Gallegos is based.
Higuerón Resort, one of the most exclusive living-resorts in Southern Europe, has understood from the beginning that gastronomy plays an important role when looking for accommodation. For this reason, one of its gastronomic proposals is Sollo Restaurant. But Higuerón Resort is much more, it is the resort as a destination in itself, a complex that offers a premium experience, combining luxury, exquisite service and a privileged location between the sea and the mountains. An oasis of peace and serenity that guarantees a unique and unforgettable experience.
David Gallegos, the caviar chef
A researcher as well as a chef, this Brazilian by birth and Malaga by adoption has respect for the environment as the driving force behind his day-to-day work. He also has a multicultural vision of cuisine, acquired after professional training in different regions of America and Spain, which he wisely transmits to his dishes. The cuisine is unique in that there is no meat on the menu, only river fish and vegetables. His other facet, that of researcher, comes from being responsible for the recovery of the Andalusian sturgeon, from which he uses its caviar as the restaurant’s star product.
His thorough training, his research, the use of innovative processes in the preparation of dishes and the use of top quality raw materials have earned him several awards such as a Michelin star, the Green Michelin star and two Repsol Suns. two Repsol Suns.
All these ingredients result in a creative and sustainable cuisine based on river fish and home-grown, home-produced vegetables -as mentioned above-, obtained with innovative systems that respectfully and ecologically manage the natural resources of the area. This unique, top-quality raw material is produced by aquaponics, which guarantees complete traceability of the product, from sowing to the plate. The result is a natural cuisine in which the fresh foods of the Mediterranean diet such as lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and aubergines are the main ingredients and freshwater fish such as African catfish, tilapia, tench, pacu and piranha.
What is gastroacuopony? To begin with, it is a different way of understanding cuisine. This is an integrated farming model that allows the farming of river and vegetable fish, guaranteeing a permanent supply and controlling the timing, size and quality of the species according to the season. With this technique, Sollo produces more than two thousand vegetables and fish in more than twelve thousand litres of water. In this way, diners can be sure that what they consume is at least 90% sustainable and environmentally responsible.
Riofrio Caviar and Caminho Menu 2024
Riofrío caviar is one of its most exclusive products. From the Sierra de Loja in Granada, it is considered one of the best in the world and has been distinguished as the first organic caviar in the world thanks to Diego Gallegos’ method of obtaining it. Prior to the tasting menu, the chef encourages his diners to begin this gastronomic experience with a tasting of the star product that made him known in the competitive world of gastronomy. The options on offer are one or two teaspoons of approximately four grams each of Riofrío caviar, selected by chef Diego Gallegos, and a glass of champagne per person or a thirty gram tin of classic Riofrío caviar and two glasses of champagne for two people.
The Caminho 2024 tasting menu starts with Pisco, chicha morada and apple popcorn as a welcome cocktail, followed by appetizers, starters with caviar, main courses and desserts. Among the appetizers we find crispy potato and caviar croissant, vegetable cannoli of roasted red pepper, salted Macaron of preserved fish, Tartlet of pickled trout and its roe and Sandwich river and mountain. The caviar starters consist of Riofrío organic caviar, almond and cauliflower royal, red tuna tartar, tilapia and caviar and catfish and white butter sauce. The main course options are Trout, coffee and sweetcorn; Smoked eel, Iberian ham consommé and pickles; and Sturgeon, foie gras and tuber cream. For sweet bites, the chef’s proposals are Mazamorra morada, honey, yoghurt and citrus fruits and Canelé bordelaise, chocolate and flowers. This tasting menu ends with a pleasant surprise, some delicious mignardises, a “Box of sweets from my childhood”.
Diego & Friends in The Office of Diego Gallegos
Another gastronomic experience worth having is a visit to the aquaponic system, the organic vegetable garden and the new R&D laboratory or, as they have called it, The Office of Diego Gallegos. In this creative space they show the details of the whole process of research with river fish, in collaboration with the Aula del Mar of the University of Malaga, before enjoying the tasting menu.
This is also the site of another initiative by chef Diego & Friends, in which different chefs are invited to cook a unique menu with him for a reduced seating capacity. This event, now in its third edition, has been attended by renowned chefs from the national and international gastronomic scene, such as Paco Roncero, Andoni Luís Aduriz, Mario Sandoval, Francis Paniego, Martina Puigvert, Joäo Rodrigues, Randy Siles and Mauricio Giovanini, among many others, since 2022 when it was held for the first time. Interesting initiative complemented by forums, talks and round tables with local producers where different guidelines for the preservation of the environment and sustainable gastronomy are analysed and shared.
