Malva
Restaurant · Ensenada ·
Farm to table seasonal tasting menus 4 or 8 courses
Farm to table seasonal tasting menus 4 or 8 courses
"Malva, whose chef Roberto Alcocer also operates the Michelin-starred Valle in Oceanside, is the first serious restaurant you’ll find as you round the sinusoid curve at kilometer 96, heading into Mexican wine country. Treat yourself with four, seven, or 10 oysters from Bahia Falsa, or an octopus sope with a glass of sauvignon blanc by oenologist Veronica Santiago of the Mina Penélope winery. If you’ve only got time for a quick snack before a day of wine tasting, order Alcocer’s juicy borrego birrioso (lamb birria) with refried beans. Or get one of the variations on the Valley classic, fish of the day, which comes either encircled by swirls of sweet compote and beet puree, or with roasted onions and mushrooms." - Bill Esparza
"Rabinor also recommends the open-air Malva, which sits next to Mina Penelope winery. Chef Roberto Alcocer's innovative menu ranges from chilly platters of briny oysters to rich, succulent lamb birria. It won't be hard to miss Malva — it's one of the first restaurants you'll come upon as you head into the valley." - Meagan Drillinger Meagan Drillinger Meagan Drillinger left New York City for a life on the road. She has spent the majority of her career traveling and living in Mexico, and is passionate about seeing destinations in a slow-
"From its idyllic location on the Mina Penélope vineyard to its talented chef, Roberto Alcocer, who is also the chef/owner of San Diego's Valle, Malva is a hard one to beat. This open-air restaurant's setting is certainly a scene stealer, but the season-driven, Mexican cooking commands equal attention. Two menus of four or eight courses are on offer, and the kitchen delivers elegant, original dishes. Served in a shell, paper-thin slices of scallop layered with thinly sliced cucumber on top of a classic aguachile simply shines. As Malva is the Latin name name for the mallow plant, the namesake mallow coulant is a must, and the green-tinted, molten cake accompanied by goat cheese ice cream certainly doesn't disappoint with its subtle vegetal and floral notes." - Michelin Inspector
"I learned that Valle, an Oceanside restaurant opened in 2021 by acclaimed Valle de Guadalupe chef Roberto Alcocer of Malva, was among this year’s additions and received one Michelin star." - Candice Woo
"A seven-year-old, charmingly rustic, all-outdoor restaurant in the Valle de Guadalupe, Malva Cocina de Baja California is described as one of the region’s essential dining destinations. I emphasize its commitment to local products — Alcocer raises lambs on the property — which informs signature dishes like braised lamb and a garden-like presentation that pairs stewed meat with potato, carrots, chickpea hummus, and a “soil” made from beans, mushrooms, and potato skin. The restaurant’s cuisine relies on ingredients from the Baja region, including Ensenada black cod, Baja abalone, and oysters, and its relaxed, rustic format contrasts with the more formal dining Alcocer is offering in Oceanside." - Candice Woo