El Diablo, Lanzarote 01-2013

Cesar Manrique's architectual influence on Lanzarote is equivalent to Gaudi on Barcelona. His structures include sculptures, a volcanic cave turned nightclub/concert hall/swimming pool, a cactus garden and iconic symbols for the island's national park. Luckily he also had the brilliant idea of using a volcano's natural heat as a grill.

Timanfaya National Park is the most visited attraction for good reason. A stunning landscape of black volcanic rock, red sanded mountains, the occasional resilient shrubs, the meeting coastline of the blue ocean. Touring through such scenery is hungry work and so unexpectedly the visitor at the top has a restaurant. The attraction of the place is the volcanic grill designed to use the constant heat with intermittent bursts to cook meat and fish.

It was almost certainly designed for tourists, but who can resist a volcano steak?

- Sardines - simple whole sardines with a touch of salt. Same as a normal grill;
- Sirloin - honestly like a slow cooked steak over an indirect grill served with a meaty gravy. The outside didn't have a very solid crust (perhaps the result of not having a direct heat but more circulating hot air) but the inside was beautifully rare and warmed through, revealing a really outstanding quality piece of tender meat. Unexpectedly impressed.

The restaurant also had large pieces of chicken cooking beforehand in preparation given the slow cooking time. I've read reviews of others not liking the steak as it isn't cooked enough for them - I think this is probably a reflection of the slow cooking time for this style.

Next time I would order any of the beef (Entrecote, Sirloin or Rib Eye) and try a piece of slow-cooked Chicken. If rare beef isn't your thing, stick with the chicken, try fish, or eat elsewhere.