This morning we arrived in Motril, a not particularly pretty port in the south of Spain. Many of my shipmates took tours to Granada, one of the most beautiful places in the world IMHO, but I’ve been there several times both as a teenager and with Al, so I availed myself of another unique experience the ship offered.
I have to “set the table” for you first. For several years while I’ve cruised on Seabourn there was a corporate Executive Chef who would come onboard to check on and tweek menus. His name is Michael Sandoval. I had the pleasure of meeting him – in fact I danced with him a couple of times. Now he and his wife Jasmin, who also worked for Seabourn, have opened a restaurant called Elysium Lécrin in the little village of Melegis in the Lécrin Valley about 25 minutes from Granada. The tour that I and 11 of my fellow passengers took was the first offered for a tasting menu lunch at this new and very lovely restaurant.
Michael and Jasmin spent five years fixing up an old, dilapidated house built in the 1890’s. When they bought it there were birds flying around and roosting in the attic and none of the windows had glass in them. They completely redid the place retaining the old stone elements and the character, but they added modern facilities and their own personal touches. Now it has become a boutique hotel with five luxurious suites and a marvelous restaurant which I have no doubt will receive a Michelin star in short order.
They named their place Elysium Lécrin. Elysium is a state of mind and body, a sensation into which you are immersed. For the Greeks and Romans, it was also a sacred place where the shades of virtuous men and heroic warriors led a blissful and happy existence amidst green and flowery landscapes. They have achieved the desired result.
We took a short ride through the Sierra Nevada mountains which stretch down to the coast in this part of Spain. Along the way we could see the first signs of snow in the distant peaks. We went part of the way on the highway, but then we had to get off onto a twisting mountain road with lots of hairpin turns. Our guide Maria told us we had to leave the main highway because the new bridge on that road which cost millions of euros is falling apart. We arrived at the venue and were greeted by name by Michael and his lovely wife.
These are a few shots of the Sierra
We began our experience with a delicious glass of Cava, a Spanish sparkling wine, and an hors d’oeuvres of a tiny puff pastry filled with cream and caviar. Then we were escorted down to the vaulted cellar where we sat at tables from which we could see the open kitchen and enjoy the 9-course feast. I won’t bore you with descriptions of everything but I will include photos because I want to remember how good this was. I will say that I ate a few things I didn’t think I’d like at all, like eel and octopus, and Michael’s take on them was absolutely exquisite. Each course was accompanied by a wonderful Spanish wine.
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| This was an appetizer including a Pho broth |
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| A second appetizer with some eel |
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| That curved thing is octopus skinned and cooked in a pressure cooker until it lost all its rubbery texture and tasted delectable |
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| A raviolo stuffed with oxtail |
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| Squab with a black truffle gravy and some dried pumpkin |
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| A pre-dessert dish with foir gras, an orange marmalade, and a crumble made of walnuts and diced celery |
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| Dessert of mango, rice and cream |
We were supposed to get back to the ship by 3:30 PM; we made it back around 4:45 instead. It poured rain for most of the ride back through the mountain roads and Sergio, our driver, did a splendid job. It was a marvelous day! This evening I was invited to dine at the Captain’s table. Two of my new friends who are Australians who live in England were at the table too. They are great fun and I look forward to spending more time with them in the days to come. I finished the evening with a Monica Vitte, my favorite after-dinner drink, in the Solis Bar and then a quick listen to some music up in the Observation Bar from my favorite duo Barry and Merle. I’ve known them for three cruises now and I’m always so happy they are aboard. Besides being great musicians they are also really nice people.
That was my day. It was lovely!
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