Restaurante Zona Kiu - a La Orotava eatery in a truly picturesque setting

As you may or may not know, La Orotava is one of the most traditional and picturesque towns in Tenerife and, within this beautiful setting, there is the old house of the Lercaro family, Genoese merchants who relocated to the island after the Spanish conquest.

This house, more a collection of buildings with open-air courtyards within, has retained its historical features and is a perfect example of the Canarian architectural style.

These days, the house is primarily used for craft and gift shops, selling upmarket trinkets that you can buy as mementoes of your Tenerife stay, or to tastefully decorate your home.

But, tucked away in its environs is this excellent restaurant, Zona Kiu. Immediately, even before you've sampled the food, you have a superb setting for your meal.

The restaurant, as well as its main dining room, features a cafe, a lounge/bar and an open-air patio, where you can enjoy your meal while gazing over the courtyard, imagining you're in a different century.

The food, however, is bang up-to-date. The young owners of the restaurant, Isidro and Rayco, have integrated a modern twist to the food and service that merges with the traditional surroundings perfectly.

Cuisine is basically Spanish, with such delicacies on offer as sirloin of Iberian pork with mandarin sauce, tenderloin of beef stuffed with cheese and served with pepper sauce, warm salad of avocado, cod and prawns in garlic sauce, served with black potatoes and banana omelette with goat's cheese. There is also the Zona Kiu "Canarian platter", consisting of octopus, croquettes, fish cake and black pudding.

Fine, earthy wines are available, which is not surprising, as La Orotava is in the centre of a wine growing region of the island. As you would expect, there is a comprehensive selection of excellent vintages.

Regarding opening times, despite what it says in the box below, I understand that, two evenings a week, the restaurant is used for wedding receptions, so is not open to the general public. I'm not entirely sure which two nights - it is either Saturday and Sunday, or Sunday and Monday.

For reservations, telephone (+34) 922 323738

You find Casa Lercaro as follows. From the TF-5 north motorway, exit at junction 33, taking the TF-21. Eventually, you'll come to a roundabout, where there are several flags on tall poles. Take the second exit and follow this road round, until you see a bar on your right called Bar Los Chicos del Valle, where you should turn right.

Stay on this road and eventually you have to give way to a main road. Go straight across this and you enter a narrow, cobbled one-way street. Go all the way along this till you reach a T-junction (flowers in pots arranged along this street). Turn sharp right and try to park. Casa Lercaro is just down the hill from there and Zona Kiu is inside.

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