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The Tasting Menu at Singular Restaurant at The Lodge
Ramón Freixa You’ll find other restaurants across Mallorca cooking over a wood fire but none of them can claim to have a chef from a two-Michelin-star restaurant driving their gastronomic concept. Singular Restaurant lives up to its name, boasting cocina del fuego directed by the prestigious and affable chef, Ramón Freixa, whose starred eponymous restaurant is in Madrid.
Born in a small town in Barcelona, Freixa remembers the childhood aroma of freshly baked bread from his grandparents’ bakery. He’s proud of his Mediterranean roots and his heritage and his cuisine reflects this. Of course, with a 2-Michelin-star restaurant to run in Madrid, he’s not standing over a wood fire in Mallorca on a daily basis; his trusted Mallorcan chefs, Mateo García and Sergi Fernández run the kitchen, under his direction.
The Restaurant of The Lodge Mallorca
Singular is the restaurant of the 24-room, five-star hotel, The Lodge Mallorca, which opened in May this year on a private nature reserve of some 157 hectares. The Lodge Mallorca has the island’s largest lavender field (12 hectares) and I imagine that once it’s in full bloom, it’ll become an Instagram-worthy sight.
The Lodge Mallorca is part of the Único Hotels group and has a sister hotel – Finca Serena – in Montuïri. Both are on large fincas surrounded by nature and inspiring calm and relaxation. The lavender at The Lodge will only add to that!
The Cuisine at Singular
Expert cooking with fire achieves high levels of deliciousness here, where the estate provides wood from its numerous almond, olive, carob, and Holm oak trees – each adding subtle nuances to the cuisine.
The kitchen sources the best local, seasonal produce from local farmers and fishermen to create simple but often sensational dishes showcasing the high quality of the ingredients. These ingredients include honey from the estate’s bee hives; extra virgin olive oil (and wines) from Finca Serena, and Wagyu de Sant Martí beef (cattle born and raised in the foothills of the Serra de Tramuntana).
Singular offers an à la carte menu of starters, grilled fresh veggies, rice dishes, seafood, grilled meats, side dishes, and desserts. But for a special treat and the opportunity to enjoy Ramón Freixa’s interpretation of Mallorca’s traditional cuisine, try the tasting menu (90€).
The delicious bread at Singular is home-made with Mallorcan xeixa wheat flour; it was served with smoked butter and EVOO from Finca Serena. The cured meats are from the respected Mallorcan supplier, Can Company.
The tasting menu begins with a gilda mallorquina like no other I’ve had: sobrasada, pepper, anchovy, figs, and olive skewered onto a twig. A coca of sardines with rosemary tumbet follows. Other treats include the famed red prawn from Sóller, line-caught squid, rice from Sa Pobla, suckling pig (with delicious crackling), and vegetables from the finca, as well as a truly indulgent, ensaÏmada dessert. The menu is like a love story to Mallorcan cuisine – made with carefully sourced ingredients from the island.
Wines are from the island and beyond and include rosé and white wines made from native Mallorcan grapes, from the vineyards at Finca Serena.
The Location
Singular Restaurant has an attractive dining room, with understated but stylish décor; at night the space is elegant and relaxing with soft lighting and candlelight, making it a romantic place to dine. If the weather is fine, have a seat on the terrace and enjoy the long views of the fertile plains around Sa Pobla and, just beneath you, The Lodge’s tempting swimming pool.
The Lodge Mallorca is easy to find: from the Ma-13 motorway, take exit 37 in the direction of the Coves de Campanet (worth a visit, by the way). Almost immediately you exit the roundabout, take the service road (service road to Pollença) on the right and you’ll soon reach the entrance to The Lodge.
I haven’t stayed in the hotel or even seen any of the rooms (they were all occupied when I visited), but having had dinner in Singular Restaurant, I can say you’re in for a treat.
Jan Edwards©2023
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Have a Michelin-Star Dinner at Es Fum, Mallorca
Serious foodies visiting (or living in) Mallorca may want to indulge in a Michelin-starred dining experience – and Mallorca has no fewer than ten restaurants with a Michelin star (and one has two stars). So how do you choose where to splash the cash on an unforgettable meal?
As the Michelin-star restaurants are located in different areas of Mallorca, it probably comes down to how far you’re prepared to travel. In the southwest of the island, the choice is easy: Es Fum restaurant at the St Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort in Costa d’en Blanes. If you’re driving, you’ll sweep through the impressive gates to park securely within the property; I do, however, recommend taking a taxi if you can so you can try some of the exceptional wines on offer.
Es Fum’s Chef
Michelin first awarded Es Fum a Michelin star in November 2011 and, despite the change of chef at the helm, has awarded the star annually ever since.
The chef Miguel Navarro has been creating Es Fum’s cuisine since 2017. A Canarian, from La Gomera, he has an impressive CV, with experience in mainly three-Michelin-star restaurants in locations including Italy, Germany, Tenerife, San Sebastián, Bilbao, Girona, and Barcelona. His talents and the influence of Martin Berasategui (for whom he worked for a total of nine years) are evident in his exquisite cuisine. He has a familial link with Mallorca too as his grandmother was born here.
The Dining Room & Terrace at Es Fum
It had been a while since I’d last eaten at Es Fum and when I walked into the restaurant – past a spectacular red painting by the renowned Mallorcan artist and sculptor, Joan Bennàssar – I gasped at the transformation of the dining room.
Neutral colours, light wood, well-spaced tables, and some soft-pink accents in the upholstery of the seating, have given Es Fum a stylish but relaxed contemporary feel and look. The renovation by the London-based HKS Architects and Designers was undertaken in 2022 during the hotel’s 20th anniversary year.
On the spacious dining terrace, you’ll spot some of Bennàssar’s signature-style sculptures. This is the place to eat on a balmy summer night, soaking up the long views across the resort’s lawns towards the Mediterranean.
The Tasting Menus
Es Fum offers three tasting menus: Origin, Recorrido, and Vegetal. An à la carte menu is also available, but we were there for the 12-stage Origin (165€). An optional wine pairing for this menu (120€) is available (a good reason to take a taxi).
The knowledgeable sommelier Julianna Gonzalez also has previous Michelin-star restaurant experience in Mallorca and, in 2020, was named Best Sommelier of the Balearic Islands at the Sommeliers’ Spanish Championship, Tierra de Sabor.
The dishes on the menu include nods to Navarro’s heritage and career, and one, described as MB butter, pays homage to Chef Berasategui, whose restaurants hold a total of 12 stars – more than any other chef in Spain.
Impeccable Service
As soon as we sat down at our table on the terrace, a member of the service team placed a stool next to my chair for my handbag. A glass of champagne was offered (and accepted) from a choice of labels. A very good start.
Service is overseen by maître, Fabio Massacci. The high ratio of servers to diners means a luxurious level of service – but without any stuffiness. Each member of the team who looked after us was pleasant. An explanation of each dish was given.
The Cuisine
Here are photos of some of the dishes we ate on the night. As you can see, the work and detail that goes into the cuisine at Es Fum is impressive. I went into the kitchen after we’d eaten and took photos of the chefs on duty that night. The temperature in the kitchen was high but everyone seemed happy in their work and the ambience suggested Miguel Navarro is a good leader.
The Padrón brothers with fellow Canarian Miguel Navarro Some prestigious talent from the gastronomic world also dined the night we were there. One of America’s best-known chefs, Grant Achatz of Chicago’s 3-Michelin-star restaurant, Alinea, and the Padrón chef brothers from the 2-Michelin-star El Rincón de Juan Carlos in Tenerife had chosen to eat at Es Fum. If it’s good enough for them . . .
Good to Know
Es Fum is open April-October, Wednesday to Sunday, from 19:30h-22:30h.
Details of the tasting menus and optional wine pairings are on http://www.restaurant-esfum.com
Booking ahead is essential.
The St Regis Mardavall’s other restaurant is Terra.
Jan Edwards©2023
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Eating at Es Garum in Lloseta
As residents of Mallorca, we can use the island’s public transport free of charge until the end of 2023 – courtesy of our Transports de les Illes Balears Targeta Intermodal card. As the designated driver, I’m happy to let a train or bus driver do the work for a change – and not have the hassle of searching for somewhere to park the car, a task that’s increasingly difficult during the high season in Mallorca.
Earlier this year we decided to use our free-travel card to try some unfamiliar restaurants in towns and villages along the route of the Manacor-Palma railway. The train took us to the town of Lloseta – known to some foodies as the birthplace of well-known chef Santi Taura, who moved his Lloseta restaurant DINS Santi Taura to Palma, where it has since gained a Michelin star.
We were in Lloseta to have lunch for the first time at chef/patron David Palomo’s Es Garum, which opened in April 2022. We ate à la carte then and remember a tasty venison dish. It’s not a meat I see often on menus in Mallorca so we seized the chance to eat it. After a good lunch, we resolved to return.
Dinner at Es Garum
We finally made it last week for the July tasting menu, which I’d seen publicised on social media:
Acid cherry gazpacho
Iberic ham croquettes and summer truffle mayo
Savoury gofre, summer vegetables ‘sofrito’, tuna and pine nuts
Black pork fillet, spiced aubergine compote and peppercorns sauce
Beetroot sponge, citric-infused cream cheese, vanilla and cardamom sauce
Petits fours
Es Garum is a five-minute walk from Lloseta’s train station. Several tables were set outside the restaurant but we ate indoors. Sun-starved North European holidaymakers often choose the alfresco option but as we live with the heat all summer long, we sometimes take the opportunity to escape it for a while. Besides, I like to experience the décor and ambience of a restaurant interior.
What’s in the Name?
David named his restaurant after the fermented fish sauce known as garum. This may sound like a trendy newcomer on the gastronomic block, but in fact, was first made by the Greeks and Romans in ancient times and derived from the process of preserving fish. Not surprisingly, a few chefs in Spain are now reigniting interest in this culinary ingredient; David Palomo is one of them.
David Palomo 
(L) The garum and (R) the process of making it. He’s passionate about the dark, umami-packed liquid and, recognising our interest, spent some time sharing some of his carefully researched knowledge of the subject. He had even made 20 bottles of garum, using salt from Es Trenc in Mallorca and anchovies from the market, for the opening of his restaurant. “I’m very obsessed with flavours,” he told us. In ancient times, he would have been considered a wealthy man with such a bounty of the liquid.
After we’d finished our dinner, David showed us a large jar of garum-in-the-making and a bottle of the finished garum. We were able to taste this liquid on a spoon and realised that a very small amount can pack a delicious umami punch. Umami, known as the fifth taste, is Japanese for ‘essence of deliciousness’. Indeed.
David and his Cuisine
David is originally from the Valencian Community but has travelled extensively. He worked for six years in Scotland (so speaks English – or should that be Scottish? – well) and still visits each year. It was while working later in Menorca (for six years again) that he met his Mallorcan future wife.
His Mediterranean cuisine is a mix of traditional and avant-garde, based on produce that he sources locally. He offers a seasonal à la carte menu that changes four times a year and a monthly changing tasting menu for a good-value 32,50€.
Our tastebuds were awakened by our dinner opener of warm bread rolls with David’s flavoured butter, incorporating seaweed, smoked paprika, and black pepper. When I enquired about the seaweed, he showed us a small tin of different, dried varieties sourced from Scotland, where he has a great friend. Healthy as well as flavourful.
By the end of the evening, we’d not only had a delicious dinner but also learnt about garum and David Palomo’s enthusiasm for developing flavour in his food. We can’t wait to see the August tasting menu. And get back on the train to Lloseta.
Good to Know
- Es Garum has a reasonably priced wine list and although we were travelling on the train, we both wanted different wines, so we each had a generous measure at 5€ a glass.
- During the summer months, Es Garum is open for dinner only (seven days a week) from 18:30h to 22:30h.
- To find out what’s on the current month’s tasting menu or any events happening at Es Garum, follow the restaurant on Instagram.
- To book: call +34 871 80 67 00 or WhatsApp +34 607 05 69 21.
Jan Edwards©2023
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Review of La Braseria restaurant, Pollença
L-R: Luna Reyes, Ruben Uzquiano, and Alejandra Fernández La Braseria may not have the allure of a seafront eatery in Port de Pollença or a restaurant in the narrow streets of the charming Pollença town, but it does have a Josper charcoal oven. And if you enjoy the flavour of food cooked over fire, La Braseria is worth a visit for young Bolivian chef Ruben Uzquiano’s expert cooking.
How to find La Braseria
This restaurant in the north of Mallorca couldn’t be easier to find – it’s at the Ca’n Berenguer roundabout just outside Pollença town, at the junction with the Ma10 to Lluc. It’s between the traditional mallorquín textiles business Teixits Vicens and Paco Mobles furniture store and, at first glance, La Braseria looks like an ordinary roadside eatery with an attractive covered front terrace.
La Braseria’s Menu
Although the terrace looked appealing, on a hot and humid day we were seduced by the prospect of air conditioning and ate in the smart contemporary-style dining room.
The menu offers tapas, salads, and meats and fish cooked on the grill. The meat choices include T-bone and Tomahawk steaks (for two hungry people). La Braseria sources as much of its produce locally as it can and this includes the 0km lamb, from the Cooperativa de Pollença. Lamb even has its own section on the menu. Vegetarian dishes are restricted to four tapas, one salad, and a falafel burger with cheese and confit tomato sauce, so it’s probably not a destination restaurant for vegetarians.
What we ate at La Braseria
We started by sharing generous portions of patatas bravas (8,90€) and grilled chicken wings with smoky tatemada (charred salsa) sauce (10,50€). Both were delicious and I’d eat those chicken wings again anytime.
We both had sea bass (21,50€ each), which arrived whole on a wooden platter with a lettuce garnish, baked aubergine, and very good home-cut fries. The fish was perfectly cooked, and my only tiny service gripe was having to suggest that a spare plate would be useful for discarding the inedible parts of the fish.
Having eaten well, we weren’t going to have dessert. Until our server, Alejandra, told us that all the desserts are made in-house … and the Josper-baked cheesecake (8,50€) is particularly good. It was like dangling a carrot in front of a donkey, so we shared a cheesecake. Had I known how deliciously creamy and rich it was going to be, I’d have had a portion to myself.
We each had a glass of rosado wine from Mallorcan winery Vi Rei, at 4,50€ a glass. We paid a total of 79,90€ for what was a substantial and very good lunch.
Good to Know
- When on holiday, you don’t want to be clock-watching, so it’s good that La Braseria’s kitchen is open from 12:30 until ten at night so you can discover this place at your leisure.
- Open every day. Breakfast and brunch from 10:30-12:30h and then all-day dining 12:30-22:00h.
- It’s usually possible to find a parking space in front of this row of businesses.
- Teixits Vicens is well worth a visit to see the variety of items made from Mallorca’s ‘cloth of tongues’. You can visit the factory as well as the showroom. Do also check out the outlet section upstairs, where there’s also a large collection of antiques that will surely appeal to anyone looking for authentic decorative pieces for a rustic finca.
- If you enjoy eating at La Braseria, you may be interested to know it’s part of the Group Calvary, which also has eateries in Pollença town (L’Illa & Café El Calvari) and in Port de Pollença (L’Illa).
Jan Edwards ©2023
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Enjoy a Cocktail Made with Olive Oil in Palma
How do you like your extra virgin olive oil? As well as the more common uses – in cooking and dressing food – I swallow a dessertspoonful of this heart-healthy liquid gold each morning before breakfast. I like to try different EVOOs from Mallorca and am currently enjoying the Demeter-status Son Naava, made 100% from Arbequina olives. This oil is one of the high-quality oils bearing the Denomination of Origin, Oli de Mallorca.
For a different use of olive oil, how about a cocktail? Each year for the past ten years, the Consell Regulador de la Denominació d’Origen Oli de Mallorca has challenged mixologists in Mallorca to create a cocktail incorporating an EVOO from this island.
This year, it was bartender Fran Marcós (pictured right) from Arlequín Restaurant & Cocktail Bar whose creation has been named Còctel Oli de Mallorca 2023. His cocktail, Perfect Pear, is a fresh-tasting, Mediterranean drink that’s perfect for the summer in Mallorca.
Marcós’s cocktail is made from Suau gin (from Mallorca), pear, citric, a touch of rosemary, and an EVOO made from Picual olives.
If you’re in Palma and in the mood for a unique cocktail, ask for a Perfect Pear at Arlequín Restaurant & Cocktail Bar.
Did You Know?
Each bottle of EVOO with the DO Oli de Mallorca status has an identifier on the label on the bottle’s lid. If you type that information into the DO’s website, you’ll find out more about that particular oil.
Jan Edwards ©2023
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What’s New at La Residencia in Deià
Those who have enjoyed eating at Es Racó d’es Teix in Deià over the years will be sad to learn that the restaurant has closed due to the retirement of owner Josef Sauerschell. I have fond memories of reviewing this restaurant for a magazine; some years later, it was the first restaurant my husband and I returned to after the COVID lockdown ended.
But life changes and brings both shade and light. And the light comes from good news out of the renowned 5-star La Residencia hotel. Read on to find out what treats await you in 2023 at this iconic Deià hotel, where the gastronomy is led by executive chef Guillermo Méndez (who has worked at La Residencia – A Belmond Hotel for 32 years!)
Tramuntana Grill
Previously this poolside restaurant was open only to guests staying in the hotel. This year, the Tramuntana Grill is open for dinner to anyone. The restaurant has undergone a gorgeous refurbishment, envisioned by Moredesign. La Resi makes a point of supporting local businesses, eg sourcing fresh produce and artisan tableware, and chose the Deià-based architecture and interior design company for this latest project.
The elegant but unpretentious Tramuntana Grill is a covered but open-sided restaurant, where the designers have chosen local, natural materials, such as iron, bamboo, Mallorcan oak, and the Binissalem stone used to create the attractive floor.
Wherever you sit in the new, elevated Tramuntana Grill you’ll have beautiful views – especially when the setting sun paints the mountains shades of pink or orange.
But what of the food? That’s exciting too: the Tramuntana Grill has a Josper charcoal oven – the piece of equipment that many chefs lust after for the flavour it gives to food. The menu here offers Josper-cooked fresh fish and seafood, meats, vegetables – and even a pineapple dessert that delivers two delicious surprises.
EVOO made from the fruits of the hotel’s olive trees 
Carpaccio of red prawn with caramelised red onion, rocket, and pickled lemon peel 
Salad of Josper-grilled watermelon with Mallorcan cottage cheese and confit cherry tomatoes 
Fresh tuna, spiced mayo and avocado 
Galician Blond beef loin on crispy Sardinian-style bread 
Red prawns from Sóller 
Langoustines cooked with sobrasada of black pork 
Sea bass 
Vegetables to accompany fish 
Local ceramics 
Chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream 
Pineapple surprise! 
At the end of the night We began our Tramuntana Grill dining experience with a flavourful carpaccio of red prawns, with cream of caramelized red onions, rocket, and pickled lemon peel. A refreshing salad of Josper-grilled watermelon with Mallorcan cottage cheese and confit cherry tomatoes followed.
We enjoyed a perfectly cooked sea bass with a selection of grilled vegetables, including artichokes and asparagus. Langoustines cooked over charcoal came with the surprising but delicious addition of black pork sobrasada. And when in the Tramuntana – the mountains or the Grill – it would be remiss not to try the succulent Sóller prawns. The veal tartar surprised me: it was served with bone marrow (which would not usually appeal to me) and Beluga caviar – I’d order that again.
Whatever you try from the menu, this is a place for family-style dining so you can experience the variety of flavours and the evident skill of the kitchen team.
There’s live music every night and, when we dined, we enjoyed soft jazz from a Brazilian saxophonist. The music wasn’t intrusive but provided a relaxed ambience that complemented the setting.
The Tramuntana Grill has a wine list of some 50 wines, including local, international, and organic. If you’re driving or not drinking alcohol for another reason, do try the home-made lemonade. I warn you it’s very moreish.
Open to the public for dinner only every night from 19:30-22:30h.
El Olivo
The romantic El Olivo fine-dining restaurant has a new chef at the helm, which has given executive chef Guillermo Méndez more time to supervise all the hotel’s gastronomic offerings. Young but experienced chef Pablo Armando Aranda Moreno donned his chef’s gear at El Olivo in February, in time to create his own menus for the 2023 season.
Pablo hails from Granada but concluded his academic training in gastronomy with a master’s degree from the Basque Culinary Center. He began his career in Andalusia but moved to Mallorca to work for Marc Fosh, Andreu Genestra, and Fernando Pérez Arellano – thereby learning from some well-known chef/patrons.
I haven’t eaten in El Olivo this season but was interested to read his new menus and note that there are designated vegan starters and main-course dishes on the à la carte menu. Pablo also offers two tasting menus – one of which is vegan. Both menus are offered in a choice of 7 or 10 plates and can optionally be paired with wines. If you eat at El Olivo this season, I’d be interested to hear your opinion.
Jan Edwards ©2023
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Review of Lunch at Lassala Grill, near Palma
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Review of Lunch at Port Petit, Cala d’Or
The top end of Cala d’Or marina Cala d’Or in Mallorca has no shortage of restaurants, especially around the marina. So how do you choose where to eat in the face of what looks like a bewildering choice? Well, you could go for a restaurant that’s been satisfying diners in Cala d’Or for 35 years: Port Petit.
Not only does the smart Port Petit have a great location and gorgeous views over the marina from its dining room and terrace, but also a well-deserved reputation for fine dining. The Michelin Guide for 2023 includes it in its recommendations for Mallorca.
French chef Gérard Deymier first opened his Port Petit restaurant in 1988. Today, his chef son Màxime is in charge. The Mediterranean cuisine reflects French heritage but now shows international influences, including Asian and Peruvian. The family finca supplies some home-grown vegetables and herbs. Choose from à la carte or the gourmet or tasting menus or, at lunchtime, the Bistro Menu.
The Bistro Menu at Port Petit
We went on a Sunday and were able to park easily on the street a short walk from the restaurant – although that may not be the case in high season. Once seated on the terrace, we studied the Bistro Menu, with its choice of three starters, three mains, and two desserts. Lunch included a promising start of warm bread roll, alioli, tapenade, and olives. I chose a crisp pastry tart of seasonal vegetables with warm sobrasada vinaigrette and salad; my husband had the marinated salmon with cauliflower pickles and beetroot ketchup.
For mains, my delicious seafood tempura included pieces of salmon, mussel, prawn, and squid, with a seasonal salad; I declined the accompanying black garlic alioli. Across the table, my husband ate and relished his confit leg of duck, sautéed potatoes with mushrooms, bacon, and poultry jus.
Desserts were a refreshing pineapple carpaccio roasted with black pepper and served with coconut sorbet, and a more calorific French petit choux craquelin (a type of brioche) with pistachio cream and orange compôte.
Wines at Port Petit
As you’d expect from a restaurant of this quality, the wine list has a good choice of Mallorcan, Spanish, and French wines. But there’s also a white and a rosado from its own vineyard, Viña Querel, which Gérard planted in 2008. I enjoyed a glass of their Flor de Cerezo rosado.
Service from Paco and the team was excellent, and they didn’t know I was reviewing the place. So, for that service, the tasty food, and the scenic location, I consider the Bistro Menu at 26,50€ (including VAT) to be good value. We shall return to Cala d’Or … and Port Petit.
Good to Know
- Port Petit is open for lunch (13:00-14:45h) and dinner (19:00-22:30h) but is closed all day Tuesday and on Wednesday lunchtime.
- Port Petit publishes its latest Bistro Menu (and other menus) on its website. I wish other restaurants would follow suit.
- Port Petit opens for the 2024 season on March 27th.
Jan Edwards ©2023 Updated March 2024
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New: Farm-to-Table Cuisine at Terra Restaurant, Mallorca
One of Terra’s vertical ‘orchards’ Farm-to-table food is increasingly available in Mallorca, where restaurant chefs who have the space to do so, grow at least some of the fresh produce they use – or obtain it from a trusted local farmer or smallholder. It’s a good sign when you see a raised bed bursting with greens or herbs just a short walk from the restaurant kitchen door. So the sight of the vertical orchards, crammed with herbs and edible flowers, made me smile as I went into the new Terra restaurant for a media lunch.
Terra (which is Spanish for ‘earth’) is the latest restaurant reincarnation at the luxurious 5-star St Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort. The last time I ate there, this restaurant – which has a large terrace with gorgeous views of the lush gardens and the sparkling Mediterranean – was called Aqua. Everything has now changed – although the executive chef, Markus Wonisch, is still in charge of the cuisine.
Terra’s new look is from Barcelona-based interior designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán, who has created a fusion of the ambience of the kitchens of noble Mallorcan houses with the elegance associated with the St Regis brand. In keeping with the restaurant name, the décor incorporates natural colours and materials and feels airy and comfortable.
Part of the interior at the new Terra restaurant 
Markus Wonisch The Cuisine
Lunch began with artisan bread, accompanied by Na Capitana extra virgin olive oil. This is a very special oil, produced from the olives on the hundreds of trees on the golf course of Son Muntaner. I’m a massive fan of olive oils from Mallorca (I have two dessert spoonfuls of it every morning before breakfast), but couldn’t resist also trying the herb butter – which was very moreish. We were off to a good start at Terra. Here are the three dishes I ate and would order again.
Skate confit in oil of orange leaves with a spring salad with aloe vera and kaffir lime leaf gel – really fresh tasting and a perfect spring dish 
Breast of corn-fed poularde (so tender) with leek. Oh and a tasty empanada 
Anyone for chocolate ? This will satisfy any chocoholic! New Mar Sea Club to Open in June
Guests staying at the St Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort will have another place to enjoy drinks and summer dishes this year. The new Mar Sea Club is under construction in an area of the garden that has superb sea views. And this being a St Regis property, it’ll be stylish.
With a new look to the hotel’s Michelin-starred Es Fum, the new Terra restaurant, and the new Mar Sea Club, it could be time to book a stay at the St Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort.
Good to Know
The underground car park at the hotel has more electric-car charging points than I’ve seen in any one place!
Jan Edwards©2023
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Mirabona Restaurant’s New Tasting Menu
The subject of tasting menus and their declining popularity made the press earlier this year when chef René Redzepi announced he was closing his 3-Michelin-star restaurant Noma in Copenhagen at the end of 2024. But tasting menus are still popular and very much in evidence in Mallorca, where many of the people who enjoy them are probably visitors to the island.
I love a tasting menu from time to time. It takes away the decision about what to choose from an à la carte menu and provides an element of surprise, but more importantly enables me to try a variety of tastes and textures, giving a broader view of the chef’s technical and creative skills. Eating your way through a tasting menu must be better for the digestive system too, with smaller plates eaten over a longer period than it takes to eat the traditional three courses from an à la carte menu.
So I was pleased to try the new tasting menu in Mirabona Restaurant at the romantic Finca Can Beneït hotel in the hideaway hamlet of Binibona. Chef Raúl Linares Pinzón joined the hotel only in December 2022, so this was an opportunity to discover his culinary style. By the way, you don’t have to be staying at Can Beneït to eat in Mirabona but do book in advance for lunch or dinner.
Chef Raúl Linares Pinzón
Raúl Born in Palma, Raúl is still only in his mid-twenties but has already gained some useful experience and respect since he started work. Raúl wanted to be a chef from the age of seven but probably didn’t imagine that, in his early twenties, he’d win a prize for his prawn croquetas (he won the first edition of the Concurso de Cocina con Gamba de Sóller in 2021) or be working under the tutelage of chef Álvaro Salazar at the two-Michelin-star Voro in Canyamel, Mallorca.
Now he’s at the helm of the Mirabona kitchen at this 10-room rural hotel in the Serra de Tramuntana foothills, with the benefit of an extensive organic vegetable and herb garden for his seasonal cuisine. His dishes offer an authentic flavour of Mallorca.
Tasting Menu
As the menu could change with the availability of ingredients, I’m not reproducing the menu here, but below are photos of the tasty dishes on the menu I ate last week. Some of the ingredients: octopus, lamb, mussels, guinea fowl, turbot, quail, and carob.
More Reasons to Eat at Mirabona
Mirabona has scored points over restaurants serving only tasting menus in that it also offers an à la carte menu so, if you’re not a tasting menu fan, you can still enjoy Raúl Linares Pinzón’s cuisine.
Mirabona’s English sommelier, Amy Dunn, probably knows more about Mallorcan wines and the stories behind the producers than many islanders. Amy’s enthusiasm is infectious and adds to the enjoyment of the wines she recommends. Amy also hosts wine-tasting events here from time to time. (Give the hotel a call to find out when the next one is).
There’s melodic live music in the restaurant on Saturday nights from the couple known as The Mars Music and, on Sunday lunchtimes, acoustic sessions with Jean Paul Ramon.
When it’s warm enough, you can eat on the terrace with its extensive views across Mallorca. When the wisteria is out, it looks particularly beautiful.
Jan Edwards ©2023
Eat Drink Sleep Mallorca 