Mezquida Restaurant

The Bolufer Catalá family, since 1982

Mezquida was opened by the Bolufer Catalá family in 1982, as a modest eatery of meals and set menus. Today it is run by four siblings: Mercedes and María Teresa in the kitchen, Guillermo and Cristóbal front of house, with recipes that come from their parents and grandparents. It is on the Cabo de la Nao road, in El Pla, number 62, around kilometre 1 and opposite the Aldi. It has four air-conditioned dining rooms, a landscaped terrace and its own car park, something you appreciate on this road in August. It is a member of the Xàbia restaurants association and has taken part in its gastronomic days.

Vine-shoot wood, but to order

What defines the kitchen is fire: meat and fish are cooked over wood, and there are two paellas made with vine-shoot wood, the chicken, rabbit and vegetable one and the rabbit and snail one, at €22.50 per person. Both are ordered in advance, so if you want to try them call the day before. The rice is from the Valencia Designation of Origin.

Without an order you have a long menu, always for a minimum of two portions and priced per person: arroz a banda at €15.70, vegetable paella at €16.50, black rice with baby squid at €17.70, paella valenciana or chicken and rabbit paella at €18.40, and paella morena (cuttlefish and vegetables), seafood, del senyoret or fideuà at €18.90. Among the soupy rice dishes, the cuttlefish and vegetable one and the del senyoret, at €18.90; the lobster one, at €27.40 and to order. The house limits tables to two different rice dishes; for six portions or more, it is prepared to order.

To start and to finish

The starters draw on the coast: Xàbia cocas with pisto, onion or herbs with capellanet (€4 to €4.20 each), tomato salads from their own garden with anchovies or with capellanes, aspencat of roasted vegetables, house cured meats grilled, Iberian ham or prawn and spinach croquettes, and salted fish such as Xàbia dried octopus. If you are not going for rice, there is market fish on the griddle, sea bass suquet or cruet to order (€26.70 per person, minimum two) and grilled meats, from Ávila lamb (€22.90) to Galician beef steak (€32). The desserts are from their own workshop: almond cake with flan, pumpkin with chocolate or cheesecake, at €7.20, and three coeliac-friendly desserts. The menu indicates allergens.

The midday menu and how to book

From Monday to Friday, except public holidays and their eves, there is a midday menu. The menu gives it at €26 per person; the website's front page still says €25, so confirm when you book. There are two dishes for children up to age 11, at €9.70. Rice dishes are also sold to take away, with a euro per container.

The website does not publish opening hours or closing days: book on its booking form or on 965 793 620, and ask then. It is on the way to Cala Granadella and La Barraca and the Portitxol, and is the lunch stop of the kayak, wood-fired rice and lighthouse plan.