Monday, 20 October 2025, 16:14
Luciano Pulcinelli has been the new head chef at Don Giovanni for several months and little by little his culinary influence is being noticed in this Finca Cortesín restaurant, which has had Andrea Tumbarello as an adviser since the start. Today the Italian restaurant has established itself as one of the best for updated Italian cuisine and also for having a service in line with the demands and philosophy of this high standing hotel complex under the watchful eye of the hotel’s executive chef, Lutz Bosing.
Don Giovanni’s new menu is structured following a logical order for our way of eating, that is to say, first the starters or antipasti, either hot or cold, main or first courses where pasta is the main base, meat dishes, fish dishes, a selection of pizzas, as is to be expected in an establishment serving Italian cuisine in our country, and desserts.
From the beginning, Lucianno has had a difficult time in this restaurant, Andrea’s shadow is long and tenacious, and it has not been easy to translate all the culinary ideas that have previously triumphed in Madrid, I am referring to Tumbarello’s restaurant in the Villa y Corte, with the gastronomic tastes that prevail in the Costa del Sol, mainly during the non-summer season. What I liked most on my last visit was precisely the artisanal preparation that they’re doing at Don Giovanni of some typical breads like focaccia, which here is served as an appetizer following culinary traditions and the grissini, as well as the incorporation of a selection of wines, both Italian and European, into the already extensive wine list.
The best thing to do is to follow the typical Italian menu, which starts with the antipasto. It is in the starters where there is more dichotomy, because in front of some croquettes lacking in juiciness, a very good mortadella stands out; among the cold starters we must highlight the vitello with veal for its delicate texture and before the pasta, we must try some of the pizzas on the menu, the black truffle one the best for the autumn; another of the most successful dishes is the baked aubergine. Undoubtedly, dishes that are a must on a first visit to this restaurant.
Some proposals
Vitello with veal: Chromaticism and attractiveness are the first things you notice about this ‘vitello’ of white veal and tuna. A Piedmontese speciality that is still a magnificent starter, even more so than the hors d’oeuvres. The cut of the meat is very fine.
Truffle pizza: A Neapolitan pizza dough, very fluffy and with quite airy edges. The baking point is perfect and also the tomato so that it doesn’t hide the flavour of a real truffle. Lucciano is a good connoisseur of how the dough should be.
Melanzane la parmigiana: As its name indicates, it’s a baked aubergine dish with Parmigiano cheese. The success of this traditional dish lies precisely in the fusion of the ingredients with each other and the smooth, velvety texture in the mouth.
Pappardelle with prawns: Pappardelle are very similar to tagliatelle, but wider and therefore provide more intense sensations depending on the sauces. In particular, they are outstanding with perfectly cooked prawns.
Address : Crta. Casares. Km, 2. Telephone: 952 937 882. Web: fincacortesin.com Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Prices : Melanzane: 21€; Vitello tonnato: 26€; Pizza Tartufo Nero: 45€.
Valuation : Cuisine 8; Dining room 7; Wine list: 7; Rating: 7.5 / 10
Dining and Cooking