Review of Lunch at Bartomeu, Sa Coma

I’ve been a fan of Mallorcan chef Tomeu Caldentey’s cuisine since before I began this blog. He was the first Mallorcan chef on the island whose cuisine was awarded a Michelin star, which he maintained for 14 years.

In 2018 Tomeu gave up the star to change his restaurant concept to something more affordable, and, judging from his cheerful whistling as he worked last week during our latest visit, a lot less stressful.

He created his new concept, Tomeu Caldentey Cuiner, in the same premises as his former Michelin-starred Bou in Sa Coma, on the east coast of Mallorca. The chef was no longer running a brigade but taking the lead role in his gleaming contemporary kitchen. He’s the modest star of his own cooking ‘show’, with an enthusiastic audience seated around the counter watching him work before they enjoy the fruits of his culinary labours.

Bartomeu

In the wake of the strict Covid restrictions in Mallorca, Tomeu opened his second restaurant, Bartomeu, serving only lunch. Bartomeu is in the same premises as Tomeu Caldentey Cuiner, and is located at one end of the Protur Sa Coma hotel – although it has its own independent entrance. Today, Tomeu operates both Bartomeu and Tomeu Caldentey Cuiner.

What is Bartomeu

Bartomeu offers a set lunch menu on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. The menu changes every week and is published in advance on social media. Lunch begins with a round loaf of Tomeu’s moreish olive oil bread and a spicy mayo to spread on it. If we lived closer to Sa Coma, this bread would be my dietary downfall; it’s so moreish.

The Migdia menu offers five plates, the aforementioned bread and mayo, water, and coffee for 22€. Other drinks are at an extra cost and are self-service. Help yourself from the wide choice and tell Tomeu what you had when you pay the bill. A vermouth cost us 3,50€ and a glass of wine, 4€.

Tomeu serves the dishes himself (he has an assistant in the kitchen) and it’s clear he enjoys contact with his customers.

The Bartomeu space is filled with natural light, which feels even more uplifting on a sunny day. The capacity looked to be around 20 people, so it feels quite intimate and relaxed. The latter is helped by the fact that Tomeu wears an apron over a T-shirt and jeans, rather than chef’s whites.

You do need to book at least a day in advance for this lunch, which is popular with locals. As soon as we read that Bartomeu was open again last Wednesday after a month’s winter closure, we booked our table. Bartomeu has two sittings for lunch: 1.30 & 2.30pm.

Our Lunch Last Week

We had a very satisfying lunch, with a variety of textures and flavours. The ambience here is relaxed and friendly. We went for the 2.30pm setting, as that is about the usual time we eat lunch at home. We think lunch at Bartomeu is excellent value and are happy to recommend it.