PAN Y VINO, TORRET, MENORCA
I went to Pan y Vino twice this summer, but actually I could have eaten there every night - for several reasons. Firstly it is a beautiful setting - secluded, candle lit, romantic and peaceful. Secondly the owner and staff are so friendly and welcoming. Finally the food is AWESOME! A combination of French and Spanish with a touch of English. We enjoyed the restaurant so much that we went twice within a week.
The restaurant changes its menu daily as they like to use seasonal, local produce. The first time I went I had goats cheese wrapped in smoked salmon followed by crispy sea bass, it was delicious. However the menu had changed by the time we went again. Unfortunately I did not take a picture of it and can't remember exactly what we all ate but I have the pictures and we all agreed it was the best meal we'd had on the island.
One of the first things I like about Pan y Vino is that it does a really good amuse bouche selection. It changes like the menu but we had prawn bisque, deep fried Camembert and black pudding spring rolls.
All were incredible even though I don't even like black pudding. There was also freshly baked bread which we dipped into the soup.
For starters Arabella and Agathe had the croquettes - my favourites - thankfully Arabella was happy to share.
I had the beef carpaccio with Parmesan, rocket and a quail egg. This had actually been on the menu when we came before and I ordered it as I'd had serious food envy, and rightly so as it was so tasty. The beef was really tender and literally melted.
Pascal had chicken terrine with dates which he wolfed down.
Unfortunately I cannot remember exactly what we all had for mains other than we all really enjoyed it!
Pascal had duck which came in a spring roll - his favourite.
Arabella had sea bream with pesto and vegetables. Even though it was an adult portion, she enjoyed it so much she ate the whole thing. (They will do a pasta or grilled chicken for children if you'd prefer).
Agathe had mixed fish which she adored.
Finally Lili had steak which was cooked to perfection.
I had roast chicken with foie gras poele and a potato cake - I only had it because I love foie gras poele - it was totally worth it, I must order chicken more often.
Unfortunately we were all too full for pudding which was a shame as the restaurant does an amazing cheeseboard.
I am sorry my descriptions are so vague but I can confirm that it was an awesome meal and if you are in Menorca and you want a smart, special meal, Pan y Vino is the place to go. I cannot wait to return next year. I am just gutted it has taken me 34 years to find such a hidden gem.
Pan y Vino
Cami de la Coixa, 3
Torret
Sant Lluis
Menorca
Tel: 00 34 971 150201
email: reservas@panyvinomenorca.com
ANAKENA, SAINT LLUIS, MENORCA
I went to Pan y Vino twice this summer, but actually I could have eaten there every night - for several reasons. Firstly it is a beautiful setting - secluded, candle lit, romantic and peaceful. Secondly the owner and staff are so friendly and welcoming. Finally the food is AWESOME! A combination of French and Spanish with a touch of English. We enjoyed the restaurant so much that we went twice within a week.
The restaurant changes its menu daily as they like to use seasonal, local produce. The first time I went I had goats cheese wrapped in smoked salmon followed by crispy sea bass, it was delicious. However the menu had changed by the time we went again. Unfortunately I did not take a picture of it and can't remember exactly what we all ate but I have the pictures and we all agreed it was the best meal we'd had on the island.
One of the first things I like about Pan y Vino is that it does a really good amuse bouche selection. It changes like the menu but we had prawn bisque, deep fried Camembert and black pudding spring rolls.
All were incredible even though I don't even like black pudding. There was also freshly baked bread which we dipped into the soup.
For starters Arabella and Agathe had the croquettes - my favourites - thankfully Arabella was happy to share.
I had the beef carpaccio with Parmesan, rocket and a quail egg. This had actually been on the menu when we came before and I ordered it as I'd had serious food envy, and rightly so as it was so tasty. The beef was really tender and literally melted.
Pascal had chicken terrine with dates which he wolfed down.
Unfortunately I cannot remember exactly what we all had for mains other than we all really enjoyed it!
Pascal had duck which came in a spring roll - his favourite.
Arabella had sea bream with pesto and vegetables. Even though it was an adult portion, she enjoyed it so much she ate the whole thing. (They will do a pasta or grilled chicken for children if you'd prefer).
Agathe had mixed fish which she adored.
Finally Lili had steak which was cooked to perfection.
I had roast chicken with foie gras poele and a potato cake - I only had it because I love foie gras poele - it was totally worth it, I must order chicken more often.
Unfortunately we were all too full for pudding which was a shame as the restaurant does an amazing cheeseboard.
I am sorry my descriptions are so vague but I can confirm that it was an awesome meal and if you are in Menorca and you want a smart, special meal, Pan y Vino is the place to go. I cannot wait to return next year. I am just gutted it has taken me 34 years to find such a hidden gem.
Pan y Vino
Cami de la Coixa, 3
Torret
Sant Lluis
Menorca
Tel: 00 34 971 150201
email: reservas@panyvinomenorca.com
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ANAKENA, SAINT LLUIS, MENORCA
As I mentioned in my blog last year, we go to Menorca every summer and I have been going since I was born. Being a creature of habit I always want to go to the same restaurants we went to as children but this year we decided to branch out and try a few new places.
Anakena is super cool for Menorca - a white decor, relaxed atmosphere, billowing curtains, great cocktails, several terraces and the food has Eastern, Mediterranean and South American influences. A bit superior to my usual pizza joints!
We went with our bestest friends and had a fantastic time. Obviously starting with a g&t and a mojito while we looked at the menu.
It was tough to decide what to eat! Once we had ordered we nibbled on the homemade bread with tomato salsa and herbed butter and then had a amuse bouche of a potato rosti topped with pesto and vegetables….it was delicious and I always love an extra course!
We also ordered a couple of portions of the prawn and crab croquettes as we all LOVE them. They were absolutely scrumptious - Boris had them again for a starter and I was tempted too!
However I went for the "gyosas traditionales" (as did Pascal and Amanda) which are Japanese dumplings stuffed with pork and vegetables with a sweet spicy sauce.
They were very good - although I would have preferred a soy sauce!
Fran had a timbale of langoustines and quinoa, which was a fresh prawn salad, marinated shrimp tails, quinoa and marinated avocado - it looked and tasted fantastic.
The final starter was the tuna tartar in a soft Asian vinaigrette and flying fish roe - I had serious food envy and apparently it was amazing.
We were all impressed by our starters.
For mains Boris had the steak tartar with baked country bread. It was phenomenal. I am not normally a huge fan of steak tartar, it makes me feel a bit icky, but this was unbelievable - I would definitely order this next time. It might not look extraordinary but it really was.
Fran, Amanda and I all had the crab cakes baked with rice and prawn crackers. It was very good but very rich and we all enjoyed it however it was lacking a side - it would have been much better if it had a salad with it.
Hard went for the homemade chicken green curry with basmati rice - the curry was great but the rice was full of raisins which did not go down well. A big no no for Hard and certainly a big no no for me!! I hate fruit and food.
Finally Pascal had the veal sirloin with truffled potatoes from Menorca which I was tempted by as I am obsessed with anything with truffles - once again half was good, the other half wasn't. The veal was cooked perfectly pink and was extremely tender however the potatoes weren't cooked properly and you could barely taste the truffle. The asparagus was tasty though and it was well presented.
Boris was the only one who had a pudding as they had no cheese (boo). He went for the chocolate lasagna - even though I am not a pudding fan, this tasted delicious!
We had a fun, fantastic meal and the setting was beautiful - we will definitely be back although some of us will be ordering different things - I will without a doubt be having the steak tartar!! If you are in Menorca, the restaurant is worth a visit. There were children there but I would say it has a more adult vibe. It opens at 8pm and only during July and August.
Caserio de S'Uestra, 4
07710
Saint Lluis
Menorca
Tel: +34 971 156 727
Email: reservas@anakenarestoran.com
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IL PARADISO, MALLORCA
My brother is much more into Chinese food and kebabs than fine dining but he did come up with the brilliant recommendation of Il Paradiso Marivent when we were in Mallorca. It is a beautiful restaurant perched on a cliff edge with incredible views. If you can, try and book a table on the balcony but if not, the terrace is also spectacular.
As we only booked that day we were seated on the terrace but it was still an intimate setting and you could see for miles out to sea.
Like always we had a couple of drinks while we looked at the rather large menu full of Italian and Mediterranean classics, salads, pastas, seafood and meats. We also nibbled on some amazing olives, Italian bread, truffled ricotta and a caramelised tomato and onion paste. All absolutely delicious - Pascal and I were fighting over the truffled ricotta!
There were so many starters Pascal and I wanted so we ended up ordering a selection which consisted of mozzarella & tomato, tuna tartar with a quail egg, thin parma ham filled with lobster cream flavoured with cognac & dill and bresaola with burrata (my favourite), rocket & truffle dressing.
For mains Pascal went for the Black Angus beef tenderloin served with a béarnaise sauce and garnished with asparagus wrapped in pancetta and potato puree. It was cooked to perfection and he loved it….I even had some food envy!
Now I made a bit of an error and was so busy tucking into my pappardelle with sautéed shrimps, black olives, capers, anchovies, chilli sun dried tomatoes and fresh basil that I forgot to take a photo! Whoops! I just couldn't stop myself as it was amazing - plus I even managed to have lots of Parmesan too….Pascal seems to believe fish and cheese don't go together but for me, cheese goes with everything!!
We had a lovely bottle of wine which I would also recommend.
WOW! A fantastic restaurant - we will definitely be going back and I cannot wait….perfect for a special or romantic night out. For once I can admit that my brother was right!!!
Il Paradiso
Joan Miro 243
Palma de Mallorca
07015
Balearic Isles
Spain
Tel: +34 971 103379
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MOOD BEACH & RESTAURANT, MALLORCA
Sorry for the radio silence but I have been on holiday to Mallorca with Pascal - it was blissful - a week of sunbathing, swimming, reading, eating and drinking…..literally all my favourite things!! Like last year we stayed at the Hotel Melia de Mar which I would really recommend if you are looking for a holiday without kiddies (no under 16s allowed)!
We only booked the holiday the night before we went so I was pretty stuffed re restaurants - normally I make reservations a month before….not the case here and when I tried to book Flanigans I was told they were completely and utterly fully booked. We therefore ended up going to Mood Beach & Restaurant which I knew nothing about (I didn't even have time to look up the menu online) but it ended up being the perfect location.
The restaurant is perched on the cliff edge with phenomenal views of the sea, there is a lot of white, very helpful staff, great music, and then huge sun beds and a swimming pool for day time.
We started with a drink - a g&t for me and a Ricard for Pascal much to his delight!
The menu was full of goodies - a combination of English and Spanish and lots of pasta, fish and steaks and even "Lean" options which we ignored!!!
We started with prawns in garlic, Iberian ham and mushroom montadito (scrambled eggs scented with truffle oil and wild mushrooms on Mallorcan bread).
The prawns were big and juicy, the ham full of flavour but my favourite were the scrambled eggs and mushrooms - I will definitely be recreating this at home.
For mains we went for one of their specials - sea bass in salt which is a favourite of non fish eater Pascal! It really was fantastic. Served with vegetables and potatoes and a hot butter sauce and crispy onions.
I need to stop ordering burgers and start ordering fish more often - it was so fresh and tasty plus after I finished I didn't feel like I was going to explode!!
Obviously there was room for a digestive - an amaretto for me and god knows what for Pascal!!
As I said, a great meal in a beautiful setting with brilliant, attentive staff….we will definitely be back here - it is perfect for a romantic meal or for fun with a group of friends.
Ctra Palma-Andrtx km 11,
Costa D'en Blanes,
Calvia 07181,
Mallorca,
Islas Baleares,
Spain
Tel: (+34) 971 676 456
Email: info@moodbeach.com
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VARIOUS MENORCA RESTAURANTS
I did not do very well at taking photos of my meals at restaurants in Menorca, I totally forgot! I blame it on the local drink pomada (gin & lemon - a must try)!! Anyway if you are ever heading that way I can recommend a few places to go. There are a couple of restaurants I visit every year without fail.
Bar Espana
Firstly Bar Espana in Es Castell. This restaurant is an institution in Menorca and I have been going here since year dot - the same waiter Salvador is still working there! It is a simple indoor restaurant & the menu has hardly changed over the years (local dishes, omelettes, pasta, meat, fish). I am a creature of habit, so despite many choices on the menu as a child I had the chicken and chips and then I moved on to mussels and macaroni Bolognaise (which is now spaghetti). They also do a menu del dia which is great value and the restaurant is constantly packed at lunchtime and supper with lots of locals which is always a good sign. It is nothing fancy and extremely good value, perfect for families and one of Richard Branson's favourite restaurants!
Lalola
My best friend Amanda & I always disagree about Lalola on Cala Fons - she hates it but I love it!
Cala Fons is absolutely beautiful, a tiny cove of restaurants, bars and a few little shops. Lalola is another restaurant I have been going to for years and years, it is Italian but also does different fish, meat, paella and has a very good value menu del dia. Every year I have the same - salami pizza - for once I have a photo! It is so incredibly cheesy so right up my street!
My stepdaughter enjoyed the spaghetti bolognaise so much she ordered two portions and my fiancé had the Aubergine Parmigana which was so delicious I couldn't stop picking at his as well (which resulted in me spilling quite a bit down my dress)!! Not cool.
Now the negative point about this restaurant is that the loos aren't very nice.....however it is great value, friendly service, beautiful setting & yummy food.
Trebol
This is a smarter restaurant on Cala Fons and it's speciality is seafood. It is more expensive but nothing compared to London prices and the fish is very fresh. I would probably say this is a more adult restaurant & great for a special occasion. My best friend Amanda & I went here with friends this year to celebrate 20 years of friendship & the owner went out her way to make it an unforgettable experience.
http://restaurantrebol.com
Son Ganxo
Son Ganxo is in between binibeca & punta prima & is a restaurant with a pool & you can also dive off the rocks into the sea. It is great with kids as they can swim (in either the adult or kiddie pool) while you eat. The menu has literally everything however standards had slipped this year - the service did not come with a smile & the loos were revolting. However it is a very easy place to come with children & it makes a change from the beach.
http://www.restaurante-son-ganxo.com/english/
La Rueda
A typical tapas bar in San Luis, very popular with locals, extremely reasonable & good, honest Spanish food.
Finally Caraba & La Venta (both in San Luis/binibeca area) are great restaurants for supper.
http://restaurantelacaraba.com
Menorca is probably full of many places I haven't mentioned (as I have said before I am pretty lazy so I only know half the island)! I would love to hear any other bar / restaurant recommendations you may have as without a doubt I will be back there next year.
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SA NAVETA, BINIBECA VELL, MENORCA
My great friend Amanda is always keen to try out different places and was recommended Sa Naveta by a local who said it was one of the best new restaurants of the year. It is in the middle of Binibeca Vell which is probably best described as a tiny hamlet close to the beach & it has a chilled lounge vibe with billowing curtains, lots of white with accents of blue, and a spacious, relaxed environment. Amanda previously had such a good lunch there with her family, we went back with her a couple of days later.
Menorca is the most fantastic island in the sunshine however when it rains there is not much to do - you can either go shopping although that will take under an hour or you can have a long lunch. You probably won't be surprised to hear that I went for the latter and this was the day we tried Sa Naveta and it turned out to be the most wonderful wonderful day!!
My fiancé, the children and I arrived before Amanda and her family and were warmly welcomed by Marta & Charo, the sisters that own the restaurant. We were shown to our table and promptly ordered drinks - Marta immediately turned her attention to my daughter Arabella and gave her a special plate setting, a straw for her drink and a little bowl of crisps - I have never heard Arabella say grazias so much! Marta then realised we were all chowing down on her crisps so bought out more for us - that went perfectly with our sangria which was slipping down very nicely.
Amanda, her husband, her two boys and parents arrived and despite only eating at the restaurant once before, it was kisses all round as if they were part of the restaurant family. A couple of gin and tonics were ordered and Marta served these with a pink gin and poured the tonic first and then the gin down a swizzle stick - they were so good that we all had to try one of them too!
The menu was varied - there was a menu del dia for 20 euros which was three courses, bread, wine and water and included croquettes, paella and a chocolate pudding - or there was tapas, fresh fish, burger, pasta and so on plus a children's menu.
While we discussed the menu and finished our drinks we snacked on ham croquettes (my favourite) and ham with tomato bread (another favourite).
Both were delicious - the bread very fresh and ham thinly cut and tender and the croquettes crispy on the outside but soft & tasty on the inside.
I then shared the tuna tataki with my friend's husband Boris - it was delicious and was perfect as a starter or main. The tuna was cooked on the outside and raw in the middle and drizzled with a sweet soy sauce and it came with a juicy big prawn and potatoes. It was very good to try a different fish in Menorca compared to my usual mussels, prawns or squid.
Pascal had beef carpaccio with parmesan which he said was extremely good - I obviously had to have a taste and he was right (for once)!
To follow I then had the cannelloni - I had high hopes as cannelloni was a favourite childhood dish of mine in Menorca as they do it differently to over here - I was impressed. Marta explained it was a recipe passed down from her "mama" and it was cheesy and creamy and meaty all at the same time.
Pascal being a fellow piglet had a "fideua de marisco" which is a paella but with fideua which is a kind of noodle or in his words a cross between rice and pasta. Even though the dish feeds two, he managed to have most of it and we all couldn't resist a taste as well. It is something I had never tried before but definitely will again.
Boris had been told the burger was one of the best on the island and so he went for that. It was stuffed with two patties, cheese, bacon, egg and jalapenos - no idea how he managed to get it in his mouth but he did and gave it the two thumbs up.
Amanda and her mother went for gratinated cod served on a bed of green vegetables and potatoes - in the name of research I had to try this as well and I was pleasantly surprised. I had eaten something similar in Mallorca several years ago and not been a fan. This however tasted fresh and the mayonnaise and cheese were light and not overpowering.
My eldest stepdaughter has parpadelle with vegetables and a carbonara sauce. Once again this was heavenly.
Everyone else cleared their plates before I could take a photo including the kiddies which is always a good sign.
While we relaxed over drinks and coffees the children were treated to ice creams by Marta and Charo and they even entertained them. Marta noticed my daughter's nail polished was chipped so very kindly gave her her own bottle and even painted Arabella's nails. Baby Rafferty was asleep in his pram and so the sisters bought him a jumper to wrap round him. Then to give us some peace and quiet they put cartoons on for the children (that is after a game of it around the restaurant)!
We could not have been made more welcome or treated better, the service was unbelievable and I think the friendliest I have ever had. I have to say this is one of the most surprising meals I have ever had and I will definitely be coming back year after year.
Sa Naveta
Complejo Turistico Binibeca Vell
Local No. 26
07711 Binibeca Vell (Sant Lluis)
Menorca
Tel: 00 34 665 574 768
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EN CARAGOL, BINIBECA, MENORCA
I have been coming to Menorca every summer since I was born and even though there are plenty of new restaurants popping up each year, I always like to stick to my old favourites. One of these is En Caragol, the setting is absolutely beautiful as the restaurant sits on the rocks over looking the sea and it is open at the sides.
The restaurant is French owned so is one of the very few places on the island that has beautiful Provence rose. A friend had told us to start with a mojito and wow, what a great recommendation. The drink is made extra special by having a ball of lemon sorbet in the middle & is delicious - I could have had several!
The menu has a long list of starters and is mainly seafood based. At the beginning, the waiter always brings round the fresh catch of the day and will help you decide what to choose.
We decided to share starters and like always had the nems – these are phenomenal and we ended up fighting over the last one. They aren’t greasy like Chinese ones can be and are instead just full of flavour and taste delicious wrapped in a lettuce leaf. Since our visit here, my daughter has been begging for more.
We also had a local Spanish dish of pimientos de pardon – these little green salty peppers are delicious but eating them is like playing Russian roulette – every so often there is a very very very hot one!
For mains, my fiancé had fresh squid which he said was delicious – it came with potatoes and ratatouille – and even though Pascal always says he does not like fish, he polished off the entire plate with gusto (I also kept on picking at the ratatouille).
My daughter and I shared the calamari sautéed with garlic and parsley and a goats cheese salad. Both were delicious however the squid was not as good as previous years, if I went again I would have the pulpo. The salad was great though and could definitely serve as a meal in itself.
My two stepdaughters had cheeseburgers, which they said were excellent and even though the restaurant does incredible home made puddings like tiramisu and chocolate brownies, we were all too full to order more.
So if you are in Menorca around the Binibeca area, I would definitely recommend this restaurant, it is great for lunch or supper or even just to pop in for a mojito to watch the sun go down (I am told their gin and tonics are also pretty special)! It is more expensive than other places on the island but the view and food are worth it.
En Caragol
Cala Biniancolla
Between Binibeca & Son Ganxo
07710 San Luis
Tel: 00 33 629 165089 / 00 33 669 46 03 11
Restaurant.EnCaragol@gmail.com
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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.
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
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?!!
Wellies,
Puerto Portals,
01782,
Portals Nous,
Calvia
Mallorca
Tel: 971 676444
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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)!
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)!
Flanigan
Puerto Portals,
Local 16,
07181 Calvia
Mallorca
Tel: 971 676791
Fax: 971 677681
rest.flanigan@flanigansa.com
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LE POOL, HOTEL MELIA DE MAR, MALLORCA
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.
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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 Illetashttp://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
Paseo de las Illetas, 7
Majorca – Illetas 07184
Spain
Tel: (34) 971 402511
Fax: (34) 971 405852
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