Menu · Meat
Ronda-style oxtail stew (rabo de toro)
La Pilastra’s Ronda-style oxtail is a slow-braised stew served with fries. It is one of the heartiest dishes on the menu: a good choice if you want a traditional Andalusian stew as your main course, less so if you are after a light lunch.
What rabo de toro is
Oxtail is a cut rich in collagen that needs long, slow cooking until the meat comes away from the bone and the sauce turns glossy. It has been stewed in Andalusia for generations, and in Ronda, with its bullfighting history, it is one of the dishes people most associate with the town. On Spanish menus you may also see it as cola de toro.
Every kitchen has its own recipe. If you would like to know how La Pilastra prepares it, ask the team at your table.
Who it suits
It is a meat-on-the-bone dish with plenty of sauce, best enjoyed at an unhurried pace. It works as a main course for one, or in the middle of the table if you are sharing several plates.
If you are unsure about its soft, gelatinous texture, sharing one portion is a sensible way to try it. The pork cheek in Pedro Ximénez sauce is the other slow-cooked dish on the menu, with a sweeter edge, and the Iberian pork presa is a cut served with baked potato rather than a stew.
What to order with it
Start with something fresh: the tomatoes with tuna belly or the beetroot with Greek yoghurt balance the table. If you want the same flavour in another form, ask whether the oxtail croquettes are on as a special that day.
A red from the Serranía de Ronda is the classic match for a stew like this; see Ronda wines for the wineries we pour, or ask the team for a glass or bottle. Everything else is on the full menu.
To start before the oxtail
Dishes from the menu that add freshness or carry the flavour on.
Tomato selection with tuna belly
€17.90Tomatoes, tuna belly, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic dressing.
Beetroot with Greek yoghurt
€17.90With mint, caramelised almonds and extra virgin olive oil.
Oxtail croquettes
€14.50
Call to reserve
Coming for the oxtail?
Book by phone or WhatsApp; if this dish is the reason for your visit, mention it in your message.
We will confirm availability by phone or WhatsApp. · Opening hours 12:00 — 23:00
Get directions on Google MapsFrequently asked questions
Is rabo de toro the same as cola de toro?
Yes. Both names refer to the same cut; in Andalusia it is usually called rabo de toro.
Can I share it?
Yes. It comes as a portion of stew with fries, and many tables order it for the middle alongside a couple of starters.