TRISTAN BISTRO, MALLORCA

Tristan used to be a michelin star restaurant in Puerto Portals and had been open for 25 years, however it closed last year and in it's place there is Tristan Bistro & Tristan Mar.

My fiancé is a real meat eater and I struggle to get him to eat any fish at all other than sea bass / turbot cooked in salt, so I was extremely pleased to see this was on the menu at both restaurants. I decided on booking Tristan Mar rather than the Bistro as it specialised in fish and seafood. Unfortunately when we turned up at the restaurant they did not have our booking and only had a free table in the Bistro....however this ended up being an absolute bonus as the restaurant was incredible.

Once again the setting was gorgeous, a table over looking the harbour so you could see all the amazing boats and do lots of people watching. While the restaurant is described as casual and relaxed, I thought it was pretty smart and a beautiful area - I especially loved the purple chairs & the service was impeccable.

We already knew we were going to share the turbot as a main and then we also decided to share the beef carpaccio with white truffle onions, chive and parmesan cheese and pasta with parmesan cheese and white wine sauce. The menu was quite diverse, more european than just spanish. 

http://tristanbistro.com/en/bistro/a-la-carte/

Our starters soon arrived and WOW!

The beef literally melted in your mouth and there was plenty of parmesan (you know what I am like with cheese!) however the real star of the show was the pasta, so simple yet so exquisite! Pascal & I were fighting over mouthfuls and even considered having another portion each for main.

However he had been looking forward to the turbot in salt crust with tomato ravioli and basil sauce.

The fish was delicious - very light & flavoursome with a hint of salt, the ravioli worked extremely well with it and it all tasted extremely fresh. A perfect meal. 

Despite being originally disappointed about not eating at Tristan Mar, we left the Bistro with huge smiles on our faces as it had been absolutely excellent.

Tristan Bistro

Local N1, 

Edificio Capitania, 

Puerto Portals 07181,

Mallorca,

Spain

http://www.grupotristan.com/en/

WELLIES RESTAURANT, MALLORCA

Wellies is another Portals institution and if you are in the area, make sure you go. The menu isn't particularly spanish however there is plenty to choose from and a great wine list.

After our mess up with the reservation at Flanigan's, we confirmed our table before we arrived at Wellies - thankfully there were no problems this time and we were shown to a gorgeous table right on the side over looking the port. Thankfully we had a breeze as well as it was boiling despite being 9pm at night. There were several big groups of tables dining in the restaurant however it was not too noisy and our table felt pretty intimate.

As always we wanted to order every starter on the menu - the duck spring rolls, the deep fried brie, a huge variety of salads, pate, nachos and of course our favourite ham and tomato bread. There was heaps to choose from for mains as well and the restaurant is famous for it's Wellies Burger. We enjoyed a lovely g&t on the terrace while contemplating the menu and ended up ordering the nachos, deep fried brie, tomato bread and ham and then Pascal had a shoulder of lamb and I had halibut with tapenade and roasted vegetables and we both had a side of the local dish tumbet which is layered peppers, potatoes and aubergines in a fresh tomato sauce.

There are several complaints on trip advisor about the service - it definitely wasn't the quickest meal but it was not horrendously slow and the waiters were extremely polite and helpful.

The nachos were the best nachos we have ever had!

I was originally a bit worried about the tomato sauce as the menu said it was spicy but it wasn't at all. I think they used mozzarella on the nachos which was the magic ingredient - there was also a LOT of cheese which is always the way to my heart.

The ham and tomato bread was good although they were quite stingy with the tomato as you can see! It tasted good but there wasn't enough. Next time I would definitely have the spring rolls as I saw another table eating them and they looked incredible.

The deep fried brie was amazing - cooked to perfection, lots & lots of gooey cheese and then a red current dip on the side. 

We were both pretty full by the end of the starters and if I went again I would be tempted to just order a selection of starters to share - or just the nachos for starter and main course!!

That is not to say the main courses were not very good.

Pascal's shoulder of lamb was delicious - the lamb was so tender and literally fell off the bone. It was a massive portion but so good that Pascal managed to eat the whole thing & then promptly felt sick!

It came with a portion of tumbet which was yum - I wish more restaurants served this dish! I ordered a portion as well and we sadly couldn't finish it despite trying very hard!

My fish was excellent, it worked so well with the olive tapenade and vegetables however nothing matched the divineness of the nachos!

All in all, the restaurant was very good and I would definitely go back. We sat on the upstairs terrace however there is a more informal area downstairs which looked fabulous to have a drink and watch the world go by. By the way - did I mention how good the nachos were?!!

http://www.wellies.es

Wellies,

Puerto Portals,

01782,

Portals Nous,

Calvia

Mallorca

Tel: 971 676444

FLANIGAN'S RESTAURANT, MALLORCA

Puerto Portals has several well known restaurants with Flanigan's being one of them. It has been there since 1987 and has a prime position on the port with fantastic views of the magnificent boats. I had been there before so decided to book this for our first night in Mallorca, we were not disappointed.

We turned up at 8.30pm and despite our reservation having got lost (!), we were shown to a fantastic corner table looking out to sea. The restaurant is big with plenty of staff and has a buzzy atmosphere.

As soon as we sat down we were offered drinks and so ordered a jug of sangria to drink while we studied the menu. The restaurant is famous for it's apple pie which you have to order at the beginning - we didn't indulge but several other tables around us tucked in - it looked yum!

The menu ranges from spanish tapas and local dishes to freshly cooked fish and meats and a variety of sides. We wanted to order about 6 different starters but managed to restrain ourselves to just 3 - a portion of ham iberico, calamari and toasted country bread with tomato (our fave)!

It was all absolutely delicious - typical spanish tapas - my only complaint was I could have done with some tartar sauce or aioli with the calamari - I guess I should have asked but was too busy eating! 

For main course we decided to continue with spanish cuisine and share a black rice paella.

O.M.G. This picture does not do it justice - it was absolutely delicious - we couldn't stop eating it even though we were fit to burst! The rice was cooked to perfection, the squid absolutely tender....we didn't even need a squirt of lemon - it was divine. 

This was all washed down with a lovely bottle of Domaine Ott - the meal was fabulous - (I wish I could have it again now)!

http://flanigan.es/en/index.html

Flanigan 

Puerto Portals,

Local 16,

07181 Calvia

Mallorca

Tel: 971 676791

Fax: 971 677681

rest.flanigan@flanigansa.com

LE POOL, MELIA DE MAR

We ate at the hotel pool restaurant several times over our week long holiday as it was good and the weather was far too hot to contemplate going elsewhere. Unfortunately they did not do a nice rose wine but we found a great white one called Albarino.

Most days we ate our food too quickly and only remembered to take a photo half way through - and no one wants to see a half eaten sandwich! We did remember when we had the sushi though.

We were trying to be "healthy' one lunchtime and so ordered the 26 piece sushi meal - it wasn't excellent compared to London standards however it was still very good especially the ceviche and the tuna tartar (still not quite sure what was on the sea bass sashimi)!

Another time we ate at the hotel was to have a romantic candlelit supper on the beach - if you ever stay at this hotel make sure you book it - it is totally worth it. We had a table for two on the little sandy cove, candles everywhere, the water lapping nearby - once again the food was not the most spectacular food I have ever eaten but it was certainly enjoyable - lobster salad, crab ravioli, duck with vegetables and a chocolate fondant......I wish I was back there now - it really once one of the most romantic evenings of my life.

HOTEL MELIA DE MAR, MALLORCA

I have already become a bit slack about updating this blog. Recently my fiancé and I went on holiday to Mallorca and while I took several photos of our meals I have been very slow actually writing about them!

Anyway we stayed at the gorgeous hotel Melia de Mar in Illetas http://www.melia.com/hotels/spain/majorca/melia-de-mar/index.html

I would definitely recommend it, right on the sea, adults only (such a bonus!), modern, fabulous views, fantastic service  & incredible breakfasts!

As soon as we had arrived & unpacked, we headed straight for a late lunch at the Gabi Lounge and Bar and sat on the terrace over looking the sparkling blue sea. The menu offered the usual fare of typical Spanish cuisine/tapas and then salads, burgers, sandwiches etc and there was a similar restaurant below called Le Pool (not surprising this was by the pool)!

For once we did not want to over eat as we were going out for supper a few hours later. We started with one of our favourite tapas dishes – pan con tomate y jamon.

It was slightly different to ones we had before as you spooned the tomato on the bread itself & the bread was pretty crunchy but it was all delicious – sweet tomatoes, plenty of garlic and olive oil, topped off with a bit of salt plus there was an abundance of ham. 

We followed this with a wagu duluxe burger with caramalised onions for Pascal (he had already started before I took the photo!) and a prawn Caesar salad for me.

They were both very enjoyable but not the best we’ve ever had. The view and the setting certainly made up for it though and we knew we would be back for several more meals over the next week.

melia.de.mar@melia.com

Melia de Mar
Paseo de las Illetas, 7
Majorca – Illetas 07184
Spain
Tel: (34) 971 402511
Fax: (34) 971 405852

FAY'S BUNG-IT-IN-THE-OVEN BOLOGNESE

My fiancé and daughter would eat pasta for every meal given the chance - I am a big fan too but often worry about the calories especially as I am never shy with the parmesan. Thanks to Pascal I now put both parmesan and cheddar cheese on my pasta dishes - I am slightly cheese obsessed!!

Anyway we made this spaghetti bolognese for Sunday lunch last week and it was really simple to make although you do need time to cook it. It is a Fay Ripley recipe from her Family Food Cookbook however I have made a few alterations.

Ingredients for six people:

1 celery stick
1 onion
1 carrot
A couple of handfuls of mushrooms (all finely chopped)

Olive Oil
575g lean minced beef
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
200g tube of tomato puree
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
A big pinch of ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons of milk
Parmesan / Cheddar Cheese
500g Spaghetti

Preheat the oven to 160 (fan), 180, gas mark 4.

Fay calls the onion, celery and carrots "the holy trinity". I have added mushrooms to this as it is the only way I can get my daughter to eat them! First of all cook these together in some oil in an ovenproof dish.

Once they are softened add the mince and stir for 5 minutes until it browns.

Add everything else (minus the cheese, milk and pasta), season and let it come to the boil. Then just pop it into the oven with the lid on for 1 1/2 hours. (We used this time to go to the park).

Just before serving, stir in the milk.

Finally spoon over your favourite pasta and add some cheese!

According to My Fitness Pal there are about 535 calories per portion without cheese.

FAY'S BREAK-YOUR-DIET BROWNIES!

I have tasted several brownies in my lifetime. At university my friend Ros and I adored the Sainsburys brownies however they were not a patch on these.

Fay's brownies are really easy to make and are perfect for any occasion - I regularly bake them at home for tea or to take to friends' houses and I even made them recently for an end of term drinks party and they went down a treat (I was suddenly the most popular person in the room)!

Ingredients for 12 large brownies:

180g dark chocolate
180g butter
260g caster sugar (I have sometimes used just granulated sugar)
3 large eggs
80g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
200g Galaxy milk chocolate, roughly chopped (the magic ingredient)

Put the oven on 180 (fan), 200 or gas mark 6 and then line a a tin / dish (around 25 x 25 cm or whatever you have) with baking paper. Use more than you need so it falls over the edge (this makes it easy to lift them out after). Then break up the dark chocolate and mix it with the butter in a glass or metal bowl. Put this in a saucepan of boiling water and gently stir it until it melts.

Once it is completely melted, let it cool for a bit. While this is happening, separately beat the sugar and eggs with a whisk and then fold into the chocolate mixture.

Sift the flour and cocoa over the whole lot and mix together completely. Apparently it is best to use a big metal spoon - no idea why - but I don't have one so I just use a wooden or plastic one.

Finally fold in the chopped up galaxy pieces (doesn't it look like Heaven in a bowl)!

Pour it into the dish and smooth it over so it is even and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. I always check at 35 minutes as you do not want to burn them....

Finally take them out the oven and leave to cool (I know it is tough)! 

Once it is not so hot, lift out of the dish using the baking paper as a sling and tuck in!!

Even Bree from Desperate Housewives would be impressed!

According to My Fitness Pal there are about 410 calories per brownie (it is worth every calorie though)!

THE PHENE, CHELSEA

I am not ashamed to admit I am a big Made in Chelsea fan...in fact I have never missed an episode!! It is such car crash tv, I cannot stop watching it. Plus it is literally the opposite to reality tv.... completely scripted & 99.9% of them don't even live in Chelsea!! 

However according to a recent episode Lucy Watson's dad has bought The Phene in Chelsea so I dragged my fiancé for lunch there this week to see what it was all about.

For once the sun was shining (ish) & we were very happy to see the pub has a lovely garden / terrace & it wasn't jam packed. There were a couple of yummy mummies & businessmen & then a couple who I am sure were Made in Chelsea fans too! 

We sat down & the waiter was very prompt in offering us drinks & menus. My fiancé was over the moon - they did his favourite French drink Ricard, a lovely rose from Provence & a charcuterie platter! We obviously ordered all the above as well as squid and two cheeseburgers with fries (no wonder I struggle with my weight)! 

The menu had a good selection - sharing platters, sandwiches & then smarter choices like rack of lamb and wild sea bass.

Thankfully we weren't in any kind of rush as from then on the service wasn't the quickest. We enjoyed our drinks & people watching (I had spied Hugo Taylor having a "business meeting") so that kept us amused.  

The squid then arrived & in true me fashion I demolished it before even thinking of taking a photo - it was delicious, not greasy, a good dip & flavoursome. We then waited another 15 minutes for our charcuterie platter - it was worth the wait though - delicious salami & chorizo.

While chowing down on this, our burgers arrived without the requested cheese so these were sent back. A burger without cheese is a no go in my book!!

They arrived back 5 minutes later & were delicious & the fries were great - however still lacking in a bit of cheese!! The only other complaint was they would only cook the burgers medium or well done - apparently due to rules from the council. Very strange that other Chelsea & Kensington restaurants don't have this problem….

To round the meal off we decided to have a cocktail - I went for a porn star martini which even came with a shot of champagne - how very Made in Chelsea! 

I would definitely come back here again, a perfect spot on a summer's day & I expect with those kind of cocktails, it would be fun at night too!

www.thephene.com

The Phene
9 Phene Street
London
SW3 5NY
Tel: 020 7352 9898