Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)
THE shifting sands of the culinary landscape have always needed careful guidance.
And with a bustling ever-changing metropolis like Palma, you need to add a big pinch of local knowledge.
Having written a restaurant book, Dining Secrets of Andalucia, I know the necessity of doing the research and always keeping your ear to the ground… And my mantra always is: ask the local restaurateurs and chefs, themselves.
And that is exactly what an enterprising pair of expats (one Dutch, the other German) have done in Mallorca.
After years of event planning and organising festivals around the world, they’ve combined their knowledge by immersing themselves in the food industry on the island.
Now, after three years of research they’ve launched a series of food tours around the city and even around the island.
We looked up an easy-to-follow browser app – no need to download anything – which told us to head, appropriately, to Placa del Mercat to kick off the tour, a place that has been the haunt of merchants since Arabic times.
The app – which has an easy to follow map – explained the history of the leafy square, inaugurated in 1302 by King Jaime II, and then pointed out one of the city’s oldest bakeries close by.
The Forn del Teatre had been making pastries and bread by hand for a century, until it was reborn in 2010 thanks to a local entrepreneur Tomeu Arbona.
Renamed as Fornet de la Soca it has kept the photos of the old owners on the wall as well as an array of old pans, trays and cake tins that have produced classic Mallorquin goodies for centuries.
While it wasn’t listed as one of our four evening courses, the pastries looked so good, I couldn’t resist trying an ‘empanada’ of red pepper and pork, which turned out to be a splendid way to kick off the tour… and for just €4.50 extra.
Our first restaurant (proper) was a classic Spanish ‘vermuteria’ – all the rage now – called La Rosa.
Hidden up a little alleyway, it was a surprising hive of activity, despite the time of 5.15pm… “We’ve got the tourists coming in for an early supper or the Spanish taking a late lunch,’ explained manager Carlos Fabiani, who is in the process of launching a second same-name joint nearby.
To strains of jazz and, thankfully overhead fans, we mulled over the idea of bravas or oysters, before realising that our tour meant everything was already chosen for us and we just needed to sit back and order our drinks.
This is one of the most famous tapas joints in Palma and full of old photos on the wall. All about simplicity La Rosa specialises in ‘gourmet tin conserved food’, plus jamón ibérico, and, of course, the vermouth, which is made locally from the Manto Negro grape.
There are well over a dozen on offer here and La Rosa makes its very own vermouth with local herbs, six or more, including cardamom, rosemary and orange peel, collected by the boss Nacho Velasco from the nearby hills.
As if by magic a white tin plate was thrust in front of us with some delicious melt-in-the-mouth croquettes, two types, plus some anchovies with an ensaladilla kyiv.
We could have stayed for the whole evening, but our tour awaited, so we followed the simple map on the app around the corner onto La Rambla, which we were told was once the course of the local river and where, in 1403, severe flooding caused the death of thousands of citizens.
It led to the diversion of the river Torrent de Sa Riera a kilometre or so to the west and the creation of the wonderful shady avenue of La Rambla.
We needed to stroll about a third of the way along, past around three or four flower sellers, until we spotted what was literally a hole in a wall.
Cantina Panza is an annexe of a grand merchant’s house, laid out in a series of corridors and spaces with a small kitchen at one end.
Grand it isn’t, but it is certainly charming and the focus is very much on the quality of the food, produced by a pair of chefs, one, Fernando Arellano, who has won two Michelin stars.
The other, Javier Gardonio, an Argentinian, is on hand to explain their concept, which they describe as ‘cooking from memory’ with a nod to both Spanish cuisine and French know-how.
“We think of it as comfort food,” he explains with a big smile as he sets down the most delicious plate of scallops stuffed with chopped and braised octopus in a rich fish sauce with chives.
We found ourselves meeting one of the tour bosses, Michelle, a friendly Dutch woman, who explained how they had seen a gap in the market and were very busy.
She explained the tours set off at 1pm and 5pm in order to cater for everyone, whether at lunchtime or early evening. They also use various routes and different restaurants, working around their opening hours to bring them more business in their quieter hours.
Massive foodies themselves, they realised they were always out trying new places and chatting to the local restaurateurs and cooks.
They realised they could get people out for a tasting tour and chances are, they would go back for proper meals in the following days.
There was no doubt a real frisson of excitement as to how our tour would unravel. Where would it take us next? Would the next joint be better or worse? A modern, stylish place, or traditional and authentic?
A brilliant way to impress a date, it was also the perfect tour for a family or couple wanting to get a flavour of the city, without having to take a gamble on one restaurant for the main night out.
So the next venue couldn’t have been more perfect.
A nondescript street and average looking stone building turned out to be an amazing 15th century palace, which only opened as a five star hotel three years ago.
Xalest (meaning in a good mood) is the restaurant of the Concepcio by Nobis hotel, which was once a palace and later a soap factory.
Here we were served pigs cheeks (carillera) with corn puree, demi glas and fried tortillas…the spices really do the dish justice…
Restaurant manager Ali, from Casablanca, explained: “We try to offer KM-zero local food, Mediterranean food, some fusion.”
Its chef, Xema Álvarez has won Palma’s prestigious TaPalma competition and ran his own joint Catalina la Fina, before it was destroyed by Covid.
Finally we arrived at Arlequin…around 8.30pm, a seductive place, influenced by Alice in Wonderland.
This was to be our sweet course and the puddings are served in a red gift box and a giant donut… See pics to understand.
My colleague Charlie grinned like a child with his chocolate number while my sweet donuts with caramel cream and raspberries were delicious…
The unusual cocktail bar and restaurant was perfect for the end of the tour, and we were soon moving onto the cocktail menu.
The tour cost €130 for 2 people and sets off at various times of the day.
For more information Visit www.foodtoursmallorca.com
