Address: Paseo Mallorca, 20, 07012, Palma de Mallorca
Telephone: 00 34 971 781 119
I went here with my husband, stepson and his daughter on a Saturday evening in September. It was to have a belated celebration of my stepson's birthday.
I had booked the table a few weeks ahead as the restaurant gets very busy. The restaurant rang me 2 days beforehand to check the booking and also to check if the diners had any food allergies or other dietary requirements. As we had one person who had recently had teeth implants (and could not eat meat, only soft food) and another who was pregnant (who had to avoid uncooked seafood and certain cheeses), they adapted the menu for them.
There is only 1 menu which is a 7 course tasting menu (€50 per head), but the course that contained uncooked seafood was adapted for our pregnant diner and the meat course was replaced with fish for the diner who could not eat meat.
We were given a warm and friendly, but professional, welcome to the restaurant.
A menu was brought to our table quickly and drinks ordered and delivered shortly afterwards. I was going to order a Hendricks G&T but the owner of the restaurant suggested I might like to try another gin, Opihr, which has eastern spices in it. However, there was no pressure to try it if I didn't want to. I decided to give it a go and it was well made and had interesting botanicals which I thoroughly enjoyed. The pregnant diner stuck to water and the other 2 diners went with the drinks "pairing" menu which matched the wine with each course and consisted of 5 different wines at a price of €25. However, it was no problem to have an extra glass of any of the wines that were particularly enjoyed or replace a wine (for example, my husband doesn't not drink cava that was the first wine on the pairing menu) that was not wanted with an alternative.
Each course was exquisitely presented and tasted divine. The first was a seafood creation with tiger's milk ice cream, the second an egg yolk which had been dusted with gold and floated in a tasty savoury cream, the third was a rice, asparagus and foie gras, the fourth was corvina and the fifth was beef.
They were all delicious and it would be difficult to pick out a favourite. By this stage of the meal we were beginning to fill up, so the waiter asked if we would like a 5 or 10 minute break before finishing with our 2 dessert courses. We went with this suggestion to let the previous courses settle.
To finish we had the first dessert of black cherries with sponge cake and balsamic ice cream. This was not too sweet but tasty. However, none of us were taken with the sponge cake which looked more like pieces of brown bread and did not have the texture that I would recognise as sponge cake.
The second dessert was white chocolate mousse with beetroot and grapefruit which, again, was not too sweet but tasty. On top there were crispy leaves but they were a bit like the sponge cake and did not really work for us even though they looked pretty.
By the end of the meal, we were all pleasantly full and thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience in spite of the sponge cake and crispy leaves on the desserts.
Throughout the meal we were served by charming waiting staff who took time to explain each course and were completely unfazed when we strayed from the food or drinks menus.
The bill, including tips, came to €350 for the 4 of us. As this is a Michelin Star restaurant and we ate and drank exactly what we wanted, we felt this was a very fair price for a superb feast.
It would not be somewhere that I would go every week but I would definitely go back again. We were told that the menu changes monthly so most people would probably not go here more than once a month unless they particularly wanted to replicate their food on 2 occasions within a month.
For a special celebration it would definitely be on my list of places to go.
Monday, 11 September 2017
Saturday, 9 September 2017
LA ROSA - SUPPER
Address: Calle Rosa, 5, 07003, Palma de Mallorca
Telephone: 00 34 971 778 929
I went here with my husband and another couple on a Friday evening in September.
The restaurant has a retro feel to it and the tables are close together so the ambience is lively and noisy. If it is a quiet romantic meal that you are after then this is not the place. But if you want to feel the buzz of the city in the company of locals and tourists then this is the place to be.
The staff gave us a friendly welcome and their warmth and professionalism was evident during our whole eating experience.
As it is always hard to get a table - it is not possible to book one -we arrived there early (for Palma) at 7 pm and, "bingo!!", our luck was in.
Our friends arrived about 10 minutes after us and we were able to have a drink at the bar until they arrived, but the restaurant advised us to go to our table before they arrived to make sure of keeping it.
Menus were brought quickly, and our drinks order taken and delivered in a timely fashion. Between us we had G&T's, rum and coke, white and red wine by the glass. The wines are acceptable to drink but not top quality, but the spirits with mixers were just right.
We decided to order dishes that appealed to all of us and put them in the middle of the table to share. The waiter did not encourage us to over order which you can be tempted to do when there is such a great selection. Our choices were pimientos de padron (small green peppers fried with rock salt), Octopus with potato, garlic and olive oil, a variety of mushrooms sautéed in olive oil, patatas bravas (sautéed potatoes with a spicy sauce), chips, cod croquettes and fried baby squid. Each dish was comprised of good quality fresh ingredients, cooked well and a good amount for sharing. My favourite dish was the octopus.
The dishes were brought over the period of at least half and hour which meant that you could enjoy each one as it arrived rather than be faced with the whole lot at once.
We were sufficiently satisfied that desserts were not required but two of us had cortados (small coffees with a shot of hot milk) which were well made.
With a tip, the bill came to €150 for the four of us which we felt was very good value for the food and drink that we had consumed.
We shall continue to be regulars here whenever we can get a table!
Telephone: 00 34 971 778 929
I went here with my husband and another couple on a Friday evening in September.
The restaurant has a retro feel to it and the tables are close together so the ambience is lively and noisy. If it is a quiet romantic meal that you are after then this is not the place. But if you want to feel the buzz of the city in the company of locals and tourists then this is the place to be.
The staff gave us a friendly welcome and their warmth and professionalism was evident during our whole eating experience.
As it is always hard to get a table - it is not possible to book one -we arrived there early (for Palma) at 7 pm and, "bingo!!", our luck was in.
Our friends arrived about 10 minutes after us and we were able to have a drink at the bar until they arrived, but the restaurant advised us to go to our table before they arrived to make sure of keeping it.
Menus were brought quickly, and our drinks order taken and delivered in a timely fashion. Between us we had G&T's, rum and coke, white and red wine by the glass. The wines are acceptable to drink but not top quality, but the spirits with mixers were just right.
We decided to order dishes that appealed to all of us and put them in the middle of the table to share. The waiter did not encourage us to over order which you can be tempted to do when there is such a great selection. Our choices were pimientos de padron (small green peppers fried with rock salt), Octopus with potato, garlic and olive oil, a variety of mushrooms sautéed in olive oil, patatas bravas (sautéed potatoes with a spicy sauce), chips, cod croquettes and fried baby squid. Each dish was comprised of good quality fresh ingredients, cooked well and a good amount for sharing. My favourite dish was the octopus.
The dishes were brought over the period of at least half and hour which meant that you could enjoy each one as it arrived rather than be faced with the whole lot at once.
We were sufficiently satisfied that desserts were not required but two of us had cortados (small coffees with a shot of hot milk) which were well made.
With a tip, the bill came to €150 for the four of us which we felt was very good value for the food and drink that we had consumed.
We shall continue to be regulars here whenever we can get a table!
Sunday, 27 August 2017
HOTEL JAIME III - LUNCH
Address: Passeig de Mallorca, 14B, 07012 Palma
Telephone: +34 971 72 59 43
I booked the table as I had been told that it was very popular and better to book so as not to be disappointed.
As it was still hot weather, I booked a table inside where the decor is classy modern with lots of black. On the street side the wall is entirely made of glass which bathes the restaurant with light, but it was pleasantly air-conditioned so very comfortable temperature for dining.
I was greeted with a friendly and professional welcome and shown to the table which had been reserved for us.
When we were all seated we were quickly given menus and drinks orders taken. At lunchtime it is a €16 menu del dia with a choice of wine, water or soft drink included. You could, of course, have ordered a drink off the drinks menu as an extra. However, we opted for water and Cola Light, all nicely chilled.
The menu offered a choice of 2 starters, 2 main courses and 2 desserts.
I chose seafood cream soup with croutons which was served cold and superbly tasty and just right on a hot day. One of my friends ordered the alternative which was smoked salmon salad and deemed to be excellent.
To follow 2 of us chose the fish choice (hake in green sauce with boiled potato cubes within the sauce) and our friend chose chicken breast with a coating of sauce on a bed of vegetables. We were all most impressed with the quality and taste of the food. The portions were not huge but more than enough for a 3 course lunch menu.
For dessert we were all attracted to the panna cotta with mandarin juice and zest. This was absolutely delicious and a great dessert for rounding off an excellent meal.
We decided we would have cortados (2 of us) and camomile tea (1 of us) outside the menu.
After such a lovely experience we were happy to tip generously and paid the very fair price of €20 per head.
This is one that I would defiinitely return to for lunch and would be tempted to try the dinner menu in the hope it would be of the same quality and value for money.
Tuesday, 15 August 2017
SPOT - DINNER
Address: Plaça de la Verge del Miracle, 3, 07013 Palma
Telephone: 00 34 971 65 86 03
I went here at 9 pm with my husband and two friends on a Monday evening, having booked a table in advance. It was only about a third full when we arrived but filled up as the evening progressed.
The ambience is a mixture of modern and traditional Mallorcan architecture with relaxed lighting that still allows you to see what you are eating. A striking feature is that there is plenty of space between the tables so you do not feel that you are part of someone else's dinner party in terms of physical closeness and conversation.
Our table was set beside a window which looked on to an internal courtyard with healthy looking green plants.
Our drinks order was taken quickly after we sat down and menus were provided in both English and Spanish. We had a G&T (nicely garnished with lemon and blueberries and lots of ice), white wine and mineral water.
We decided to share three starters - vegetarian croquettes, tortillas with tuna sashimi and beetroot guacamole.
None of us are big eaters, so this selection was the right amount for the four of as and each dish tasted excellent and was appealingly garnished.
To follow we each chose our individual dishes with two choosing rigatoni au gratin. This was very tasty and was the right size portion, but the cream sauce could have been slightly thicker to be absolutely perfect.
The other two dishes chosen were wild salmon, which was perfectly cooked and accompanied by a small salad and declared excellent, and the linguine with clams. The latter was brought as two separate dishes, the clams being in a tasty sauce in a large low pan with a lid and the pasta was in a bowl on the side. This, too, was declared very tasty.
None of us had space for desserts but two of us had cortados.
The service was professional, appropriately friendly and at just the right pace with no change in tempo as the restaurant became busier.
The total bill, including tip, came to a very fair €135.
We shall certainly return to this restaurant which has only been open for a short while.
Telephone: 00 34 971 65 86 03
I went here at 9 pm with my husband and two friends on a Monday evening, having booked a table in advance. It was only about a third full when we arrived but filled up as the evening progressed.
The ambience is a mixture of modern and traditional Mallorcan architecture with relaxed lighting that still allows you to see what you are eating. A striking feature is that there is plenty of space between the tables so you do not feel that you are part of someone else's dinner party in terms of physical closeness and conversation.
Our table was set beside a window which looked on to an internal courtyard with healthy looking green plants.
Our drinks order was taken quickly after we sat down and menus were provided in both English and Spanish. We had a G&T (nicely garnished with lemon and blueberries and lots of ice), white wine and mineral water.
We decided to share three starters - vegetarian croquettes, tortillas with tuna sashimi and beetroot guacamole.
None of us are big eaters, so this selection was the right amount for the four of as and each dish tasted excellent and was appealingly garnished.
To follow we each chose our individual dishes with two choosing rigatoni au gratin. This was very tasty and was the right size portion, but the cream sauce could have been slightly thicker to be absolutely perfect.
The other two dishes chosen were wild salmon, which was perfectly cooked and accompanied by a small salad and declared excellent, and the linguine with clams. The latter was brought as two separate dishes, the clams being in a tasty sauce in a large low pan with a lid and the pasta was in a bowl on the side. This, too, was declared very tasty.
None of us had space for desserts but two of us had cortados.
The service was professional, appropriately friendly and at just the right pace with no change in tempo as the restaurant became busier.
The total bill, including tip, came to a very fair €135.
We shall certainly return to this restaurant which has only been open for a short while.
Friday, 23 June 2017
AL PUNT - SUPPER
Address: Carrer de Santa Magdalena, 1, 07003 Palma, Illes Balears
Telephone: 00 34 971 41 82 46
My husband and I went here on a very hot evening in June on the spur of the moment instead of cooking at home.
The restaurant is situated in a very small square which abuts La Rambla and, as well as the inside restaurant, there are tables and chairs on this small square.
We asked to sit outside where there were only a few tables left but were quickly directed to one and provided with menus and had our drinks order taken by a pleasant waitress. The tables and chairs are nothing fancy but comfortable enough.
Our drinks - a fine G&T and adequate glass of white wine, as well as some sparkling water - were brought in reasonable time considering there were at least 20 diners and only one waitress.
We ordered spaghetti with sea food and sea bass with chips and salad. Both were presented nicely - without any fussiness - and the key ingredients were cooked well and tasty.
We decided to indulge in desserts and I chose a very tasty chocolate cake which was the right size and had a nice fudge chocolate topping and my husband chose carrot cake which, although he felt was not a traditional carrot cake, was, nonetheless, tasty.
We didn't have room for coffees and the total bill came to just over €45 which we felt was good value for money.
I wouldn't take people here to impress them with the culinary delights of Palma but for an informal supper it was more than adequate.
Telephone: 00 34 971 41 82 46
My husband and I went here on a very hot evening in June on the spur of the moment instead of cooking at home.
The restaurant is situated in a very small square which abuts La Rambla and, as well as the inside restaurant, there are tables and chairs on this small square.
We asked to sit outside where there were only a few tables left but were quickly directed to one and provided with menus and had our drinks order taken by a pleasant waitress. The tables and chairs are nothing fancy but comfortable enough.
Our drinks - a fine G&T and adequate glass of white wine, as well as some sparkling water - were brought in reasonable time considering there were at least 20 diners and only one waitress.
We ordered spaghetti with sea food and sea bass with chips and salad. Both were presented nicely - without any fussiness - and the key ingredients were cooked well and tasty.
We decided to indulge in desserts and I chose a very tasty chocolate cake which was the right size and had a nice fudge chocolate topping and my husband chose carrot cake which, although he felt was not a traditional carrot cake, was, nonetheless, tasty.
We didn't have room for coffees and the total bill came to just over €45 which we felt was good value for money.
I wouldn't take people here to impress them with the culinary delights of Palma but for an informal supper it was more than adequate.
Thursday, 15 June 2017
LA PARADA DEL MAR - LUNCH
Address: Av Joan Miro, 244, 07015 Marivent, Palma
Telephone: 00 34 971 592 706
I went here for lunch with 2 girlfriends on a Thursday in June.
The restaurant has no frills in terms of ambience with simple tables and chairs in both the inside restaurant as well as on the terrace outside.
This is a restaurant for those that like to eat fish and seafood as there are no other options.
We each chose lenguada (sole) from the iced slab of fish and sea food that greets you as you enter. To accompany the choice of fish was a green salad or salad topped with seeds and raisins. We were going to order a salad each but were advised that 2 would be sufficient for the 3 of us. We admired the honesty of the restaurant and, in fact, one would have been sufficient. We were given a number and told to listen out for it being called at which point we should collect it from the kitchen hatch inside the restaurant.
We then ordered drinks - Cola Zero as it was a very hot day and we didn't feel like drinking any alcohol at the bar before being shown to our table. We had booked a table on the outside terrace earlier that day and were relieved that their were sun awnings to protect us from the sun.
Fresh white bread and herby garlic mayonnaise was brought for us to enjoy whilst we awaited our fish being cooked.
When our fish had been prepared our number was called and we collected it as instructed.
The fish were huge and the flesh easily came off the bone and was fresh and perfectly cooked. The salads were similarly fresh and we were given oil and vinegar to dress it.
We ordered 2 more Cola Zeros and a cortado (espresso coffee with a shot of hot milk).
The total bill came to €70 before tip and we felt that it was a fair price for such excellent fish. It would certainly have cost a lot more in one of the more upmarket restaurants in Palma and would not have been any more delicious.
The only downside of our meal was that the terrace is close to a rather busy road, so there was a bit of traffic noise as we ate and at times it could be a bit difficult to hear what was being said. However, it really did not detract from what was a most enjoyable dining experience.
Telephone: 00 34 971 592 706
I went here for lunch with 2 girlfriends on a Thursday in June.
The restaurant has no frills in terms of ambience with simple tables and chairs in both the inside restaurant as well as on the terrace outside.
This is a restaurant for those that like to eat fish and seafood as there are no other options.
We each chose lenguada (sole) from the iced slab of fish and sea food that greets you as you enter. To accompany the choice of fish was a green salad or salad topped with seeds and raisins. We were going to order a salad each but were advised that 2 would be sufficient for the 3 of us. We admired the honesty of the restaurant and, in fact, one would have been sufficient. We were given a number and told to listen out for it being called at which point we should collect it from the kitchen hatch inside the restaurant.
We then ordered drinks - Cola Zero as it was a very hot day and we didn't feel like drinking any alcohol at the bar before being shown to our table. We had booked a table on the outside terrace earlier that day and were relieved that their were sun awnings to protect us from the sun.
Fresh white bread and herby garlic mayonnaise was brought for us to enjoy whilst we awaited our fish being cooked.
When our fish had been prepared our number was called and we collected it as instructed.
The fish were huge and the flesh easily came off the bone and was fresh and perfectly cooked. The salads were similarly fresh and we were given oil and vinegar to dress it.
We ordered 2 more Cola Zeros and a cortado (espresso coffee with a shot of hot milk).
The total bill came to €70 before tip and we felt that it was a fair price for such excellent fish. It would certainly have cost a lot more in one of the more upmarket restaurants in Palma and would not have been any more delicious.
The only downside of our meal was that the terrace is close to a rather busy road, so there was a bit of traffic noise as we ate and at times it could be a bit difficult to hear what was being said. However, it really did not detract from what was a most enjoyable dining experience.
CANELA - DINNER
Address: Calle de Sant Jaume, 13, 07003 Palma, Mallorca
Telephone: 00 34 971 710 314
I went here on a Wednesday evening in June with two girlfriends.
The ambience is casual mediterranean with the original stone walls and wooden flooring and glass table tops under which are pages from old Spanish newspapers.
On arrival we were given a warm welcome and immediately shown to our table and drinks orders taken.
My girlfriends shared a bottle of Albarino white wine (€31) and declared it excellent and I had a very drinkable G&T.
We each ordered a different starter - pork and ginger spring rolls, scallop, and dim sum. They were exquisitely presented and full of interesting flavours, each with a hint of oriental spice.
The mains we chose were mini burgers with French fries, soft shell crab, and lamb cutlets. Like the starters the ingredients were fresh and cooked to perfection with interesting sauce accompaniments which brought out the flavours of the meat and crab.
To finish one had a raspberry sorbet with chocolate foam (which was actually more like a light chocolate sauce) and ginger crumble with violet ice cream. These were superbly tasty and very light.
The whole meal was a wonderful dining experience and worked out at around €50 per head which we felt was excellent value for money.
The portions are not huge but are so tasty and satisfying that you come away feeling pleasantly replete.
I shall definitely be returning here.
Telephone: 00 34 971 710 314
I went here on a Wednesday evening in June with two girlfriends.
The ambience is casual mediterranean with the original stone walls and wooden flooring and glass table tops under which are pages from old Spanish newspapers.
On arrival we were given a warm welcome and immediately shown to our table and drinks orders taken.
My girlfriends shared a bottle of Albarino white wine (€31) and declared it excellent and I had a very drinkable G&T.
We each ordered a different starter - pork and ginger spring rolls, scallop, and dim sum. They were exquisitely presented and full of interesting flavours, each with a hint of oriental spice.
The mains we chose were mini burgers with French fries, soft shell crab, and lamb cutlets. Like the starters the ingredients were fresh and cooked to perfection with interesting sauce accompaniments which brought out the flavours of the meat and crab.
To finish one had a raspberry sorbet with chocolate foam (which was actually more like a light chocolate sauce) and ginger crumble with violet ice cream. These were superbly tasty and very light.
The whole meal was a wonderful dining experience and worked out at around €50 per head which we felt was excellent value for money.
The portions are not huge but are so tasty and satisfying that you come away feeling pleasantly replete.
I shall definitely be returning here.
Sunday, 26 February 2017
RAM BAR - DINNER
Address: La Rambla, 20, 07003 Palma, Illes Balears
Telephone: 00 34 971 67 71 63
I went here on a Friday night in February with my husband and another couple.
The Ram Bar opened about 3 months ago and it has been decorated in a modern industrial style which works really well in the old building where there are very few windows to give natural light.
We started with drinks in the bar - three G&T's and three glasses of white wine. The G&T's were made with Hendrick's gin, but sadly there was no cucumber available for garnish. However, it tasted OK with lime instead. The wine was a very drinkable Verdejo. We were given a generous portion of huge green olives which were delicious and a small bowl of crisps which were very nice to accompany our aperitifs.
Our table was in the middle of the restaurant but there was enough space that we did not feel that we were sitting on top of other diners. As the evening wore on the restaurant became full but the noise level was not such that you couldn't have a conversation with your fellow diners and the service was at a good level throughout in spite of the large number of diners.
We started our meal with two Capresse Salads to share between the four of us. They were made from huge slices of extremely flavoursome and juicy tomatoes and creamy burrata cheese topped with a simple dressing and tasty black olives. Interestingly no bread was served with the meal, but, had it been served it would have been unnecessary as the portions were good-sized.
For mains we chose two grilled chicken breasts, grilled belly pork and grilled fillet steak. These were cooked on a charcoal grill and the flavour of the charcoal came through wonderfully with the meat remaining juicy and succulent. Each was cooked to perfection and the accompaniments were mashed potato and a medley of fresh vegetables - all excellent. A portion of chips was also ordered. They were more like sautéed potatoes but declared fantastic. The meat portions were very generous.
During the meal we managed to drink two bottles of a very drinkable white wine and a large bottle of sparkling water.
To finish we shared a Raspberry Pavlova with raspberry sorbet and a Chocolate Fondant with chocolate ice cream. Both were excellent.
Finally, we managed to squeeze in a cortado coffee and 2 white coffees.
We had reserved our table for 8.30 pm and sat down around 8.45 pm (our choice) and were amazed to find that it was midnight by the time we had finished our meal. At no point had the staff tried to rush us out to free the table for other diners.
This really was a delightful experience and at €220 for four of us, including tip, we felt it was a very fair price for the quality of meal and service in great surroundings.
VERMUTERIA LA ROSA - SUPPER
Address: Carrer Rosa, 5, 07003 Palma, Illes Balears
Telephone: 00 34971 77 89 29
I went here with my husband and another couple on a Thursday evening in November.
We knew that you could not book a table and that is gets very busy as the evening wears on so we arrived around 7.40 pm but found that it was already very busy. However, we put our name on the list of names for a table and went to a nearby bar for a drink, the staff at La Rosa having said they would come and let us know at the bar when the table was ready. They estimated the wait to be about 20 to 25 minutes.
The table was not ready for about 50 minutes but we had been quite happy to enjoy our drinks at the nearby bar.
Our table at La Rosa was in a corner but this did not detract from the lively ambience of the restaurant. If you are looking for a quiet place to sit and chat then La Rosa is not for you! However, if you want to enjoy the atmosphere of a vibrant place then you will love it.
A friendly and helpful waiter took our drinks - a very drinkable bottle of red wine for 2, a drinkable G&T for me and water for the 4th member of our party who was driving Menus were brought very quickly and when the waiter returned with the drinks he helped us to choose from the menu, as one of our party does not eat meat.
We started with a selection of dishes to share - pimientos de padron (small green peppers which had been pan-fried in oil), Spanish tortilla, sautéed mushrooms (a great selection of mushrooms in season), chips with garlic and bread with tomato. Each dish was tasty, but the best were the pimientos, mushrooms and tortilla.
By the time we had eaten our way through all the dishes we actually had no room for any more savoury dishes, but three of us had desserts - creme brûlée, chocolate tart and lemon tart. The tarts were very rich but tasty, although neither diner could finish their portion. The creme brûlée was excellent with a good crisp topping of melted sugar - too good not to eat it all.
To finish I had a good cortado (espresso coffee with a shot of steamed milk) and 2 of the party ordered mint tea. This was the only disappointment of the meal as the tea tasted and smelled like it was tinged with something like green tea.
Although the restaurant was buzzing we were under no pressure to leave the table once we had finished our meal.
The cost was a very reasonable €100 including tip.
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