QUADRAT RESTAURANT - LUNCH

Address:  Hotel Sant Francesc, Placa de Sant Francesc, 5, 7001    Palma
Telephone:  00 34 971 787230


I went here with my husband and another couple on Maundy Thursday, which was a fiesta.  I booked the table a few days before to make sure we had secured a table.  Many restaurants were shut because of the fiesta so we were happy to find, not only a restaurant open, but one with beautiful surroundings, welcoming staff and superb food.


We had been here before on a fiesta and enjoyed the calm of the approach to the restaurant, which is situated downstairs.  It is arrived at through a spacious reception area with tasteful artworks followed by an inner courtyard with 4 small olive trees beneath glazed overhanging balconies.

The welcome from the staff was warm, friendly and professional and drinks were quickly ordered and delivered along with menus.

My G&T was excellent, as was my husband's tomato juice, and the bottle of Verdejo white wine shared by my husband and the other man at the table was declared extremely nice.

The menu was a fixed price of €36.50 which was €10 more than the lunch menu that we had enjoyed about 3 weeks previously on a fiesta.  There was a choice 3 starters, 3 mains, and 2 desserts or a plate of cheese to finish.  We all found something that made our mouth water in anticipation.

A basket of warm rolls was brought with an "amuse bouche" which was daintily presented on a small white ceramic spoon.  I didn't catch what it was but is was a tasty mouthful.

For starters we had red tuna tartare or ceviche of cod both of which were excellent and as it was Easter week we all chose the lamb for the main course.  The lamb was deliciously tasty, succulent and tender which was not surprising as we learned that it had been cooked for 8 hours.  The potatoes and gravy which accompanied it were perfect too.


Succulent lamb main course

To finish we had either a selection of chocolate, passion fruit and coconut cream, strawberries marinated in thyme with yogurt ice cream or a plate of cheese.  The portions were not too large which was just as well as, by this time, we were beginning to feel almost satisfied.

This was a truly exquisite meal and the €100 per couple, including tip, was a very fair price for delicious food served by great staff in tasteful and comfortable surroundings.

We shall definitely return to this restaurant and look forward to when the weather is warm enough to dine on the outside terrace.

LA BODEGUILLA - LUNCH

Address:         Calle Sant Jaume, 3, 07012 Palma 
Telephone:      00 34 971 718 274

I went here for lunch on a Wednesday lunchtime in March with 2 girlfriends, having booked the table a couple of days before.  I was a little apprehensive about the service as the first time I went the first member of staff was not particularly welcoming.  However, this was not the case today and we were made to feel most welcome.

The ambience relaxing with comfortable contemporary furnishings.  We were shown to our table at the back of the restaurant where there were 4 other diners.

Our waitress swiftly brought menus and took our drinks order which was not very exciting as we all chose sparkling mineral water.

We decided to share 4 tapas, having consulted the waitress about the size of the portions.  She indicated that we could always add to these if we found 4 not to be sufficient.

We chose the crab terrine which was served on toast and extremely tasty, aubergine with smoked cod again very tasty, garlic prawns (hot - as they should be served) and mushrooms with artichokes and truffle oil which was a delicious combination.

There was more than enough for 3 of us and we finished with well made coffees.

At €19 per head, including tip, we felt we had had an excellent lunch at a very fair price served at the right pace.

The more I go here the more I like it after a not so impressive first visit, so I will go back.

TAST TAPAS - SUPPER

Address: Carre Unió, 2, 07001 Palma, Illes Balears
Telephone:971 72 98 78


Having been trying to get to Tast Tapas for sometime without success, I finally managed to visit it twice in the same week in March.


My supper here was the second visit in the week and I had booked the table a few days beforehand as it can be hard to get seated, especially when you are a party of 6 as we were.


We arrived for our 7.30 pm booking and were disappointed to find that the table had only been booked for 2 people instead of 6.  The booking was made at the same time as a booking for 2, so I assume the busy member of staff who took both bookings made a slip.  This could have been a difficult situation but a table was quickly put together for the 6 of us with no discussion as to why the error had occurred which I really appreciated.


The restaurant tables are at the back of the restaurant so it is a bit more relaxed than sitting at the high tables near the bar and had a relaxed atmosphere - very unpretentious.


Our waitress was friendly and pleasant and menus were quickly brought, although the first ones were in German as she had assumed we were German.  They were changed to English without any fuss and our drinks ordered and brought in a timely fashion.  My G&T was just that with none of the panache of G&T's in some other establishments and the white verdejo wine was declared good.


One of our party ordered a selection of tapas dishes which included steak with foie, mini burgers with very skinny chips and deep-fried brie on toast with red fruit sauce and smoked cod.  There was plenty to satisfy all tastes and we enjoyed being able to share all the delights that were on offer.


The bill, including drinks and tip, worked out at €70 per couple which we felt was extremely reasonable.  It probably explains why this restaurant is such a popular choice with locals and tourists alike.


We will go back.

  

TAST TAPAS - EARLY SUPPER

Address:  Carre Unió, 2, 07001 Palma, Illes Balears
Telephone:     971 729878

I went here for an early supper (6 pm) with a friend prior to attending a Requiem in the nearby cathedral.  It is a popular venue so I booked a table the day before.  Prior to 7.30 pm it is only possible to eat/drink in the bar area and then both the bar and restaurant areas are open from 7.30 pm onwards.

It was relatively quiet when we arrived and a high table with a stool and bench seat had been reserved for us.  However, within half an hour people who had not reserved a table were queuing for a table, so we were pleased we had booked a table in advance.

The ambience is informal dining at high tables with bar stools or bench seats and there is a definite buzz about the place even when it is not full.

We were given a friendly welcome by the waiter, drinks were ordered and menus brought.  The menu contain a selection of pinchos, kebabs, tapas, and salads with some of the dishes being large enough for a main course and others small bite-sized portions.  Some dishes were cold and others hot and there was such a good selection it took us some time to decide what to order.

Drinks - a G&T and a glass of Ribero del Duero red wine - were brought promptly whilst we decided upon what to order.  My friend had a second glass of the same wine later on during the meal.

As I was not ravenously hungry I chose a small Caesar salad accompanied by prawns in garlic oil and my friend chose cod with garlic and chips.  My Caesar salad was fresh and deliciously tasty with 2 good shavings of parmesan cheese, crispy lettuce with a good sprinkling of croutons, bacon bits and anchovies and a generous amount of dressing.  The prawns were very hot and fresh with a good garnish of garlic - just as this dish should be.  

My friend was hungrier and ordered the cod with garlic and chips.  The chunk of cod was generous and had a thin batter over it topped with fresh fried garlic - and was declared hot, moist and tasty.  The portion of chips was generous and flavoursome - so many that I was able to share a few as it was more than enough for one person.

We finished with coffees and the whole bill came to just under €44 for 2 of us which we felt was a fair price for the quantity and quality.

As we were nearing the end of our meal the bar eating area was more or less full and the service could be seen to be slowing but we were very happy with the pace of ours.

We both enjoyed our experience and it will be a place I shall return to.

TAST CLUB - LUNCH

Address:      Calle Sant Jaume, 6, 07013 Palma de Mallorca
Telephone:   00 34 971 710550

Internal courtyard

I had been trying to go here for well over a year and every time something jinxed the plan, the most important being that, without a reservation, it was unlikely to get in on spec.  So to be sure of a table I booked 4 days ahead for lunch with my husband and another couple.

It has a good reputation with both locals and visitors alike and I was very much looking forward to the dining experience after such a long wait.

It is actually quite difficult to find as there is no sign outside to indicate its entrance located inside an old covered courtyard.  The easiest way to find it is to look for the "Blue Pilates" signs (a Pilates studio which is located above the restaurant) and go in through the large arched doorway and Tast Club is directly ahead.

It was a cool day outside and as we entered the bar area it was lovely and warm and welcoming.  The ambience, as the name suggests, is rather like a club with 
subdued colours and lighting.  As you pass through the bar to the restaurant there are 2 beautiful chandeliers hanging from the arched ceiling and a long wooden bar with tables placed along the length of the room.  There are a couple of rooms off this area as well as an internal courtyard with interesting sculptures and plants.

We were quickly shown to our table and ordered drinks which came quickly and enabled us to peruse the menu whilst sipping our aperitifs.  Two of us had G&T's and a bottle of Somontano was ordered as well.  Both were excellent.  There was a large menu as well as a small one and we were not sure which dishes were tapas style and which intended as a main course.  The waiter explained it all very clearly and explained the size of dishes and how many they might feed.  Having placed our orders an "amuse bouche" of large green olives stuffed with a vermouth gel.  These were tasty but not exceptional.

We decided to share 2 caprese salads between us and they were very tasty and good sized.  These were accompanied by crystal bread with tomato and olive rubbed on top.  This dish and accompaniment whetted the appetite for the mains.

The 2 men had rabo de buey (boned oxtail) which was moist and tender with mashed potato and caramelised apple as an accompaniment/garnish and both gave it the thumbs up.  I had Salpicon de Rape y Langoustines which was a cold dish of monkfish and large prawns with vegetables in a clear sauce with the consistency of water.  This dish was a little disappointing as it was not as tasty as I had hoped and the sauce was unimpressive - and probably not a good choice on a cold day.  I also ordered artichokes with parmesan shavings.  The artichokes were deep fried and still warm and combined with the parmesan were extremely tasty and the dish was large enough for us all to share.  The fourth member of our party had cod on a bed of tomato.  This was a good-sized dish with 4 pieces of medium-sized cod.  It was declared delicious.  Every dish was creatively presented with the exception of the salpicon - which was just a dish of mixed fish/seafood and vegetables.

I decided to try the coolant de chocolate for dessert and it was absolutely perfect with warm thick chocolate oozing out of the little chocolate sponge round as you cut into it.  I was in chocolate heaven.  Our female friend had an ice cream which was also enjoyable.

To finish two of us had cortados (espresso with a shot of hot milk).

This was a very enjoyable dining experience with engaging and helpful service paced at the right level.  in spite of the salpicon not being very inspiring I would definitely return here and try some of the other dishes on the menu.

At a cost of €87 per couple we felt it was a fair price for what we had.

OTTIMO - LUNCH

Address:  Passeig de Mallorca, 16, 07012 Palma
Tel:         00 34 871 713409

I went here with a girlfriend for lunch on a chilly and wet February day.

Our first choice of restaurant had been shut and our second choice was full, so Ottimo was rather a forced choice which neither of us had tried before but there was a table available and we were starting to get hungry.

Ottimo is decorated in a comfortable and simple modern style which creates a pleasant ambience.

We were welcomed by pleasant staff, our coats hung up for us and our drinks order was taken quickly and menus provided.

I chose a sparkling water which was fine and my friend chose a glass of white wine which was fine too.

We decided to go for the 2 dish menu del dia.

My friend had brochettes of chicken on a bed of curried vegetables which she said was very tasty and I tried some of the curried vegetables which I also found tasty.  I had the cream of tomato soup which was bursting with tomato flavour, seasoned to perfection and finished with a swirl of cream on top.  Bread rolls were served with both starters.

For the second course we both chose the risotto with mushrooms and parmesan which was very tasty and not too large a portion which suited us both well for lunch.

I finished with a decaff cortado which was good.

The bill with a tip came to €20 per head which was a fair price for what we had.

We enjoyed our meal here and could not fault anything but it was not as special as some of the other restaurants that you could lunch in so we would go again but it would not be our first choice.

QUADRAT - LUNCH

Address:   Hotel San Francesc, Plaza de San Francesc, 5, 07001 Palma
Tel:         00 34 971 495000 

This restaurant is set within the Hotel San Francesc which opened in October 2015 after the old building in which it is situated was sympathetically refurbished.

As you enter the hotel from the square outside with the imposing building of the church of San Francesc across the road you are greeted by charming staff who direct you through the impressive reception area into a gorgeous atrium with 4 olive trees and interesting balcony windows overhead and then through another hallway and down the stairs to the restaurant.

It is decorated in classic contemporary style in calm colours with comfortable chairs and banquettes with comfy cushions

We were with another couple and it was a fiesta so we were surprised that we were the only people in the restaurant.  However, it felt like our own personal dining room which we didn't mind.  Shortly after we arrived another table of diners arrived but were seated some way from us so it was still very private.

Our drinks order was quickly taken and menus provided by a charming waitress.  The only menu available was a "Menu del Dia" for €26.50 per head but there were 2 starter choices, 3 main course choices and 2 dessert choices all of which sounded mouth-watering.

The verdejo wine was good as was my G&T.

An "amuse bouche" of tomato tartar with little wafers of tomato toast as well as a basket of small hot rolls were presented to us whilst we awaited our starters.  The "amuses bouches" were beautifully presented  on small dishes placed on a larger dish with a bed of rock salt and pebbles.  They were a tasty little nibble to whet the appetite.

As it was a day of cool sunshine we all had the cream of pumpkin soup served with walnut and cheese glass bread - this is almost paper thin toasted bread which is currently popular in some Palma restaurants.  The soup was delicious and beautifully presented.

For the main course we all chose the hake on a bed of lemon-infused smashed potatoes.  The fish was cooked to perfection and the potatoes were an excellent accompaniment.  One of our party likes to have sauce with his fish and announced as it was placed in front of him that he would like a sauce with it.  The waitress neither flinched nor protested that it was not on the menu but suggested a seafood sauce which was agreed to and promptly delivered to the table within a couple of mouthfuls of the fish being eaten.

For dessert 3 of us had chocolate mousse with passion fruit ice cream and a coconut mousse on a bed of crumbed chocolate biscuit.  The chocolate was not too sweet and the passion fruit ice cream was intensely flavoured with the fruit. The coconut mousse was an interesting accompaniment to the other 2 flavours and the crumbed biscuit gave a nice combination of textures.

My husband chose the rice pudding with milk which was not so interesting - it was 3 small clumps of rice pudding with milk poured over the top with cinnamon  garnish.

In spite of the mediocre rice pudding we all thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience here where nothing was too much trouble for the staff and the food was fresh, interesting and perfectly cooked.

Our friends picked up the bill so I don't know what the total bill was but the price of the "Menu del Dia" was a fair price for our food.

We shall look forward to returning here and hopefully enjoy some meals on the outside terrace when the weather is warmer.

PEIX VERMELL - SUPPER

Address:  Calle San Feliu, 7, 07012 Palma
Telephone:  00 34 971 079374

We went here on a chilly Sunday evening in February because we were unexpectedly without water at home - my husband had inadvertently drilled through a water pipe and the plumber was not available until the following day.

Our usual choices of restaurants were closed for holidays so we decided to try Peix Vermell as it was open and one that we had passed on foot many times and said that we must try it.

It was quite busy when we arrived and the staff said could we wait a moment to check if there was a table available.  We did so and a table was then found.  We were rather surprised that we had to wait for a table when we noticed another part to the restaurant with empty tables!

The restaurant is in two parts, both of which are formed from a long room with a stone arched ceiling and white rendered walls with some figurative paintings of people.  Somehow it lacked a bit of character in spite of being in an old building.

My husband ordered a verdejo wine which was good and I had a G&T which was OK but rather heavy on ice.

We are quite relaxed folk but we found the waiting staff over familiar and rather presumptuous that, as we are British, we must love football and proceeded to talk about their favourite UK team and players.  As we are not big football fans it rather went over our heads.  They also wanted to verbally spar with my husband on most visits to the table which was also a bit annoying.  The owner and all bar one of the waiting staff are Bulgarian so perhaps it was their way of trying to put people at ease.  The non-Bulgarian waiter was a very timid Italian.

We shared prawns with garlic as a starter and it was very tasty and the prawns fresh but it was not quite hot enough for my husband.

To follow my husband had turbot and I had gilt-head bream.  Both were very fresh and cooked well.  They were accompanied by French fries which were not very hot and rather dry - they appeared to be reheated from earlier.  We ordered grilled asparagus on the side which was fresh and well cooked.

For dessert I was tempted to try a white chocolate brownie with ice cream.  However, it was actually a light sponge with a hint of white chocolate and walnut with a scoop of nice vanilla ice cream on top.  It was tasty but nothing like what I would define as a brownie.  The cortado coffee to finish was well made.

The bill came to about €80 which was reasonable.  However, the dessert and coffee were given to us compliments of the house.  In spite of this generosity it is not a restaurant that we will be heading back to any time soon.  There are too many other restaurants in Palma with charming staff and consistently good food at a good price that this one would come low down our list - even on a chilly Sunday night when we were forced to dine out.

LA MIRONA - SUPPER

Address:  Calle San Jaume, 23a, 07012 Palma de Mallorca
Tel:          +34 871 231 995

We found La Mirona because it was recommended by another restaurateur in Calle San Jaume when they were full, otherwise we may never have noticed it.

You enter up two steps and through a solid wooden door and the only sign outside is the name "La Mirona" in wrought iron lettering on the wall.

When you enter it is quite a small long, narrow room with a large selection of wines stored in boxes with hand-written paper labels indicating the name and the price - all of which are very reasonable with a very good selection of local wines, as well as other Spanish wines.  There are other quirky items decorating the authentic Mallorcan property such as an old horse stringed puppet.

There are some high bar tables to sit at, some shelf tables and a normal height table at the rear of the restaurant.

The kitchen is situated in the middle of the room from where you can dine on a shelf table and watch the preparation of the food - and the hand washing of the crockery and cutlery.  Do not be alarmed that the food is often produced from vacuum sealed pouches!

The owner, Pedro, and his wife are from Barcelona and are charming.  There is no written menu and Pedro will talk you through the dishes that are available that day.  If you don't speak Spanish then ordering may prove a little tricky but all the dishes we have tried have been superb, so you could just say "si" at random and you would probably still have a lovely meal.  

We have dined here several times now, sometimes with friends/family and sometimes on our own and everyone has loved it.  However, the portions are not huge so a big eater would probably need to order quite a few dishes to feel full.

Our favourite starter is burrata with tomato (mature tomatoes peeled, deseeded and carefully spread flat) on a bed of tasty salad.  We usually share this which the restaurant are quite happy to accommodate for this as well as all the other dishes.  For mains, we have particularly enjoyed the mini cannelloni (stuffed with chopped prawns and mushrooms and served with an intense creamy cheese sauce), cold smoked cod with artichokes, crispy flatbreads layered with a tasty ratatouille and topped with a thick layer of partially melted cheese and thinly sliced Mallorcan black sausage on a bed of parmentier potatoes.  I could go on!  For dessert the rice with milk is a lovely cold version of British rice pudding and if you want a couple of chocolate truffles (these are hard and not too sweet) to accompany your coffee they are served with a little rock salt and olive oil on the side.  Coffee comes as either full-strength or decaff black espresso - no milk is available for the coffee.

All the wines we have tried - from average price to more expensive - have been excellent and their G&T hits the spot too.

On our various visits to the restaurant we have been the only non-locals there so it gives a very authentic experience.  It is best to book as it is popular and as the evening wears on it is invariably full.

We have generally paid from €50 to €60 per for 2 for our meals here which we consider to be very good value for money.

It is definitely on our list as a regular supper stop.