Mallorca has a new gourmet restaurant: Sa Clastra opened this season at the five-star Castell Son Claret hotel in the Es Capdellà countryside in southwest Mallorca. Sa Clastra has replaced the hotel’s former two-Michelin-star Zaranda and offers a new fine-dining experience for guests and members of the public who come for dinner.

Chef Jordi Cantó

Ambitious 33-year-old chef Jordi Cantó leads the kitchen, with a generous helping of Michelin-star-restaurant experience. Born in Palma, he’s worked alongside renowned chefs in some of Spain’s most famous Michelin-starred restaurants: Nerua (1*) at Bilbao’s Guggenheim; DiverXo (3*) in Madrid, and Casa Macial (2*) in Asturias. But his most recent experience was in Zaranda itself, so he already knew his way around the impressive kitchen space at Mallorca’s Castell Son Claret.

Jordi’s travels through Europe, South and Central America, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan – have also inspired his creativity. In Mallorca, for Sa Clastra, he researched new local producers – honouring the philosophy of the Slow Food movement – and applied his talents to heritage recipes, creating memorable dishes.

Dine in the Castle’s Courtyard

Sa Clastra takes its name from the central patio or cloister found at the heart of many Spanish noble buildings and castles – including Castell Son Claret. As we sipped a glass of Gramona cava, we could only speculate on what the handsome old stone walls, wall-mounted sundial from 1888, and ornate central well might have witnessed in the distant past. It’s an atmospheric and romantic space for a special-occasion dinner and on a balmy summer night it’s wonderful to watch the sky turn cobalt blue before darkness descends.

The Cuisine

Sa Clastra offers two tasting menus, which will change with availability of seasonal ingredients: the seven-plate Menu Castell (95 euros) and nine-plate Menu Sa Clastra (120 euros). In addition are an appetiser and petits fours. We opted for the shorter menu.

Castell Son Claret has its own in-house bakery, and the breads and other baked goods here are incredibly moreish. We had a choice of three types of bread, served with two flavoured salts and extra virgin olive oil from Sóller.

The menu descriptions reveal only the key ingredients of each dish and part of the pleasure of the evening was the surprise as the smart serving staff delivered each course to the table. Presentation and taste exceeded our expectations. I’ve shown only some of the dishes below … not wanting to spoil all the surprises if you visit!

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The Wines

There are some 600 wine references on offer at Castell Son Claret. A wine-flight paired to your chosen menu is optional at Sa Clastra, but we were happy to accept sommelier Sebastián Longo’s recommendation for a white wine – the Sangarida La Tarea 2019 (DO Bierzo) was an excellent choice.

The Service

We’ve been to Castell Son Claret on quite a few occasions, for meals, overnight stays, and various functions (including the acclaimed Castell Classics operatic concerts). Whatever the reason, we’ve always commented on the exemplary level of service. Staff in every department of the hotel – including Sa Clastra restaurant – make each guest feel valued. And who doesn’t appreciate that?

The Verdict

Sa Clastra is a recommended new option for a memorable gourmet dinner in an idyllic setting. The Michelin-star inspectors won’t have visited yet, but look up after dark in the elegant courtyard and, with no light pollution in this beautiful area of Mallorca, you can enjoy a sky full of real stars.

Jan Edwards © 2021