ROCK OUT INTERVIEW
‘Bamboo’ combines delicious Thai, Japanese and Lebanese cuisine with a fun and vibrant atmosphere. Plus with live DJ’s every weekend and regular fashion shows, singers and flamenco performances it makes the perfect destination for a night out. We caught up with the owner of ‘Bamboo’, Eline Keijzer Aboutaka, to give you an insight into the restaurant that’s taking Marbella by storm.
Q: What was your inspiration behind setting up ‘Bamboo’?
I have always been involved in the catering industry, and after running ‘Café Banus’ for eight years, I thought a concept restaurant like this was missing in Marbella.
Q: Can you tell our readers more about ‘Bamboo’s exquisite and extraordinary gastronomy?
We actually have various chefs for each different cuisine. Our head chef is our sushi chef called Pietro. He has a great reputation for being one of the best on the Costa del Sol, having worked at ‘Fashion Sushi’ in Marbella and also London. We also specialise in Thai food and to complement this we have Lebanese dishes and daily specials on the menu such as fillet steak and hamburger.
Q: Can you name your signature dishes for each cuisine you serve? Which are the ones that you’d highly recommend our readers try out?
Thai: Red chicken curry is a favourite for most of our clients.
Sushi: The jumbo roll, which has tempura prawn, salmon, tuna, wakame, avocado, cucumber and cream cheese. Also, the salmon deluxe which has salmon, cream cheese, avocado, cucumber and masago ali oli.
Lebanese: Kibbeh and hummus are always in demand.
Q: What type of clientele does ‘Bamboo’ attract?
Marbella is an international community so we have clients from all over the world really. The age group is usually over 30 but that varies.
Q: Who are some of your most famous celebrity guests?
The tennis players Novak Djokovic and Feliciano Lopez, as well as Malaga footballer Roque Santa Cruz.
Q: You opened in 2007, having survived the boom and bust in Marbella, why do people keep coming back to ‘Bamboo’?
I’d say great food, nice atmosphere and most importantly great value for money and easy parking.
Q: You have live DJ’s every weekend so guests can enjoy dinner and dancing, is this a major factor in pulling in the crowds?
Yes. We have ‘Deep Sushi Parties’ every Saturday and we also bring in live music acts and do fashion shows on a regular basis.
Q: What time does the DJ or entertainment usually start?
It all starts at 9pm.
Q: What type of music do you play?
Usually deep house music.
Q: You mix your DJs up each week, have you had any famous DJs take to the decks?
We enjoy changing DJ’s for variation. Also, an up-and-coming DJ called Pio Valles often plays here; you can buy his songs on Spotify or iTunes.
Q: Do you allow non-dining guests to come in and have a drink or dance?
Yes, non-dining guests are very welcome.
Q: You also have a boutique on site, what type of fashion do you sell?
We sell the ‘Eline Collection’ which is my own brand, designed by me. They are cashmere pashminas and handbags that are all made here in Spain.
Q: What is the approximate price range of your collections?
The pashminas start from €90 and the bags sell from €145 onwards.
Q: So dinner, dancing and dressing up are ‘de riguer’ at ‘Bamboo’…..do you have any further expansion plans for 2015?
Yes, as we still haven’t utilised the sun terrace part of the restaurant, so hopefully it will all be done before the summer for our guests to enjoy.
Bamboo Restaurant is open Monday to Saturday from midday to 01:00 for lunch and dinners. Closed all day Sunday. To make a reservation at ‘Bamboo’ please ring +34 952 906 674 or visit bamboomarbella.com to send an online reservation request.
