While staying within this pristinely white hill town, one of the prettiest of all the Cádiz province’s pueblos blancos, declared an Historic Artistic Site and the area’s gastronomic destination, we’ve dined within the town as well as in the countryside but hadn’t had the chance to try this entry to the dining scene, recommended both by Michelin and Repsol.
The name, “The Wall” refers to its situation next to the Arab walls (las murallas) that surround Vejer.
It was brought to Vejer by native son Paco Doncel, who trained at both Martín Berasategui and Casa Gerardo in Asturias. Here he practices as much as possible kilometer zero cuisine, choosing many of his ingredients from local producers: bread from La Noria bakery, picos from La Hoya, meats from the Paco Melero butcher shop, organic vegetables from local gardens…
It´s an intimate space, with a low key but charming décor, mimicking the interior of a local home, consisting of a front room of five tables and beyond, a dining space with just 3 tables, the two top in the corner having the most scenic views of the (rain soaked) countryside.
Outside there were two high tables set up along the street to handle any walk-ins on this very busy, windy and sunny (at last!) Sunday. In the evening, after sunset and in season the restaurant sets up more outside tables to accommodate the high demand.
We arrived early at 1:30 and were the first seated at that coveted back room table by our welcoming and friendly waiter from Sevilla, who had ample time to chat about the recent storms and to guide us through the menu and our wine selection.
We were presented a simple amuse bouche of carrots in escabeche, and excellent local bread. We shared a starter of clams and shrimp in a delicious broth (but suffering from a bit of sand) served in local white pottery, and for our 2 mains, a creamy rice, prepared with the Molino Roca variety with a quarter front leg of rabbit, served in a llauna, a catalán rectangular metal pan (every day a rotating rice with wild game dish is offered) and corvina (sea bass) accompanied by local spring vegetables. For dessert: the warm payoyo cheesecake with artesanal orange ice cream. To drink: a bottle of Sobremar from Meridiano Perdido Viñedos, a vino de pasto, or unfortified sherry wine.
Every menu item that our dining neighbors ordered looked inviting, so we’ll return to sample more dishes, and there are always off menu specials.
Closed all day Wednesday and Thursday lunch.
The pretty Plaza España, known locally as the Plaza de la Pescadería
The simple exterior of El Muro
Its diminutive interior
amuse bouche
Grilled sea bass with spring vegetables
The llauna of creamy rice with rabbit
The statue of the cobijada, the ancient, traditional Vejeriega’s costume covering one eye (not a burka)
Countryside views from our window
