Els Ullastres Mallorca Sowing the Seeds for Future Growth

March 19, 2019
by Jan Edwards
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Eat

Whether writing articles or blog posts, or interviewing for my Mallorca Sunshine Radio show ‘Table Talk’, I get to meet some very interesting people on this island. One family in particular made a huge impression on me and, through this post, you’ll find out why.

I’d initially seen some of their images on Instagram and curiosity then led me to their website, where I discovered that they were located in our part of the island. Their business Els Ullastres Mallorca cultivates and supplies a large range of organic microgreens to top restaurants across Mallorca.

Microgreens from Els Ullastres Mallorca

Christos Michaels with a tray of microgreens

Els Ullastres Mallorca on the radio

I got in touch and arranged to go and interview them – taking my father along too (with their permission), as he was visiting us at the time and is a keen vegetable grower in his own garden. Sue and Dad found some common ground and we left them in the house chatting about places they both knew from their past, whilst I went to interview Christos and Kathy outside.

I was humbled by the passion and sheer hard work that the three of them – Christos, his mum Kathy, and his nan Sue – put into their horticultural business. You can hear what they had to say here in the interview broadcast on ‘Table Talk’, edition 24.  

Els Ullastres Mallorca

Me (left) in the polytunnel with Els Ullastres Mallorca

Since then, the family and I have kept in touch and we’ve become friends – sharing interesting snippets of news from the restaurant world, such as changes of chef, or new openings.

Future growth

Els Ullastres Mallorca is doing well – purely through sheer hard work, determination, and responding to the needs of the chefs they supply. In April 2018 they secured their first restaurant as a customer. Today, Els Ullastres Mallorca supplies more than 40 restaurants and there is potential to expand their business further. They also plan to grow organic vegetables and have already begun putting in tomato and courgette plants. But there are a few things they need in order to take their business forward and, for that reason, they’ve launched a campaign on the crowdfunding website Indiegogo. 

I hope you’ll have time to take a few minutes to take a look at their Indiegogo appeal and particularly the video, which was made with the generous assistance of a talented young Polish couple who are videographers on the island of Mallorca. Like me, they were impressed by what this family is doing.

Should you find yourself eating out in one of Mallorca’s fine-dining restaurants, those microgreens that add visual and flavour impact on the plate, are likely to have been supplied by Els Ullastres Mallorca. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to contribute a little something towards their future success…

Jan Edwards©2019

New Restaurant Apolonia for Can Mostatxins, Alcudia

March 14, 2019
by Jan Edwards
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Eat / Restaurants
The ship Apolonia at Can Mostatxins

A painting of the ship that inspired the restaurant’s name

If you’re looking for a boutique hotel in the north of Mallorca, I can personally recommend the British-owned Can Mostatxins in the charming old walled town of Alcúdia. It’s so good, they named it twice (like Sinatra’s New York): since last year there have been two hotels with this name – Can Mostatxins Frare and the original, Can Mostatxins Quinze. If it were not for the lane running between the two handsomely renovated old buildings, they’d be joined at the drainpipe.

New at Can Mostatxins for 2019

The two Can Mostatxins hotels are now open for the 2019 season, with something new to offer: Restaurant Apolonia. This 26-cover restaurant is open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday evenings from 18:00-21:00h (quite early by Spanish standards). Alcúdia isn’t short of eateries, but this addition has a culinary offering with plenty of appeal for foodies.

Restaurant Apolonia has an elegant but simple décor, with linen-covered tables, attractive lighting and, on the main wall, a specially commissioned painting of the old sailing ship Apolonia, which was once the pride of the family who used to own the building. The pleasant background piano music when we ate there was unobtrusive and relaxing. It’s worth taking a peek at the floor in one particular area of the restaurant to see something surprising. I’ll say no more and let you discover this for yourself!

What does Restaurant Apolonia offer?

Apolonia offers two weekly changing tasting menus – one of which is vegetarian; there’s no à la carte. The menu is available in both six- and four-course versions and is priced between 36€ and 48€ per diner. An optional wine pairing is available for 20€ per person and includes a dessert wine or sherry. We had the six-course version.

The Mediterranean cuisine is the creation of a young female chef from Asturias, Cristina López, whose previous experience of working in Michelin-star restaurants shows. “I love to cook and work with seasonal products,” Cristina told me. We loved eating the results.

This is the pictorial version of the menu we enjoyed during our visit to Restaurant Apolonia:

We started with this tasty vegetable vermouth, which was accompanied by a tempura olive (so good we could have eaten a few of these!)
Such a vibrant dish and bursting with flavour: slow-cooked tomato salad with goat’s cheese and anchovies
Mushroom ragout with potato foam and truffled yolk. I had mine without the yolk – not being much of an egg fan. The Boss enjoyed the full dish.
Caramelized salmon with Thai noodles – delicious combiantion of textures and flavours
Iberian pork fillet with Mallorcan sauce
Coffee cream with chocolate stones and Kahlua
Petits fours – silky, chocolatey, and downright delish

If you’re not staying as a guest in the hotel, you can eat here only with a prior reservation, made by phoning reception at Can Mostatxins; Restaurant Apolonia does not take walk-in diners. My recommendation would be to treat yourself and book one of the 19 rooms available between Can Mostatxins Frare and Can Mostatxins Quinze so that you can take advantage of the choice of good-quality Mallorcan wines with your dinner.

Until the end of March 2019, book a stay at Can Mostatxins through Mallorcan Tonic and you’ll get a discount of 20% on accommodation.

Jan Edwards©2019

Review of New-look Son Vida Spa

February 8, 2019
by Jan Edwards
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Hotels / Spas

It’s easy to be impressed by the 5-star Castillo Hotel Son Vida in Palma de Mallorca: its imposing castle tower, huge terrace with spectacular elevated views across Palma to the bay, and stately interior have appealed to visitors to Mallorca since 1961, when the property first opened as a luxury hotel. Many famous people have stayed here, including Prince Rainier of Monaco and Grace Kelly, Aristotle Onassis, Maria Callas, Anthony Quinn, Pedro Almodóvar, and Claudia Schiffer.

Although I’ve not stayed overnight at the Castillo Hotel Son Vida, I’ve been to several lunch or dinner functions at the prestigious hotel at the heart of the Son Vida estate – which is dotted with architect-designed villas and look-at-me mansions. I’d also had a relaxing spa day at the hotel two years ago with a girlfriend; we went on a weekday and had the place almost to ourselves.

Easy parking, easy access

The Son Vida Spa was renovated late last year and I was curious to see the new-look version, so The Boss and I went this week to check the place out. Our first surprise was finding that the hotel has added a separate car park for spa users. Park your car, take the lift or the steps up, and you arrive up right at the spa entrance. No need to walk through the hotel itself. Check in at the spa desk and you’re off to the changing rooms armed with locker key and disposable flip-flops. The locker contains a generous sized robe for use while you’re here. Piles of fresh fluffy towels are everywhere. No need to sit wrapped in a damp towel here!

Only the indoor pool area remains unchanged. It overlooks the wooded hills of Son Vida and, on a sunny day, it’s a glorious place to swim, poach yourself (in the Jacuzzi), and relax on the thick-cushioned poolside loungers. Everything else within the spa has been renovated.

Facilities include a gym (open 24 hours a day!), where 14 state-of-the-art Techno Gym machines await the serious exerciser. The new wet area has a Finnish sauna, bio sauna, and steam room, with ice fountain and the appropriately named adventure showers for the necessary cooling off afterwards. In the anteroom to the wet area, you can help yourself to fruit and flavoured water at no additional cost.

Through another wooden door and you’re in the relaxation area, where more loungers are available for those who prefer a quieter environment.

Invitation to swim
Jacuzzi at Son Vida Spa
Quiet space for relaxation at Son Vida Spa
Detail at Son Vida Spa

Tailored treatments

The beauty therapy rooms at Castillo Hotel Son Vida used to be in another part of the hotel but the spa renovation has brought the facilities together. The upper floor of the Son Vida Spa is home to the beauty and therapy reception area, changing rooms, and four (two single, two double) light-filled treatment rooms, with good views. This floor also has a door into the hotel itself.

Beauty therapy reception area Son Vida Spa. Photo courtesy of hotel
Double treatment cabin at Son Vida Spa. Photo courtesy of hotel
All smiles from Maria the therapist

Therapist Maria showed me to one of these rooms for my pre-arranged facial – a treat while The Boss was lounging and reading by the pool. Son Vida Spa uses two product ranges: Maria Galland of Paris – based on pure essences – and Demarés. The latter is a Mallorcan brand, with products made from natural ingredients – and no nasties.

My Mosaic Modelling Treatment lasted 80 minutes. Eighty of the most relaxing minutes I’d had for a very long time. Maria has worked as a beauty therapist at the hotel for 12 years and is a great asset here. Had she ever treated any celebrities? I asked, imagining her working her magic on Hugh Laurie when he was staying here during the filming of The Night Manager. The rich and famous have nothing to worry about here: Maria wouldn’t even mention any names, let alone share any famous folk’s foibles. She could probably be trusted with state secrets…

The Mosaic Modelling Treatment is personalised for each client by the therapist, who selects the most beneficial essences to use with the various potions and lotions. These jewel-coloured essences are from caviar, black orchid, malachite, white truffle, silver, gold, and hyaluronate (no, I hadn’t heard of that either). At one point, Maria applied a mask of clay, which self-heated as it hardened on my face. It made conversation a little difficult but felt strangely pleasant. By the time Maria had finished, my skin felt dewy, soft, and smooth. I’d go as far as to say that this was probably the best facial I’ve had on Mallorca: a comfortable environment, experienced and friendly therapist, and a divine treatment that made a positive difference to the feel and look of my skin.

What does it cost to use the Son Vida Spa?

If you’re an official resident of the Balearics, you can take advantage of special day-spa rates – which are published on this website. If you’re not resident, a day pass costs 65€ (at time of writing).  Son Vida Spa at Mallorca’s Castillo Hotel Son Vida also offers spa membership for 115€ a month (no registration fee).

Jan Edwards ©2019

Review of Vandal Restaurant in Palma de Mallorca

January 2, 2019
by Jan Edwards
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Eat / Restaurants

Walk past the Palma de Mallorca restaurant Vandal during the daytime and you could be forgiven for thinking that this corner building – with a rather unexciting exterior in daylight – could be a nightclub. Come at night and it’s a different story. I’d wanted to try this Santa Catalina restaurant since it opened in 2017, but somehow we didn’t make it.

Back in February this year, I attended the Associació de Periodistes i Escriptors Gastronomics de Balears‘ annual awards ceremony and Vandal was awarded the title of 2017’s ‘Revelation restaurant’. I made a mental note that we really should try this restaurant.

OK, it took longer than expected, but we – in the company of some foodie friends – finally made it to Vandal recently. In the meantime, The Boss and I had had the opportunity to taste some of executive chef Bernabé Caravotta’s food as he was one of two guest chefs cooking at Ponderosa Beach’s Chefs’ Day, which ended their 2018 season in October. Resolve had been further strengthened by that particular culinary experience.

Influenced by world travel

Vandal is the product of its two creative owners’ international careers and offers one of Palma’s most diverse and innovative menus. Executive chef Bernabé Caravotta worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in France and Denmark – Mirazur and with René Redzepi at the renowned Noma, respectively – and at the Blue Elephant Thai cooking school in Thailand, before moving to Mallorca in 2007.

Bernabé’s restaurant partner Sebastián Pérez is the sommelier and restaurant director. Sebastián also worked in several notable restaurants, including some in New York, before coming to Mallorca in 2002. Little wonder that the menu at Vandal is influenced by their global travel and experiences.

Industrial vibe at Vandal Palma de Mallorca
Part of the bar area at Vandal
Chef and co-owner of Vandal, Bernabe Caravotta

Vandal’s décor has an industrial vibe: the design even incorporates some corrugated iron on the walls. Stools at the green-tiled bar counter are ideal for a drink before eating and the semi-open kitchen allows you to see the chefs at work.

Temptations galore…

The menu card layout looks a bit bewildering at first sight because its design is also innovative. As well as the name of each dish, it shows the country of origin and what tools you’ll need to eat it (hand, fork, or fork and spoon). A suggested drink pairing is also shown for each dish but there’s also a good wine list which, like the cuisine, features international influences. The helpful serving staff are on hand with advice and explanations if needed. Our server was particularly patient: we hadn’t seen our friends for a while and had some conversational catching-up to do, which initially distracted us from the important business of perusing the menu.

What Vandal is all about

We all ordered different dishes (some are shown above – but not captioned, because I don’t want to spoil any surprises) and there was some sharing. I’d recommend doing this as it’s hard to choose with so many temptations on offer – and some dish sizes are not huge. My personal food favourites were the ceviche cornet with coconut foam, the flavourful roasted chicken croquettes with curried apple purée, and the dish named ‘When suckling pig meets curry’. Save room for one of the desserts too: mine was named ‘Childhood feelings’ and the menu informed me this was to be eaten by hand. Not only were the flavours of all the dishes exciting, but the presentation also added visual appeal.

I love that Vandal is different to other restaurants in Palma and apparently so do plenty of other people.The restaurant booking website El Tenedor has named its 100 best restaurants in Spain – based on the opinions of its users, concerning the food, service and ambience of the restaurants. Seven restaurants in Mallorca made it onto the list and, yes, Vandal was one of them. Needless to say, if you want to eat dinner at Vandal (open daily from 19:30h), you do need to book in advance.

Jan Edwards ©2019

Mallorca’s Finca Aubocassa Marks 20 Years of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

December 13, 2018
by Jan Edwards
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Eat / Mallorca extra virgin olive oil

As celebrations go, the one to mark the 20th anniversary of Aubocassa Extra Virgin Olive Oil was one I shall remember for a long time – and not just because Mallorca’s autumn weather was particularly fine that day. I’d been meaning to visit Finca Aubocassa for some time, so an invitation to one of two events held to mark the anniversary was the perfect prompt.

Countryside around Finca Aubocassa

Rural tranquillity at Finca Aubocassa

Finca Aubocassa is not far from Manacor in the east of Mallorca and is a typical example of a Mallorcan country house, or possessió, with land given over to farming. The estate dates from the 12th century and had a succession of local owners before it became the property of Palma de Mallorca’s noble Despuig family, who built the Renaissance chapel standing in front of the house. Later, under the ownership of the Verí family, the estate became one of the area’s most productive working farms, with winemaking an important activity.

 

Water tank at the finca
The estate chapel
Part of the building
A friendly welcome

Evidence of a fruitful agricultural past still remains. The cellar is a reminder of the days of wine production; shady pastures and pens reveal that livestock was raised here, and almond, fig, and carob trees abound.

Liquid gold

But it was the revival of the olive groves that has made this finca famous today. In 1998, the owners of Bodegas Roda (on the Spanish Peninsula) and this estate in Mallorca, produced their first extra virgin olive oil here – named Aubocassa. Their cultivation of olives is done with respect for the soil, the flora, and local fauna, with minimal use of fertilizers and chemicals. The company embraces both tradition and innovation in the production of its two types of extra virgin olive oils (the original Aubocassa and later addition L’Amo Aubocassa).

Bodegas Roda’s general manager, Agustín Santolaya, and Tiffany Blackman – who looks after the Mallorcan estate – welcomed around 100 guests to Finca Aubocassa for the first celebration of the 20th anniversary. I was there with other members of the media, chefs, restaurateurs, hoteliers, sommeliers, event organisers, and others.

Our finca tour

Armed with a megaphone, the charismatic Agustín gave us an informative and entertaining introduction to the estate, its history, and a commentary on the whole process of making Aubocassa’s extra virgin olive oils. We began the event on the large terrace in front of the house and made our way around the finca to the olive groves, where we watched part of the olive-harvesting process in action. Agustín told us that the harvested olives used to be taken to the co-operative press in Sóller but, in 2015, Finca Aubocassa inaugurated its own press – one that’s unique in Spain. These days the olives go straight from harvesting to pressing – you can’t get much fresher than that!

 

Olive groves
Arbequina olives
Starting the olive harvest
These guys were knocking the olives from the trees
The tafona
The precious juice
Ready for shipping

From the groves, we walked through the building housing the press and were able to see the precious juice of the olives as it was extracted. We learnt that it usually takes between eight and nine kilos of olives to produce a litre of Aubocassa. The aroma in this building was mouthwatering, giving us an appetite for the picnic lunch that awaited us.

The words ‘picnic lunch’ hardly seemed adequate to describe what we all sat down to. Two long attractively decorated tables, with crisp white linen, were set out in an olive grove; the delicious aroma of grilled meats drifted from the caterers’ BBQ nearby. Olive oil and wines from Bodegas Roda (Rioja) and La Horra (Ribera del Duero) – for which Agustín Santolaya is also responsible – flowed. Birds sang. It all reminded me of those dreamy Mediterranean scenes you see in films, where everyone sits down at a long table to share food, wine, and conversation after the olive or grape harvest is finished. The difference here was that we guests hadn’t had to do any work for our lunch!

 

Our picnic lunch setting
Media colleagues choosing their seats
An exceptional wine from Bodegas La Horra
Large bowls of fresh crisp salad accompanied a selection of meats
Tiffany’s turn with the megaphone!

Congratulations to Finca Aubocassa on 20 years of producing the award-winning Aubocassa extra virgin olive oil. Made from 100% arbequina olives, it captures the essence of this wonderful estate and the island of Mallorca in every luscious drop.  Both Aubocassa and L’Amo Aubocassa (made from arbequina and picual olives) carry the Denomination of Origin Oli de Mallorca.

Fancy a visit to Finca Aubocassa?

It’s possible – and highly recommended. The estate has recently inaugurated its Olive Oil & Wine Bar – open to all, where you can taste the oils and wines from Bodegas Roda and Bodegas La Horra.

In addition, Finca Aubocassa offers an olive-oil tourism experience: a tour of the finca and olive groves, visit to the press, and tasting of olive oil for 15€ per person; for an additional 15€ you can add a wine tasting to the experience. It’s essential to book if you want to enjoy one of these oleoturismo experiences: phone +34 971 100 388. And don’t worry if you don’t speak Spanish: Tiffany Blackman is American.

Tiffany was my guest on edition 19 of ‘Table Talk’ on Mallorca Sunshine Radio; listen to the interview about Finca Aubocassa here.

Jan Edwards ©2018

Mallorca’s Michelin Stars for 2019

November 22, 2018
by Jan Edwards
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Chefs / Eat / Michelin

Wednesday, November 21st, 2018 was an important date on the Iberian gastronomic calendar. It’s when the Michelin Guide for Spain & Portugal 2019 was launched at a gala event at the Pavilhão Carlos Lopes in Lisbon. Seven of Lisbon’s chefs with Michelin stars prepared the dinner for the distinguished culinary guests – but the event was really all about announcing the new stars for 2019.

https://espacioprensa.michelin.es/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/GUIA_2019_01.jpg

Reminder of Mallorca’s stars for 2018

For 2018, nine restaurants across Mallorca were awarded a total of ten stars: Zaranda by Fernando P Arellano at the 5-star Castell Son Claret hotel in Es Capdellà was again the only Balearic restaurant with two stars.

This summer, Mallorcan chef Tomeu Caldentey – whose restaurant Bou (formerly Es Molí d’en Bou) had held one star since 2004 – said goodbye to his star when he closed that restaurant to replace it with a new one, offering a concept of more affordable dining. “We liberate ourselves from golden shackles and simplify the format in the search for truth,” Tomeu Caldentey says on his website. The term ‘golden shackles’ is an interesting one, don’t you think?  Michelin stars do have both advantages and disadvantages and Tomeu is one of a number of chefs who have relinquished their star(s) for one reason or another over the years.

Just this past week, the news broke that Álvaro Salazar – the young chef at the one-Michelin-star Argos (La Goleta Hotel in Puerto Pollensa) – had left the seasonal restaurant Argos to open a new restaurant at the 5-star Park Hyatt Mallorca in Canyamel in March 2019. Perhaps that hotel hopes to have a Michelin-starred restaurant for 2020…

Michelin stars for Mallorca 2019

Thirty new Michelin stars were announced tonight for restaurants across Spain (26) and Portugal (4). Sadly, the publishers of the famous red guide didn’t award any new stars for Mallorca or her sister islands.

However, the following seven restaurants in Mallorca have retained a total of eight stars for 2019:

Adrián Quetglas, Palma de Mallorca– 1 star
Andreu Genestra, Capdepera – 1 star
Es Fum, Costa d’en Blanes – 1 star
Es Racó d’es Teix, Deià – 1 star
Maca de Castro, Alcúdia – 1 star
Marc Fosh, Palma de Mallorca– 1 star
Zaranda, Es Capdellà – 2 stars

Congratulations to all of these restaurants and good luck for 2019!

Jan Edwards ©2018

New Can Mostatxins Frare Boutique Hotel in Alcudia

July 28, 2018
by Jan Edwards
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Hotels / Sleep

 

Mallorca’s charming old walled town of Alcúdia has a new hotel: The Mostatxins Boutique Hotels Group has expanded with the opening of a new property, right next door to its original boutique hotel.

The first Can Mostatxins (above left), which opened in June 2015, has been renamed Can Mostatxins Quinze (the local word for 15, as part of the building dates from the 15th century) to differentiate it from its new sister property (above right).

Can Mostatxins Frare

Can Mostatxins Frare – a sensitively renovated 19th-century Spanish Modernist building – has 11 rooms (including one suite), plunge pool in the enclosed courtyard, Champagne bar, and restaurant serving breakfast and lunch.

We were invited to stay in one of the Can Mostatxins Frare rooms, at the top of the new hotel, prior to its opening to paying guests. The restaurant and bar were not finished at the time, but it was obvious that this will be a beautiful place to stay in an old town that has captivated us. We had a very comfortable and peaceful stay and appreciated that these two hotels are close to everything that’s of visitor interest in the town, but are tucked away in a quiet mainly residential street.

Pillow talk at Can Mostatxins
View of a room in the new Can Mostatxins Frare
Another room at Can Mostatxins
Plunge pool in Can Mostatxins Frare

Mark Worthington on Mallorca Sunshine Radio

The late Mark Worthington – whose sudden death in the spring of 2019 was a huge shock – was the British owner, developer, and hotelier behind this group. I had the opportunity to interview this interesting man for my weekly show ‘Table Talk’ on Mallorca Sunshine Radio. He told me about the history of the two hotels; the differences between developing projects in the UK (his main home) and in Mallorca, the chefs at the new restaurant, and about the steps taken this year by the group to operate more sustainably. You can hear the three-part interview on the radio station website’s podcast section: Edition 14

©Jan Edwards 2018 (Post updated July 2019)

Eight Chefs, Seven Michelin Stars, One Amazing Dinner

July 11, 2018
by Jan Edwards
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Drink / Eat
Garden St Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort

View from the St Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort towards the Med

Eight chefs, with seven Michelin stars between them, are flying to Mallorca from countries as far away as Japan and Russia, to create one amazing gastronomic experience. Now a firm fixture on the foodie’s calendar, the 8th Culinary Safari takes place at the 5-star St Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort on Friday, July 20th, 2018.

Chefs are packing their whites and flying in from Tokyo, Moscow, Vienna, Paris, Barcelona, and Bergisch Gladbach (near Cologne), to join Markus Wonisch (executive chef at St Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort) and Miguel Navarro (chef of the latter hotel’s one-Michelin-star Es Fum restaurant) for the 8th Culinary Safari.

Es Fum team

Miguel Navarro (left) and the Es Fum team

Chefs visiting Mallorca

Joachim Wissler of the 3-star Restaurant Vendôme, Schloss Bensberg, Germany

Paolo Casagrande – Restaurante Lasarte (3 Michelin stars), Barcelona

Stéphanie Le Quellec – Hotel Prince de Galles, Paris

Ken Takahashi – The Prince Gallery Hotel, Tokyo

Stanislav Polesskiy – St Regis Moscow Nikolskaya

Francesco Genovese – The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna

The event

This gourmet feast begins at 7.30pm with Champagne on the sea-view bar terrace, to the sounds of the saxophone. From there begins a culinary journey through the St Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort, where the eight chefs will offer tasty delights. The journey even takes you through the main kitchens – an experience I found fascinating when we went to one of these events in the past. The cuisine finishes with an irresistible dessert buffet (this is not a night for calorie-counting!).

And to drink?

What else? Wines from Mallorca, of course. A number of small bodega stalls will offer their finest wines during this event. Cocktail fans will appreciate the innovative creations of the renowned mixologist Rafa Martín from the Palma cocktail bar Brass Club.

Live music will play throughout the evening. It promises to be a good night out!

The price – including all drinks – is 209€ and places can be booked by phoning the hotel on +34 971 629 629.

Here you can read about our previous experience of a Culinary Safari event.

©Jan Edwards 2018

Eat and Drink Afloat in North Mallorca

June 20, 2018
by Jan Edwards
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Eat

If you’re on the Spanish island of Mallorca and hear the seductive siren call of the Mediterranean, taking a boat trip is the perfect response. Mallorca has plenty of excursion boats operating out of various ports around the island but, if you prefer a motorboat and not being with dozens of other holidaymakers, chartering a captained boat could be a more appealing option.

A Dutch-built beauty

AlcudiaMar in Puerto Alcúdia is the home of Silver Fox – a classic motorboat that has just started offering trips in the north of Mallorca. Silver Fox is a Prins van Oranje Rapsody 40 Offshore Dutch-built motorboat, which its Mallorcan owner Juan Carlos Pujadas lovingly restored over the last winter. It’s a beautiful vessel combining classic features – all that varnished wood! – with modern facilities and conveniences. She takes up to eight people in comfort.

Although a lawyer by profession, Juan Carlos has had the sea in his blood since he was a little lad in short trousers, spending summers with his family in Puerto Alcúdia. You’ll find him in shorts today too for his duties as the captain of Silver Fox. His passion for boating and the sea becomes obvious as soon as you meet him.

Tailor your Silver Fox trip

Silver Fox offers a few charter options – from a full-day trip to a sunset tour – all with Juan Carlos at the helm. However, everything is flexible – including the choice of food and drink you may wish to have onboard – so this can be a tailor-made experience. During our sunset tour, we sipped the high-quality fizz, Raor Reserva Brut Nature (Parellada and Chardonnay) from the Mallorcan DO Pla i Llevant. I even learnt a few new things from Juan Carlos about the Puerto Alcúdia area.

The friendly Juan Carlos speaks excellent English and has plenty of stories to recount to his charter clients. We really enjoyed his company – and his beautiful boat. Apparently there are around only eight of these classic motorboat models in Europe and Silver Fox is the only one in Mallorcan waters.

Welcome aboard!
The perfect start to a sunset tour on Silver Fox
And we’re ready for the off…
Imagine doing all that varnishing…
Dining area of Silver Fox
Interesting sights all around
Plenty of boats to see
This ferry also leaves from Puerto Alcudia to Menorca but Silver Fox can also make the trip to Mallorca’s smaller-sister island
Passing Botel Alcudiamar
Nearly time: the sunset tour on Silver Fox

Juan Carlos Pujadas was my guest on ‘Table Talk’ on Mallorca Sunshine Radio on Saturday morning, June 23rd, shortly after 11am CET. Find the interview on the podcasts section here if you missed it and would like to listen.

©Jan Edwards 2018

Hotel Mama Rebrands as Hotel Cappuccino in Palma de Mallorca

June 9, 2018
by Jan Edwards
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Drink / Eat / Sleep

UPDATE July 2020. Hotel Mama has rebranded as Hotel Cappuccino—a move which makes great sense to me, as the Cappuccino name has a reputation and good presence in Mallorca. The following review was written in 2018, after our stay, but I have updated it to show the hotel’s new name.

2021 update: The hotel’s Tahini restaurant is no longer located here.

Palma de Mallorca’s most central boutique hotel is in the most important square in the heart of the city’s old quarter: Hotel Cappuccino is in Plaza de Cort.

The 32-room 5-star hotel is opposite the distinctive town hall building and close to the iconic ancient olive tree known as Olivera de Cort. With its huge trunk sculpted by nature, this magnificent tree is a well-known meeting point in the city and most visitors to Palma probably pass through Plaza de Cort during their stay.

Grupo Cappuccino’s First Hotel

I’d watched the development of this hotel from a 19th-century building with interest, knowing that it was to be the first hotel for the Mallorcan Grupo Cappuccino, which has high-quality restaurants and cafes in several locations in Mallorca and in Ibiza, Madrid, Valencia, Marbella, Jeddah, and Beirut.

Cappuccino cafes are known for their unique architecture and design and for high standards; prices for drinks and food reflect the quality of the brand, but it’s worth splashing a little extra cash to appreciate the setting, surroundings, and smart service of these unique places. For years, we have been taking our visitors to the rear courtyard garden of Cappuccino Grand Café—a former palacio in Palma’s C/ San Miguel; that oasis in the city, with its central fountain and colourful bougainvillea, never fails to impress.

A Cappuccino Grand Café is just one of the attractions of the new Hotel Cappuccino, where we spent one night last week in a superior room (room number 37 on the third floor). The hotel offers eight suites facing Plaza de Cort, eight deluxe rooms, eight superior rooms, and eight standard rooms.

On arrival

When we arrived late afternoon, the terrace of Hotel Cappuccino’s Grand Café was busy with people enjoying the best-possible spot for some serious people watching as they sipped drinks and ate their food.

As we entered the hotel, smiling reception staff greeted us from behind the desk. We noticed an impressive and colourful display of Mexican fighting masks behind them. These unusual features hinted that we were in for a treat in terms of interior design.

While check-in formalities were being completed, we were invited to have a complimentary coffee, tea, or iced tea in the Grand Café—where we happily sat taking in our surroundings. Art is everywhere and reflects the artistic tastes of Juan Picornell, the Grupo Cappuccino owner.

Picornell’s eye for the aesthetic can be seen in all of the group’s properties, but it’s writ large here at Hotel Cappuccino, where the Parisian interior designer Jacques Grange could express his bold vision and attention to detail over five floors and a basement.

A display of Mexican fighting masks in the reception
The light and airy ground-floor area
Comfortable lounge area
Smart and good-looking staff with a welcoming smile
Looking up in the central courtyard
Artwork in Cappuccino Grand Cafe
View down over the inner courtyard
Fountain at the centre of the inner courtyard

Design by Jacques Grange

Jacques Grange is considered one of the world’s best interior designers and decorators: his clients include actress Isabelle Adjani, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Alain Ducasse, Francis Ford Coppola, and Karl Lagerfeld. He was responsible for New York projects such as the decoration of Paloma Picasso’s jewellery store, the Mark Hotel on Madison Avenue, and the Barbizon Hotel.

As Grange had already designed a Cappuccino Grand Cafe (in Madrid), it was not surprising that  Picornell wanted Grange to design his first Cappuccino hotel in Palma. The hotel’s director, Cati Crespi, told me the two men respect each other’s work.

UPDATE FEBRUARY 2019: Jacques Grange has been included in the Architectural Digest magazine’s AD100 Hall of Fame 2019.

Room 37

Our superior room was spacious, comfortable, and with plenty of natural light from two sides of the room. One window looked down over the central courtyard, the other had views across rooftops, giving us a different aspect of Palma—a city we know well.

Elegant bathroom of room 37 at Hotel Cappuccino
Room safe in a drawer
Bedroom detail – plenty of storage in drawers
The hotel’s logo is embroidered on some of the linen.
Fresh flowers in the elegant bathroom
Gorgeous tiles on the bedroom floor
Thoughtful addition to the bathroom: a ring tree

The facilities and features of the room are as you would expect in a 5-star hotel, but there’s a lot of attention to detail and Grange’s design made the room feel homely and luxurious. We loved the attractive tiled floor and the shutters on the courtyard-side windows.

We particularly liked the bathroom, which had a large walk-in shower (with logical controls) and a large white traditional-style sink. Although some of the contemporary shallow sinks often found in new hotels look wonderful, they can sometimes be impractical for wet-shaving (I’m told). We loved the Floris toiletries and the attention to detail: a small glass ring tree on the bathroom shelf—for keep rings safe when you’re washing your hands—is something I don’t remember seeing before in a hotel here.  And some people will appreciate the fact that the door to the bathroom is solid and not frosted glass.

The room safe was in a low drawer with the controls on the top. Easy to operate, it had a top-opening lid which made it easy to see what we had stored inside. There’s an Illy coffee maker (capsule machine) in the room too.

Other little details included a pale-green leather-clad waste bin and a round coaster-size trays in the same leather on each bedside table. The do-not-disturb signs here are written with ‘Siesta’ on one side and ‘Fiesta’ on the other. Sounds like the perfect holiday.

Hotel Cappuccino’s Other Facilities

The  Cappuccino Grand Café is not the only place to eat at Hotel Cappuccino: the hotel also has a Japanese restaurant called Tahini (another Tahini is located in Mallorca’s smart Puerto Portals marina).  We didn’t eat here as we weren’t in the mood for Japanese that particular evening but shall check out the special lunch menu they offer for 27€ on a future visit to Palma.

The hotel is the only one I know in Palma to have its own private cinema—CappuCine—where up to 30 people can sit in comfort, enjoying one of the hotel’s collection of classic movies. Screenings take place twice a day and the facility is free for hotel guests and Tahini customers.

CappuCine

Hotel Cappuccino also has a health club and spa.  Guests can be assisted by the hotel’s personal trainer and wellness expert Ivan Toscano (who will, if you wish, take you for a jog around Palma. No. We didn’t wish, but plenty of guests would!).

Treatments include a choice of massages (including couples’), treatments, and rituals – for women and men. The spa—like CappuCine—is in the basement. Oh, and do check out the unusual wall clock in the spa area. Never seen one like it before!

Seating in the basement area near the spa

Like quite a few luxury hotels in Palma de Mallorca, Hotel Cappuccino has a roof terrace, with small pool. It offers stunning views of the centre of Palma and is open only to hotel guests—to respect their privacy.

Palma’s Cathedral – La Seu – can be seen from the rooftop terrace
One of the roof terrace views, looking over the beautiful city of Palma, with art of the town hall on the left front and La Seu Cathedral to the rear left.

Breakfast

Breakfast is served in the central courtyard. It’s gorgeous in there. Look up and beyond the walls of the tall building that surround you is the sky. It will be a glorious place to sit in the heat of summer and, at night, a canopy is pulled across to make the area feel a little cosier. And imagine what must have been involved in planting the palm trees in there!

What we particularly liked about the delicious generous breakfast was that everything is served to you. There’s no getting up and down from your table to go to the buffet table. It made a relaxing start to the day. And I loved my spelt bread toast and generous helping of perfect avocado (I asked for mine without the poached egg usually included).

Now that’s what I call breakfast!

Our verdict of Hotel Mamá

We loved Hotel Cappuccino in Palma de Mallorca and had only one small issue: in the evening, housekeeping delivered two bottles of Evian water to the room (which was much appreciated). However, the bottles were plastic and we hope that they—and other hotels—will find an alternative to offering water in single-use plastic bottles. Juan Picornell—Grupo Cappuccino’s owner and founder—will, I am sure, be looking for a way to address this issue.

©Jan Edwards 2018