Address: Apuntadores, 16, La Lonja, 07012, Palma de Mallorca
Tel: +34 971 72 17 45
We were initially put off going here due to a poor review on Trip Advisor regarding bad service. However, friends who had been there said they had had a good meal with excellent service so we thought we would give it a try.
We dined on a November evening at 7.30 pm and booked the table the previous day. When we arrived there were a few other diners in the restaurant but it gradually became almost full as we progressed with our meal. The ambience is warm with traditional stone walls and a magnificent metal-work chandelier overhanging the main part of the restaurant.
When we arrived we were greeted immediately in a welcoming manner and quickly shown to our table. Our drinks' order was taken quickly and we were left with menus to peruse.
The drinks came quickly and my G&T was excellent and after a mediocre glass of house white, my husband went on to have a half bottle of a good Albarino wine.
We passed on starters as we wanted to try the shoulder of Mallorcan lamb on a bed of pureed potato. It arrived in a timely fashion and was all that this traditional Mallorcan dish should be - moist and tender meat which fell of the bone and extremely tasty. The potato puree was perfect as well. Other choices on the menu were ribs and steaks, plus a chef's specials menu, so probably a particularly good choice for meat eaters.
We were pretty full after this dish but felt we had room to squeeze in a dessert. My husband chose crema catalana which was excellent and I chose the tiramisu which was not what I was expecting. It was served in a small Kilner-type jar and was rather too firm for my liking - probably because it was chilled. However, the taste was good.
We were served by two serving staff and both were equally engaging with the female one even having the good manners to laugh at my husband's rather obscure jokes!
I finished with a cortado and the bill came to a reasonable €90 for what had been a very good meal.
We shall definitely go back.
Saturday, 7 November 2015
Wednesday, 4 November 2015
AROMATO - LUNCH
Address: Conception, 12, 07012 Palma de Mallorca
Tel: +34 971 495 833
My husband and I went here for lunch with 2 friends in November. We had heard that it is very hard to get a table for either lunch or dinner so we booked the day before for a table at 1.30 pm. It opens for lunch at 1 pm.
The restaurant is situated in an old building with simple modern furnishings which creates a pleasant eating ambience.
When we arrived the staff were initially a little bit gruff but as the meal progressed they seemed to warm up and the service was at the right pace even though the restaurant was almost full within half an hour of our arrival.
We each chose the set menu for €15.50 per head which had 3 courses with a choice of 3 for each. The guys shared a bottle of verdejo which was acceptable, I had a more than acceptable G&T and a sparkling mineral water was the choice of our other friend.
Between us we managed to try all 3 starters. The cream of mushroom soup looked good and tasted good, as did the scrambled egg with buttifaro but was apparently a little on the cool side. My bean salad with Iberico ham, tomato and pine nuts looked and tasted fresh but was not as inspiring as the other 2 starters.
Once again we managed to try all 3 main courses between us and the most appealing and substantial dish was the chicken breasts stuffed with prawns and spinach accompanied by an almond sauce. It was deemed excellent. I tried the fried monkfish with a paprika seasoning accompanied by new potatoes. It was very tasty but was rather a small portion so would not have satisfied a really hungry diner. My husband had the chick pea stew with pork which was tasty but again was rather a small portion.
None of us tried the Aromato yogurt dessert, trying instead the crepes with vanilla cream and the rice pudding with mango and toffee sauce. The crepes were quite thick and rolled in tubes with a garnish of strawberries and were good. However, the rice pudding was not as tasty as you would imagine from the description and the taste of mango and toffee did not come through and the rice was a little undercooked for my liking.
I feel that our satisfaction with our eating experience here was dependent upon what dish was chosen, but at a cost of €90 for 4 people it was not bad value for money.
Frankly there are other restaurants in Palma that I would go to in preference to Aromato.
Tel: +34 971 495 833
My husband and I went here for lunch with 2 friends in November. We had heard that it is very hard to get a table for either lunch or dinner so we booked the day before for a table at 1.30 pm. It opens for lunch at 1 pm.
The restaurant is situated in an old building with simple modern furnishings which creates a pleasant eating ambience.
When we arrived the staff were initially a little bit gruff but as the meal progressed they seemed to warm up and the service was at the right pace even though the restaurant was almost full within half an hour of our arrival.
We each chose the set menu for €15.50 per head which had 3 courses with a choice of 3 for each. The guys shared a bottle of verdejo which was acceptable, I had a more than acceptable G&T and a sparkling mineral water was the choice of our other friend.
Between us we managed to try all 3 starters. The cream of mushroom soup looked good and tasted good, as did the scrambled egg with buttifaro but was apparently a little on the cool side. My bean salad with Iberico ham, tomato and pine nuts looked and tasted fresh but was not as inspiring as the other 2 starters.
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| Cream of mushroom soup |
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| Scrambled egg with buttifaro |
Once again we managed to try all 3 main courses between us and the most appealing and substantial dish was the chicken breasts stuffed with prawns and spinach accompanied by an almond sauce. It was deemed excellent. I tried the fried monkfish with a paprika seasoning accompanied by new potatoes. It was very tasty but was rather a small portion so would not have satisfied a really hungry diner. My husband had the chick pea stew with pork which was tasty but again was rather a small portion.
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| Prawn and spinach stuffed chicken with almond sauce |
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| Paprika monkfish with new potatoes |
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| Chick pea stew with pork |
None of us tried the Aromato yogurt dessert, trying instead the crepes with vanilla cream and the rice pudding with mango and toffee sauce. The crepes were quite thick and rolled in tubes with a garnish of strawberries and were good. However, the rice pudding was not as tasty as you would imagine from the description and the taste of mango and toffee did not come through and the rice was a little undercooked for my liking.
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| Crepe with vanilla cream |
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| Rice pudding with mango and toffee sauce |
I feel that our satisfaction with our eating experience here was dependent upon what dish was chosen, but at a cost of €90 for 4 people it was not bad value for money.
Frankly there are other restaurants in Palma that I would go to in preference to Aromato.
CANELA - DINNER
ADDRESS: Calle Sant Jaume 13, 07012 Palma de Mallorca
TEL: + 34 971 71 03 14
We previously ate lunch here and were interested to know what it was like for dinner as the waiter had told us that it was quite different to the lunch menu.
We had been told it is best to book for dinner, but we went on spec on a Wednesday evening in November around 9.30 pm and were lucky to get a table as it was pretty busy.
Our table was in the back room which adjoined the kitchen which was separated from the diners by a tall bar. From there we were fascinated to watch the calm and precision of the chefs at work. The room was simply decorated in white paint and the tables and chairs were simple but had some original architectural features which gave it an interesting ambience.
Our waitress was a charming German woman with nothing being too much trouble and we were quickly served our drinks. My G&T was as it should be. My husband ordered a glass of white rioja wine but was brought a red rioja in error. However, this was instantly changed without fuss and it was very drinkable, so several more glasses followed.
The menu was not extensive but whetted the appetite. I chose a deep-fried soft shell crab with an assortment of small portions tasty sauces topped with a wasabe foam. When I asked if soft shell crabs were in season I was told with surprisingly honesty that they bought them frozen from a source that freezes them quickly after catching. Had I not been told this I would never have guessed as it tasted fresh and was delicious. My husband started with scallops, also accompanied by the wasabe foam. Although they were in a batter they were not overcooked and tasty delicous, too. The wasabe foam was not absolutely necessary but added a interesting twist to each dish.
For the main course we both chose the Hake Red Thai curry. Neither of us are huge fans of red thai curries but this one was exquisite. In our experience the coconut flavour often overwhelms the dish but this one had the right balance of sweet coconut with sour and the hake was fresh and cooked perfectly.
Although the helpings were not huge we both felt so full after our 2 courses that we had no room for dessert. We shall have to go back another time and have a main course followed by dessert.
The food here is very special and I am sure we shall become regulars as it is close to where we live and we were made to feel most welcome and already treated like regulars after only 2 visits.
The bill was a very fair €90 for what was a very special eating experience.
TEL: + 34 971 71 03 14
We previously ate lunch here and were interested to know what it was like for dinner as the waiter had told us that it was quite different to the lunch menu.
We had been told it is best to book for dinner, but we went on spec on a Wednesday evening in November around 9.30 pm and were lucky to get a table as it was pretty busy.
Our table was in the back room which adjoined the kitchen which was separated from the diners by a tall bar. From there we were fascinated to watch the calm and precision of the chefs at work. The room was simply decorated in white paint and the tables and chairs were simple but had some original architectural features which gave it an interesting ambience.
Our waitress was a charming German woman with nothing being too much trouble and we were quickly served our drinks. My G&T was as it should be. My husband ordered a glass of white rioja wine but was brought a red rioja in error. However, this was instantly changed without fuss and it was very drinkable, so several more glasses followed.
The menu was not extensive but whetted the appetite. I chose a deep-fried soft shell crab with an assortment of small portions tasty sauces topped with a wasabe foam. When I asked if soft shell crabs were in season I was told with surprisingly honesty that they bought them frozen from a source that freezes them quickly after catching. Had I not been told this I would never have guessed as it tasted fresh and was delicious. My husband started with scallops, also accompanied by the wasabe foam. Although they were in a batter they were not overcooked and tasty delicous, too. The wasabe foam was not absolutely necessary but added a interesting twist to each dish.
For the main course we both chose the Hake Red Thai curry. Neither of us are huge fans of red thai curries but this one was exquisite. In our experience the coconut flavour often overwhelms the dish but this one had the right balance of sweet coconut with sour and the hake was fresh and cooked perfectly.
Although the helpings were not huge we both felt so full after our 2 courses that we had no room for dessert. We shall have to go back another time and have a main course followed by dessert.
The food here is very special and I am sure we shall become regulars as it is close to where we live and we were made to feel most welcome and already treated like regulars after only 2 visits.
The bill was a very fair €90 for what was a very special eating experience.
BAR CUBA - QUICK PRE-CONCERT SUPPER
Address: Calle Sant Magi, 1, 07013, Palma de Mallorca
Tel: +34 971 45 22 37
My husband and I visited the ground floor bar/bistro at the end of October around 6 pm.
We wanted a quick supper before going to a concert at the Auditorium which is about a 10 minute walk away.
We sat inside where there were a few other diners - not surprising at this time of the evening.
We were attended to quickly by an engaging waiter who brought us our drinks - an excellent G&T and a glass of verdejo which were both very drinkable.
We explained that we had less than an hour to eat and asked if he could tell us which dishes would be quick to serve which he did without any hesitation.
We chose a dish which was 2 exquisitely fried eggs on top of a bed of sauteed potatoes with foie gras. It was extremely tasty and seasoned perfectly.
In the short time available we had enjoyed a tasty supper washed down with enjoyable drinks and even had time to finish with a cortado, all for the reasonable price of €45.
Tel: +34 971 45 22 37
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| Ground floor bar/bistro |
My husband and I visited the ground floor bar/bistro at the end of October around 6 pm.
We wanted a quick supper before going to a concert at the Auditorium which is about a 10 minute walk away.
We sat inside where there were a few other diners - not surprising at this time of the evening.
We were attended to quickly by an engaging waiter who brought us our drinks - an excellent G&T and a glass of verdejo which were both very drinkable.
We explained that we had less than an hour to eat and asked if he could tell us which dishes would be quick to serve which he did without any hesitation.
We chose a dish which was 2 exquisitely fried eggs on top of a bed of sauteed potatoes with foie gras. It was extremely tasty and seasoned perfectly.
In the short time available we had enjoyed a tasty supper washed down with enjoyable drinks and even had time to finish with a cortado, all for the reasonable price of €45.
Tuesday, 27 October 2015
LA BODEGUILLA - SUPPER
Address: Carrer de Sant Jaume, 3, 07012 Palma, Illes Balears
Phone: 00 34971 71 82 74
This restaurant is featured in many of the guides to eating out in Palma and has been for at least 12 years as we recently spotted it in an old guide that we had from 2003! So it was there that my husband and I headed on a Monday evening in October.
It looks inviting from the outside, with modern decor and sympathetic lighting, and as we stepped in we were asked if we had a reservation. When we said we did not, we were told rather abruptly that we could choose from 2 tables. Having duly chosen the one we preferred the waitress then left us without saying another word before returning with a wine list and menus. Unfortunately, there was no attempt to engage with us and we almost felt that we should apologise for troubling her - and we are not overly sensitive types! She and the rest of the serving staff were Philippinos so we wondered if perhaps there was a cultural divide that we did not comprehend.
Fortunately, this waitress stopped attending to us and we were then served our drinks and food by 2 other waitresses who, fortunately, had not been to the same charm school as the one we initially encountered.
My husband had a very drinkable glass of verdejo and I had a Botanic G&T with Fevertree tonic which was excellent. The sparkling water was Pelligrino.
We chose from the tapas menu. The patatas bravas were served with a slightly picante creamy dip and were tasty. The octopus in a potato foam was excellent and the smoked cod on roasted aubergine was good. The poached egg with foie gras and truffle sauce was extremely tasty and there were copious amounts of the sauce which we soaked up with ciabatta bread rolls. We also had toasted brown bread fingers rubbed with oil and tomato which were also tasty. I finished with a well made coffee cortado.
We enjoyed our tapas meal but it was not as good as others that we have tried in nearby restaurants and, whilst it was not overly priced at €69, it was more expensive than other tapas restaurants nearby too. Combined with a less than convivial welcome on arrival this will not be top of our list of restaurants to revisit.
One positive thing we discovered (via one of the very engaging waitresses), though, is that La Bodeguilla has an extensive wine list and it is possible to buy the wines to take away at a reasonable price. They had some bottles of Nou Nat (a Mallorcan white wine), which is difficult to find, so we left with a couple of bottles of that for €15 per bottle. As we live not far from here when we are in Mallorca we shall possibly use it as an off-licence from time to time.
Saturday, 24 October 2015
CANELA BISTRO - LUNCH
ADDRESS: Calle Sant Jaume 13, 07012 Palma de Mallorca
TEL: + 34 971 71 03 14
I had lunch here with my husband on a Saturday in late October and it was fine enough weather to sit on the terrace which is across the street opposite Canela Bistro outside a church. This is very pleasant as the passing walkers and traffic do not intrude on your dining experience and it is fun to people watch and observe the horse drawn carriages passing by.
The waiter told us that the lunch menu was different to the evening menu, but as we had not dined previously in the evening we had no expectations of what might be on offer.
My husband had a glass of a white rioja which he thoroughly enjoyed but, sadly, that was the last glass of the last bottle so he followed this with a couple of glasses of verdejo which was very drinkable but not as good as the white rioja - perhaps that's why the last bottle had been drunk dry! As it was lunch time I was happy with a glass of sparkling mineral water - Fonter which is not over-gassy.
The menu offered snacks as well as more substantial dishes and we chose 2 of the more substantial dishes - a porcini risotto with hake for my husband and linguine with prawns in a tomato, garlic and chilli sauce. They looked extremely appetising upon their arrival with a little touch of rosemary to garnish the risotto and a sprinkle of saffron for the linguine.
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| Linguine with prawns in a tomato, garlic & chilli sauce |
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| Porcini risotto with hake |
We both had to try one another's as they looked so delicious. The risotto was full of herb and porcini flavour and the hake served on top was succulent and cooked to perfection. The linguine had several large shelled prawns which were everything a fresh prawn should be, the linguine was also cooked to perfection and the sauce was a rich delight of tomato, garlic and chilli flavours.
Although I could have stopped at the main course I was intrigued to try a dessert and was torn between the two on offer - passion fruit sorbet with chocolate mousse on top or banofee pie. I plumped for the latter which was served in a glass tumbler. The base was a dark slightly salty crunchy crumbed biscuit and was topped with delicate chunks of banana, a delicious vanilla ice cream and a topping of coconut infused cream. It was not as rich as it sounds and the portion size was just right. I finished with a perfectly made cortado.
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| Banoffee Pie |
As a food experience this was faultless. However, the service was a little slow as the restaurant was full of diners - not surprising given the delights on offer. The waiter did apologise for the slow service and explained why. We were not in a hurry and were quite happy with the pace of serving but this may not suit everyone. I think the food is definitely worth waiting a little longer for and the waiting staff were pleasant and friendly.
We shall be back soon to try what's on offer for dinner.
The cost was a very reasonable €51.
Thursday, 15 October 2015
TOQUE DE QUEDA - SUPPER
ADDRESS: Calle Can Cavalleria 15b, 07012 Palma de Mallorca, Majorca, Spain
TEL: +34 971 21 38 10
IMPORTANT NOTE: DOES NOT TAKE CREDIT CARDS/CASH ONLY
I ended up here with my husband around 9.30 pm on a coolish evening because the first restaurant we tried in Carrer Sant Jaume was full and the owner recommended another nearby , but en route we saw a friend dining in Toque de Queda who waved us in. Such is the plethora of restaurants to be found around Carrer Sant Jaume!
The decor is reminiscent of a tiled kitchen from many decades ago, including the original oven, and would not compete well in an interior decor contest. However, in spite of the apparent lack of effort on decor the ambience is excellent with many of the tables used for sharing with fellow diners. We chose a bar shelf for 2 with high stools as our table.
The menu is a series of tapas or tablas style dishes with some small bites for one and others substantial boards for sharing.
We tried the oven roasted potatoes with a delicious savoury mayonnaise on the side - so good that my husband ordered seconds; indiviudal scallops in breadcrumbs served in scallop shells with a thick lime sauce accompaniment - tasty but needed the lime sauce to make them special; carpaccio of courgette with parmesan - fresh and delicious; caprese salad with fig marmalade - beyond the usual recipe with the clever addition of the fig marmalade; fingers of toasted bread with oil and tomato - light and very moreish. A small bottle of the most exquisite balsamic vinegar was provided on the side to add as and when desired.
My husband had a couple of glasses of Albarino wine and I had a G-vine G&T (sadly I cannot drink wine due to the presence of sulphites). The wine was deemed very good and the G&T was made even more interesting with the addition of cardamom seeds and herbs.
Fortunately we noticed on the bottom of the menu that credit cards were not accepted but at €59 for the lot it was not necessary to visit the cash point round the corner where we would have been directed had we been without the necessary cash to settle the bill.
The staff were charming and service at just the right level - neither rushed nor tardy.
We will be back!
TEL: +34 971 21 38 10
IMPORTANT NOTE: DOES NOT TAKE CREDIT CARDS/CASH ONLY
I ended up here with my husband around 9.30 pm on a coolish evening because the first restaurant we tried in Carrer Sant Jaume was full and the owner recommended another nearby , but en route we saw a friend dining in Toque de Queda who waved us in. Such is the plethora of restaurants to be found around Carrer Sant Jaume!
The decor is reminiscent of a tiled kitchen from many decades ago, including the original oven, and would not compete well in an interior decor contest. However, in spite of the apparent lack of effort on decor the ambience is excellent with many of the tables used for sharing with fellow diners. We chose a bar shelf for 2 with high stools as our table.
The menu is a series of tapas or tablas style dishes with some small bites for one and others substantial boards for sharing.
We tried the oven roasted potatoes with a delicious savoury mayonnaise on the side - so good that my husband ordered seconds; indiviudal scallops in breadcrumbs served in scallop shells with a thick lime sauce accompaniment - tasty but needed the lime sauce to make them special; carpaccio of courgette with parmesan - fresh and delicious; caprese salad with fig marmalade - beyond the usual recipe with the clever addition of the fig marmalade; fingers of toasted bread with oil and tomato - light and very moreish. A small bottle of the most exquisite balsamic vinegar was provided on the side to add as and when desired.
My husband had a couple of glasses of Albarino wine and I had a G-vine G&T (sadly I cannot drink wine due to the presence of sulphites). The wine was deemed very good and the G&T was made even more interesting with the addition of cardamom seeds and herbs.
Fortunately we noticed on the bottom of the menu that credit cards were not accepted but at €59 for the lot it was not necessary to visit the cash point round the corner where we would have been directed had we been without the necessary cash to settle the bill.
The staff were charming and service at just the right level - neither rushed nor tardy.
We will be back!
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