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Marcus in the Med … in Mallorca
Back in March this year, a UK TV production company contacted me through this blog. It’s not the first time this has happened, and I’m happy to help where I can – although I did once turn down a request to find a goat farmer to take part in a dubious-sounding episode of a reality TV show; I had too much respect for the two goat farmers I know!
This time the enquiry related to the filming of a new food/travel series entitled Marcus in the Med – featuring English chef Marcus Wareing, who was the chef/patron of Michelin-starred restaurant Marcus in London (which he closed at the end of 2023). He’s also been a judge on Masterchef: The Professionals since 2014. His most recent series, on the BBC, took him to Provence to explore its gastronomy. I guess making food and travel documentaries is a lot less stressful than running a Michelin-star restaurant.
The first series of Marcus in the Med was to be about Mallorca, and the production team was seeking suggestions for filming. We exchanged several emails; I had a video call with the researcher and an assistant producer, and a face-to-face meeting in Palma with the producer. I’ll be interested to see which suggestions they used!Quite a few tourists were surprised to see Marcus and the film crew on location during their holiday. This evening, the 10-part series starts on the Food Network at 21:00h, UK time.
“It’s one of the most beautiful places in the Med,” Marcus said of his visit. “It’s like a chef’s paradise.” To find out what he did here, make an appointment to watch and bring a taste of Mallorca to your living room for the next ten weeks.
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Eat Al Fresco this Summer at Restaurant Roland in Porto Cristo
Chef/patron Roland Schulte The popular east coast of Porto Cristo is home to tennis supremo, Rafael Nadal. His impressive-looking house has a view across the water to the resort and to his catamaran, which – apart from the excursion boats – is the largest vessel moored there.
There’s more to see and enjoy in Porto Cristo – especially if you’re interested in caves (or a dinosaur theme park!) – but if you’re looking for dinner out that’s a little more refined than the seasonal, seafront eateries (some of which, such as the well-managed Quince, are worth a visit), I’d suggest Restaurant Roland.
Named for its chef/patron, Roland Schulte, this restaurant opened in its original Porto Cristo home in 2011; we ate there several times, and I reviewed the place for a local magazine. Earlier this year, Restaurant Roland gained that coveted outdoor dining space for the first time, when it relocated to where Osteria Dolores used to be, in one of the port resort’s residential streets.
The smart dining room, large courtyard garden for al fresco dining, and accomplished cooking make up for the lack of a sea view. Roland’s cuisine is international, market cuisine based on seasonal produce. His clientele is largely German and a bonus of this is that the restaurant opens at 6.30pm – Germans often dine earlier than Spanish people.
The Food
We visited earlier this year before the weather was warm enough to eat outside. A basket of three types of bread arrived with green olives and a fresh cheese spread – a pleasant change from aioli. Once we’d ordered, our server brought us a complimentary appetizer of turnip soup.
From the eight starters, I had crotin of goat cheese wrapped in kataifi on baby spinach leaves with pear chutney (15,50€). This tasty, multi-textural dish would be enough for two to share. The Boss enjoyed his Iberico pork samosas with an Asian salad (17,50€).
Our main course dishes were fillet of sea bass with black risotto and a lobster sauce (24,50), and coq au vin made with quail rather than the traditional rooster or chicken. (24,50€). Both were expertly cooked and attractively presented.
Desserts were a semifreddo of chocolate and caramel with an orange salad to counter the richness (11,50€) and crème brûlée of passion fruit with tonka bean ice cream and strawberries (11,50€). I’d recommend either of these.
Wines are Mallorcan and international, with some available by the glass for those who don’t want a full bottle.
Roland’s cuisine is delicious and, as soon as we have time this summer, we’ll return to Porto Cristo for dinner al fresco in that courtyard garden.
Good to Know
Open for dinner only, Monday to Saturday, from 6.30pm-10pm.
Restaurant Roland is on Instagram and Facebook.
Jan Edwards©2024
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Great Pizzas & Pastas in Manacor
Statistics for this blog show that my post, ‘My Top 3 Restaurants in Manacor’, has had a lot of readers lately. Not a day passes when it hasn’t had multiple views. This means I need to update it, as I have two restaurants to add to my list of favourite eateries in Manacor – the capital of Mallorca’s Llevant region.
One addition is El Guiri, in the centre of Manacor. It’s a small place with no outdoor dining area, but we really like it for its cosy ambience and delicious Italian cuisine made from good-quality ingredients. Guiri is the Spanish word for ‘foreigner’, so you won’t be surprised to learn that chef/owner is not Spanish. Or even Italian. Alexander Weinhold is German but has worked in Mallorca for quite a few years. We’ve previously eaten his food in the former restaurants, Sa Sal and Osteria Dolores in Porto Cristo, at 15teen in Porto Cristo Novo, and Es Patí in Sant Llorenç.
On the Menu
Seven must be Alexander’s lucky number: El Guiri’s menu offers seven starters, seven pasta dishes, and seven pizzas. There are usually a few extra dishes on offer too. Prices are fair here and portions are a decent size. We had a starter each; whenever I suggest we could share a starter, The Boss quotes Joey’s famous line on that subject from Friends. The Boss doesn’t share either.
I had crunchy mozzarella wrapped in angel hair pasta with tomato jam – definitely enough for two people (or even three); The Boss opted for a generous plateful of carpaccio of bresaola with rocket and Parmesan.
We both chose main course dishes from the extras that day. The Boss had gnocchi (16,50€) – which I omitted to photograph. I had a pizza with artichokes, piquillo peppers, oil, and feta (14,50€). Alexander brought the pizza to the table, and I learnt that he ferments his dough for 72 hours. There are digestive benefits to this long fermentation period – and this was one of the tastiest pizzas I’ve eaten.
Of the two home-made desserts (5,50€ each), we chose a light yogurt mousse with strawberries. A fresh-tasting conclusion to an enjoyable dinner.
Drinks are detailed on blackboards on the wall and include Italian and Spanish wines. We paid a reasonable 18€ for a bottle of Pinot Grigio blush.
Pizzeria El Guiri in Manacor offers tasty, carefully made Italian dishes from good ingredients. It’s now one of my favourite places to eat in Manacor.
Good to Know
Prices (as at time of writing): Each starter 12,50€; Pastas 12,50€-16,50€; Pizzas 11,50€-15,50€
El Guiri is in Carrer Major, Manacor, and is open for dinner only Monday – Saturday 19:30h-23:00h.
Reservation recommended.
Takeaway service also available.
El Guiri doesn’t have a website but you can find this eatery on Instagram, as pizzeria_el_guiri
Jan Edwards ©2024
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Authentic Spanish Food in Palma
The spoon logo on the door into Cantina Panzà. All photos Jan Edwards© Mallorca’s capital, Palma, has a cosmopolitan restaurant scene, and you can find different cuisines from around the world. But if you want to eat real Spanish food in an atmospheric setting, I can recommend Cantina Panzà. You’ll find this cosy place on the Paseo de la Rambla – best known for its many flower stalls.
Two excellent chefs are business partners in Cantina Panzà: Madrid-born Fernando Pérez Arellano – whose fine-dining restaurant Zaranda is also in Palma and has held a Michelin star for many years – and his friend and former kitchen colleague, Javier Gardonio. Javier is in the kitchen at Cantina Panzà.
Cantina Panzà used to be within a 5-star boutique hotel in Palma. We enjoyed eating there but I think its current home has a more authentic ambience.
Look through the door of the premises and you may think is just a small tapas bar. There’s the obligatory counter and stools where you can have a drink and eat tapas. But around the corner of the bar, you’ll find tables in simply decorated dining spaces and an open kitchen. If you like to eat outdoors, take a table on the terrace in the middle of the Rambla.
Chef Javier The Food & Drink
We went for lunch with a couple of friends – one of whom is the food consultant and excellent private chef, Piers Dawson. We chose several dishes we could share (some of which are pictured below). It was interesting to note that most of the other diners on the day we visited appeared to be locals.
We enjoyed: vitello ‘Tomato’ (9€); lettuce hearts with anchovy vinaigrette (6€); croquettes (6€), waffle topped with San Simón cheese and basil with confit tomatoes and olives (7€); ‘Espinagada’ of pork loin and vegetables, disguised as empanadillas (8€); Andalusian fried squid with saffron and lemon aioli (12€); four different cocas (4€-5€), torreznos (their best seller and incredibly moreish), and oxtail cannelloni with a velouté of Jerusalem artichoke (17€).
In terms of drinks, we had cava at 5€ a glass, and the draft Cerveza 1906 at 2,80€ for a quarter of a litre.
Eating at Cantina Panzà is a good-quality Spanish culinary experience, with friendly and efficient service, for a fair price. And those torreznos are a must.
Good to Know
Spain is famous for its menú del día and Cantina Panzà’s costs 19€ for three courses, bread and aioli, and water. It’s available from Monday to Friday.
The latest edition of the Guía Repsol recommends Cantina Panzà.
Cantina Panzà is open every day from 13:00h to 23:00h.
While you’re in this part of Palma, treat yourself to a purchase at two of my favourite foodie shops not far from Cantina Panzà:
Narez & Cuart – confectionary artists & Fornet de la Soca – an emblematic bakery
Jan Edwards @2024
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Outdoor Cinema in a Mallorcan Vineyard this Summer
Your charming hosts, Walter (left) and William (R), at Los Dos Caballeros Winery One of the highlights of our 2023 summer in Mallorca was attending an intimate outdoor cinema event at Los Dos Caballeros Winery between Inca and Llubí. Such was the success of the evening, Los Dos Caballeros Winery has organised a series of movie nights this summer.
Cinema Paradiso – a private cinema company in Mallorca – will be screening some popular movies amid the vineyards of this relatively young winery, which produced its first wine in 2021. Walter Kraushaar and William Stanley, who own Los Dos Caballeros, are your welcoming hosts for these cinema nights– which include a glass of their wine.
The Movies on Offer
All films are shown on a Thursday night and are in English with Spanish subtitles.
June 13th at 21:30h – The Big Lebowski
June 27th at 21:30h – The Princess Bride
July 11th at 21:30h – Back to the Future
July 25th at 21:30h – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
August 8th at 21:30h – La La Land
August 22nd at 21:00h – Forrest Gump
September 5th at 20:30h – The Shawshank Redemption
September 19th at 20:00h – The Menu
Tickets are available from Eventbrite. The price includes use of a luxury beanbag chair, fresh popcorn, and a glass of Los Dos Caballeros’s excellent wine.
For tickets to any of these cinema nights, click here.
Jan Edwards ©2024
Are you an Instagram user? I’d be grateful if you followed eatdrinksleepmallorca on that platform for more images from Mallorca.
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A Vegan Restaurant in Rural Mallorca: Plat a Plat
The garden at Curolla Hotel/Plat a Plat Last year we discovered Plat a Plat, a vegan restaurant in Maria de la Salut. This small town in the Mallorcan countryside wasn’t a place where we expected to find such an eatery.
We’re not vegans (although we often eat vegetarian) but wanted to try Plat a Plat because I’m sometimes asked for restaurant recommendations for vegans.
We hot-footed over one evening last autumn and had a delicious and creative dinner. Alas, our plans to eat there again with friends the following week were thwarted: the seasonal Plat a Plat was about to close for the winter. With the restaurant and hotel open again for 2024, we went on a Sunday to try their buffet brunch.
You don’t have to be staying in the attractive 12-room, 4-star Hotel Curolla to eat in its restaurant Plat a Plat. The hotel is in a side street in Maria de la Salut with street parking usually available, although it does have its own car park.
Hotel Curolla occupies an early-19th-century majestic property in Maria de Salut. The large, handsome entrance hall is also home to the restaurant and is dominated by traditional Mallorcan architectural features – arches, exposed stone walls, and ceiling beams. Last autumn, we sat indoors for dinner because it was a cool evening but, for our sunny Sunday lunch, we sat at a shaded table on the terrace. It was a lovely experience because of the peaceful setting, the birdsong, and the hotel’s verdant garden. And, of course, the variety of food on offer.
The restaurant is overseen by Vero (Veronica) Romero, an innovative and enthusiastic young woman who has a ready smile.
Dinner at Plat a Plat
Sadly, Plat a Plat is open for dinner only on three nights a week: Friday, Saturday, and Monday (19:00h–22:00h). The à la carte menu is short but interesting and changes with the seasonal products. Here are photos of some of the dishes we ate there last autumn.
Sunday Brunch at Plat a Plat
The buffet brunch is available from 11.00h–15:00h every Sunday. We’d booked for 13:00h but the buffet still looked fresh because platters were regularly replenished and new dishes added to the spread in the dining room. Chef Silvana Egea and two other chefs keep that buffet looking appealing.
Brunch costs 25€, which includes water, juice, coffee, or tea – and it’s all help yourself. Drinks from the bar are available but charged as extra.
As well as being vegan, 90 per cent of the food is also gluten-free which is good to know for coeliacs. If you’re avoiding gluten for any reason, Vero is your guide as to what’s to leave on the buffet.
We tried home-made vegan cheese, different vegetable burgers, salads, several varieties of hummus, coca, and more. Like all nutritious food, it was very satisfying.
Our fellow brunchers appeared to be mainly locals and the Mallorcan man and his adult daughter we chatted to briefly told us they came from Sa Pobla for brunch.
I’d hoped to have a peek at one of the Hotel Curolla’s rooms before we left, but the young owner, Julia Hälbig (of Mallorcan and German parents) told me the hotel was full. Clearly, there’s a demand for vegan accommodation in Mallorca.
Other Vegan Hotels in Mallorca
Here are three other vegan hotels in Mallorca to check out if Hotel Corolla is full when you want to visit. Although I haven’t stayed in any of them, I mention them because I know of their reputation.
Villa Vegana in Selva
Ecocirer in Sóller
Pension Bellavista in Puerto Pollensa (which also has a good vegetarian/vegan restaurant – which we have tried a few times – with a lovely courtyard garden).
Jan Edwards ©2024
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The Golden Keys to an Outstanding Mallorca Holiday
If you’ve ever wondered about the golden crossed-keys pins that some hotel concierges in Mallorca (and around the world) wear on their jacket lapels, read on to find out more about this elite sector of the luxury hospitality business. These concierges are members of the global professional association known as Les Clefs d’Or or, in Spanish, Las Llaves de Oro. Around 4,000 members of this association work in over 80 countries and 530 destinations all around the globe.
Las Llaves de Oro – the Background
The association of Les Clefs d’Or was officially founded in Paris in 1952 as a not-for-profit organisation, although its roots date from 1929. Concierge members in the French capital would share their knowledge and contacts to help guests gain the most from their stay.
Today, friendship and service are still the foundation stones of the association. These concierges may work in hotels that compete with each other for business, but they share a common desire – and what they know about their locality – to set new standards of hospitality for their guests.
In Spain, Las Llaves de Oro was founded in 1962 and comprises more than 150 active members across six regional delegations – one of which is the Balearics. These members have met the exacting standards and gained the experience, knowledge, and peer respect that the association requires before awarding those golden keys.
What can the Golden Keys Concierge do for you?
The short answer could be, ‘What can’t he or she do?’. These concierges are local insiders par excellence. Their expertise and enviable contacts make a variety of requests possible – from restaurant or attraction recommendations to a one-off wish that may seem unattainable.
A no-uniform away day for Golden Keys concierges – led by Pep Toni Ferreiro Pep Toni Ferreiro, head concierge at Deià’s renowned hotel La Residencia, says, “A concierge works like a ‘dream weaver’.” For the increasing number of Americans who visit Mallorca as part of a European or Spanish tour, this means making the most of even just a few days on the island.
You want to propose to your partner in an isolated romantic setting? Celebrate a birthday with a gourmet picnic while a guitarist strums Spanish classical music? Savour a favourite brand of spirits that’s not available in the hotel bar? Have a hot-air balloon ride at sunrise? Make a private visit to a bodega for a tutored wine tasting? Your golden-keys concierge can make these – and other requests – possible, thus creating lasting memories of a Mallorca that many visitors won’t experience.
The golden-keys concierges are personable, friendly, and discreet, in addition to having expertise and a wealth of local knowledge. Whether you’re staying in your chosen hotel’s most modest guest room or its top suite, they are there with a smile and the ability to achieve what may sometimes seem unachievable.
Las Llaves de Oro in Mallorca
The Balearic delegation of Las Llaves de Oro has 35 members, with the majority in Mallorca. It’s led by Pep Toni Ferreiro, head concierge at La Residencia, a Belmond Hotel. As well as Belmond, the other international luxury hotel groups in Mallorca where you’ll see the golden keys worn are Gran Melià, Jumeirah, The Luxury Collection, Four Seasons, Mallorca Collection, Pure Salt Hotels, Nixe Palace, Iberostar, Virgin Limited Edition, and Zafiro. Needless to say, a concierge wearing Las Llaves de Oro is a mark of prestige for the hotel.
In addition to the hotel concierges, there are honorable members of Las Llaves de Oro representing businesses serving the luxury tourism market in the Balearics. These include Le Luxure (experiences and more), Smart Yachts (charters), The Label & Co (event organisers), Sixt (rental cars), and Lio Mallorca (the hot new dinner show in Palma). If you need a top-of-the-range car, to charter a boat, or to arrange a special event, for example, these are the go-to companies.
Eduardo Salazar from Le Luxure at Hotel El Coto I was recently invited to attend the third Educational Day for the Balearic Delegation of Les Clefs d’Or/Las Llaves de Oro, which took place at the elegant 5-star Hotel El Coto in Colònia de Sant Jordi. The enthusiasm and camaraderie of the delegates greatly impressed me. These are people dedicated to serving their guests.
As Eduardo Salazar, managing director of Le Luxure, told me, “We’re here because we love what we do.” As do the discerning guests who choose a hotel with a concierge wearing the crossed golden keys.
Jan Edwards©2024
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A New Book about Mallorca and Wine
The growth in the Mallorcan wine sector has been significant over the 20 years we’ve lived on the island. And that growth hasn’t been only in the number of wineries but also in the quality and uniqueness of the wines produced. Today, Mallorca has around 100 bodegas, with the oldest (Bodega Ribas) dating from 1711.
Exciting new wineries have opened in recent years – some of them owned by foreign residents of Mallorca – and the viticulture/viniculture scene on the island still has the potential for further development.
How to find out about Mallorca’s bodegas and wine
The new hardback book, Mallorca & Wine – The Bodegas and Their Stories, is an excellent introduction to the Mallorcan wine scene and some of the best bodegas and wines on the island. Its authors (and publishers) are Jürgen Mathäss, Thilo Weimar, and Wolf Wilder. It’s a beautifully produced book that not only looks good but is packed with evidence of the authors’ enthusiasm for wines and the painstaking research that went into it. It’s the book I’d love to have written.
Mallorca & Wine starts with a look at Mallorca’s wine history, terroir, and grape varieties, and a couple of interviews with experts in this field (Ferran Centelles, who writes for Master of Wine, Jancis Robinson, and Gabriel Lucas, wine consultant and educator, who was voted Spain’s best sommelier in 2021). The largest section of the book comprises fascinating textual and photographic portraits of 55 wineries on the island.
There’s a chapter about wine enthusiasts and investors and how to have your own label wine if you own a vineyard in Mallorca but not the facility for making wine. The remainder of the 224-page book comprises wine-related activities in Mallorca, information about hotels with a particular affinity for wine (including two of my favourites, Can Beneït and El Coto), wine stores, and restaurants and wine bars with notable wine selections.
Here are some photos from the Mallorca book launch at Rialto Living on 9th May:
Where to buy Mallorca & Wine
You’ll find Mallorca & Wine – in separate English and German editions – for sale in the lifestyle store Rialto Living in Palma. It’s also available in English and German on Amazon Germany and will soon be available on Amazon.com.
You can also buy a copy at Finca Can Coll in Sóller, which offers a by-appointment-only unique wine-tasting experience.
This impressive book costs 40€ on the island. Someone suggested to me that this was a lot of money but, as an author myself (the novel Daughter of Deià), I can appreciate the huge amount of work, time, and expertise that has gone into the publication of Mallorca & Wine. In my opinion, this book is worth the money if you want to do as Wolf wrote when he signed the book I bought: ‘Explore the island one glass at a time.’
Jan Edwards ©2024
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The Michelin Key to the Best Hotels in Mallorca
If your choice of a hotel is determined by the number of official stars it has, you’ll have plenty of places to choose from in Mallorca: the island now has some 65-and-counting 5-star hotels. If that sounds bewildering, you may wish to check out the Michelin Guide’s new distinction for outstanding hotels: the Michelin Key. It’s the hotel equivalent of the Michelin Star for restaurants and was launched on April 29, 2024.
What is the Michelin Key?
Michelin explains that the Michelin Key is awarded to hotels that are ‘not simply a room for the night, but offer an outstanding stay’. The Michelin Key hotels are the crème de la crème of the more than 5,000 hotels featured around the globe in their famous guides. The awarded hotels ‘excel in design, architecture, service and personality’. A hotel does not have to have a certain number of stars to be awarded a Michelin Key.
Hotels can be awarded one, two, or three Keys: one Key denotes a very special stay; two, an exceptional stay, and three keys, an extraordinary stay.
Michelin Keys in Mallorca
According to Michelin, a one Key hotel is ‘a true gem with its own character and personality. It may break the mould, offer something different or simply be one of the best of its type. Service always goes the extra mile and provides significantly more than similarly priced establishments.’
Here are Mallorca’s one Key hotels:
Es Racó d’Artà, Artà
Sa Creu Nova Petit Palais Art & Spa, Campos
Predi Son Jaumell, Capdepera
Castell Son Claret, Es Capdellà – also has the one Michelin Star restaurant, Sa Clastra
Cap Vermell Grand Hotel, Canyamel – also has the two Michelin stars restaurant, Voro
Finca Serena, Montuïri
Son Brull, Pollensa
Hotel L’Avenida, Sóller
Can Bordoy Grand House and Garden, Palma
Es Princep, Palma – also has the one Michelin-star restaurant, Zaranda
Sant Francesc, Palma
Castillo Hotel Son Vida, Palma
Boutique Hotel Posada Terra Santa, Palma
El Llorenç Parc de la Mar, Palma – also has the one MICHELIN Star restaurant, DINS by Santi Taura
Nobis Hotel, Palma
Nobis Hotel, Palma 
Castell Son Claret 
Finca Serena Michelin’s two Key hotels are described as ‘Somewhere truly unique and exceptional in every way, where a memorable experience is always guaranteed. A hotel of character, personality and charm that’s operated with obvious pride and considerable care. Eye-catching design or architecture, and a real sense of the locale make this an exceptional place to stay.’
Mallorca’s two Key hotels:
Cap Rocat, Cala Blava
La Residencia, a Belmond Hotel, Deià
Hotel Can Cera, Palma
Can Ferrereta, Santanyí
Can Cera hotel (photo courtesy of hotel) 
A corner of La Residencia Jan Edwards©2024
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Healthy Food & Drinks in Colònia de Sant Pere, Mallorca
The coastal village of Colònia de Sant Pere has some of the best views for eating and drinking out in Mallorca – in my opinion. From one of the several, seafront restaurants, you have views across the Bay of Alcúdia to the northern end of the Serra de Tramuntana – the UNESCO World Heritage Site mountain range. Sunset here is glorious.
But there are times when I’d sacrifice the view for a visit to Can Kiwi; times when I want to eat or drink something healthier than the average coastal restaurant fare. This small eatery is just one road back from the seafront and has a front terrace as well as an attractive interior, with original arches, a tiled floor, and cute decorative touches. In colder months, a wood-burning stove makes the place cosy and even more appealing. Alessandro, the Italian owner, is friendly and welcoming too.
Alessandro in action 
Some of Kay’s art 
Relax! 
The bar/counter 
A welcome addition for cooler days Can Kiwi is open for breakfast, brunch, snacks, and drinks, and also offers a set menú del día (16€ at the time of writing) on weekdays (except Thursdays, when the place is closed). Times are extended once the holiday season gets going.
Eats at Can Kiwi
The food menu includes waffles, salads, bowls and poke bowls, organic eggs, and that favourite Mallorcan snack, pa amb oli – made from a choice of two organic, sourdough breads from the local artisan bakery Forn Corpus. Gluten-free options are available.
Drinks at Can Kiwi
Drink choices include freshly made smoothies and juices, ‘golden milk’, kombuchas, organic teas, and healthy shots. But you can also enjoy the alcoholic drinks and coffees you’d find in other restaurants.
You’ll be enjoying the fare at Can Kiwi too much to miss the sea views. And, besides, you can always have a walk along the seafront after your visit – increasing the healthiness of a visit to Mallorca’s coastal gem, Colònia de Sant Pere and charming Can Kiwi.
Jan Edwards ©2024
Eat Drink Sleep Mallorca 