Category: eat ~ mallorca

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Laos ~ Colonia St. Jordi, Mallorca

GOING NINETY MILES2 Comments

Another one of my favorite restaurants in Colonia St. Jordi is Laos. They actually advertise it as restaurant – bar – chillout, considering what level you are on.

The bottom level is the restaurant with a patio out front, a covered outdoor area and then my personal favorite, the inside where you watch the chefs make the food – I love to do that. Of course, then I start watching for my food and I tell Felix – hey! I see ours, it’s coming out soon. And then it’s served to another table. Patience is a virtue.

The staff is super friendly. Laos is run by a sister – brother team and they couldn’t be nicer. Or sweeter. The normal Spanish bread and aioli (which I find so tasteless and boring) most restaurants typically serve is not the thing here. Nope. A most delicious chicken pate covered with an orange sauce and a fresh, personal-sized, homemade baguette plus yummy olives is their “amuse bouche”. And damn it’s good, don’t say no to that.

The menu is quite large (and in many languages) from salads to steak tartare to lamb chops to salmon. And they offer half portions or full portions to most of the selections (which I think is cool). But my most favorite thing about Laos is that every month they have a specials menu – three appetizers, three entrees and usually one dessert. And the first time we go every month I always try one of the specials. Last month they had salmon ravioli and oxtail on the specials menu and we ordered that the entire month. It was THAT good.

After you’ve eaten to your hearts content. Have a delicious dessert – my favorite is Crema Catalan (pretty much crème brûlée (so many accent marks with that one!) with a strawberry sauce on top – so freaking delicioso).

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When you are full and happy, you can head to the top floor which is their chillout area. Overlooking the one of the main streets of C. St. Jordi and just a block over from the sea, its the place to be. With its open windows, the fresh breeze and a cocktail in your hand, you can relax and let the cool tunes and mellow vibes wash away all your problems.

It’s Saturday and we are planning to go to Laos tonight. See you there!

LAOS RESTAURANT  Av. Primavera, 26, 07638 Colònia de Sant Jordi  971 65 58 73

eat ~ mallorca · food · Majorca · Mallorca · playa · restaurant · spain · yum

Cassai Beach House ~ Mallorca

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This place is heaven. Cassai Beach House in Colònia St. Jordi.

We recently discovered this restaurant that is only 15 minutes from our house. Finally someone close knows what they are doing in the kitchen!

The view is breathtaking. The food is scrumptious. And the waitstaff is friendly. Choose from sitting in the interior room where the breeze passes through the restaurant or on the sunny terrace that overlooks the sea.

With a nautical look and feel, you can enjoy lunch or dinner here with a tempting menu. Mediterranean and Mallorcan dishes full of flavor from oysters to burgers topped with foie gras to salmon tartare to paella to salads to steak with a truffle sauce to delicious desserts. SO. GOOD.

This place is the bomb. Fo shizzle my nizzle. And you need to go.

It’s always pretty busy so a reservation would be a good idea.

Cassi Beach House. Carrer Major, 21, Colònia de Sant Jordi. +34 971 070 939

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architecture · art · catalonia · church · do ~ mallorca · eat ~ mallorca · go ~ mallorca · love love love · Majorca · Mallorca · see ~ mallorca · spain

Top 5 Things To Do In Palma, Mallorca

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So many people ask me about things I would recommend doing/seeing in Palma de Mallorca when they are visiting the island. So, why not give a blog post to that topic. Just for y’all, my favorite peeps.

It was a difficult list. Palma has so much to offer – art galleries, museums, shopping, great bars, hidden back alleys where you stumble upon something new every single time. I could spend a whole week just exploring those narrow side streets.

In no particular order because they all rock.

1.Pilar y Joan Miró Foundation

First up, the Pilar y Joan Miró Foundation. If you are an art lover, you can’t miss this. You actually walk through the studios Joan Miró worked in through 1956 until his death in 1983. The collection of works by Joan Miró includes paintings, drawings, sculptures, and prints. You can see how and where he worked at the two studios (Son Boter and Sert Studio), both of these have been included in the Bienes de Interés Cultural architectural heritage list.

One of my favorite Miro sculptures in Palma ~ FEMME

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Joan Miró – Femme

2. La Seu

Next, the Cathedral – La Seu. This majestic, architectural masterpiece took from 1230 – 1601 to build. It has a gorgeous, gothic, rose glass window which is one of the largest in the world. And if you are into Gaudí, he later designed the columns and the controversial Crown of Thorns that hangs over the altar. It is situated next to the Parc de la Mar which is also a lovely place to hang out, look at the sea and have a glass of wine.

A visit begins through the museum entrance and there is a small entrance fee.

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La Seu in Palma, the Cathedral that took almost 400 years to build. Gorgeous!

 

3. Passeig Des Born

Enough architecture and art for you? Alright, how about some shopping. Did some of your ears pop up? Palma has great stores – from Louis Vuitton to Caroline Herrera to Hugo Boss. And they are all in one of my favorite spots in Palma, Passeig des Born. Come here to this tree-lined promenade with boutiques, cafes, shops and beautiful fountains at each end. You can always find a street performer or two to keep you entertained, if you are needing that.

Walk up to Jaime III and if you turn left you will find Es Corte Ingles (Palma’s big department store), Mango and other shops. Turn right and you can head to Placa Major, where pretty much in every direction are more and more shops. If you have been dying for a Starbucks, one has been recently established at the Placa Cort.

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4. Ca’n Joan De S’aigo

Time for a break after all that sight seeing and shopping. Stop at one of the oldest chocolatiers in Europe, founded in 1700. So much deliciousness under one roof. It’s almost a sin. Pastries, cakes, ice-cream, cava and the popular Mallorcan ensaimada. My favorite is the one with apricots. They have two locations but the Calle Can Sanc has the mosaic from the original building. Bon Profit!

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5. Palma Old Town Bike Tour and Tapas

Did someone say bike riding and tapas? I’m in. This is a super fun bike tour to see the top sights of Palma ~ La Seu Cathedral, the Royal Palace of La Almudaina, ride down the Rambla of Palma and discover the nightlife center of La Lonja. Finish your excursion with tapas at the Illenc restaurant.

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I hope you enjoyed the list. I would love to hear about your favorite must-sees in Palma. Thanks for stopping by this beautiful city!

eat ~ mallorca · food · Majorca · Mallorca · yum

Top 5 Restaurants in Palma

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palma-cafe

There are so many restaurants to choose from in Palma. And so many good ones too! Over the years I have been to quite a few. Here are my top five that I feel are best overall – in food, price and atmosphere. Still looking for that great Mexican restaurant here!

What are your favorites in Palma? Please share in the comments!

These first two are in the Santa Catalina area. LOTS of bars, LOTS of restaurants and usually a lot of fun.

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NOLA – This place just feels like home to me. They have Brooklyn Lager on tap and some darn good cajun cookin’. Whenever I am missing my good ole U.S. of A, I head on over to NOLA and eat some fried pickles and a big plate of BBQ ribs. So tasty, great flavor. And on most Wednesdays it’s RIB NIGHT – all you can eat ribs for 15euro per person.

Also great is the Jambalaya and Gumbo. Actually, it’s all delish. GO!

NOLA   C/San Magí, 13   +34 971.667.006

rotana

ROTANA – Just up the street from Nola is Rotana. If you are craving some yummy Lebanese food, this is your place. I like to get the assorted starter to share with my peeps – hummus, falafel, stuffed grape leaves and more. Then my favorite lamb dish as a main course and I am FULL! They also have a few tasting menus to try. The mint tea is a perfect end to your dinner. Or they have hookahs that you can smoke from! Not sure if you have to bring your own tobacco.

You can sit inside or outside (if the weather is nice). But careful, on some nights they have belly dancing inside and the music can be a bit loud.

ROTANA  C/ San Magí, 58  +34 971.286.078

The next two are in the Old Town of Palma – My favorite area is the Old Town (La Antigua Lonja), full of narrow alleys, historic monuments and inspiring architecture. In just a square kilometer there are quirky cafes, funky shops, art galleries and of course lots of restaurants.

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LA BOVEDA – Tapas, tapas and more so very delicious TAPAS! The classics – prawns and garlic in oil, Iberian ham, pa amb oli, plates of tempting cheese and sausages. I recommend their plate – Estrella de la casa, which has a little bit of everything. If you’re lucky, you might get the occasional guitarist. Go early because it gets full quickly. But if that happens you can always go over to their sister restaurant around the corner – La Taberna de la Boveda

La Boveda  C/ Botería, 3  +34 971.714.863

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FORN DE SANT JOAN – This one you definitely need a reservation for if you want to eat here. They do have online reservations, which is nice. And it is a bit on the pricier side than the others but worth it. Full on menu with lots of tapas style appetizers to start with – my personal favorite is one of the oysters, the grilled octopus and the king crab. Then there is a grande selection of things to tempt your palate with pastas, fish and meat. Oh and the desserts!  The cocktails are excellent, the service is superb and it is one of my top favs on the island.

And if you want, you can go across the street to the over-the-top bar cocktails at Abaco Cocktail Bar. It’s pricey, but quite the experience.

Forn De Sant Joan   C/ Sant Joan,4   +34 971.728.422

And my last one is in the Genova area of Palma. If you don’t have a car, you will need to get a taxi to get here, but it’s not too far out of Palma.

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CASA JACINTO – This is your typical Mallorquin/Spanish restaurant that focuses on the popular tapas, fish and meat. Not much decor to talk about but it’s more of a place with good food, good prices, nice waitstaff and to get in with the locals and away from main stream of Palma. Order some dates with bacon or the pimientos de padron for a starter and my favorite is cooking your own steak on the hot stone they bring to your table. The house wine is pretty good too.

Casa Jacinto  Cami de Tranvia, 37   +34 971.401.858

BUEN PROVECHO!

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drinkin' · eat ~ mallorca · go ~ mallorca · Mallorca

BEER and stuff …

GOING NINETY MILES1 Comment

Wowzers! Do we have some stuff to catch up on or what? Last week I was in Marrakech, a month ago I was in Amsterdam, late last year I was in Paris (which I did do a blog or two about but there is still more to tell!) and even before that I was in my darling hometown of Stillwater, OK. SO, needless to say, I’ve got some shit to catch up on.

I think I have gotten a bit better at managing my time!?! I HOPE! I even had a mammogram that I’ve been putting off for decades. Thank you very much. AND I cleaned out and organized my closet which had been crying out for attention for a loooong time now. So, I feel confident that I can deliver lots of exciting post about travels and Mallorca and just the general news of my life. I know you guys are just sitting at the edge of your seat. Mwuah, back at ya.

So, Marrakech, Amsterdam, Paris, you say? Well, let’s just start off with my new favorite bar in Palma de Mallorca – Lórien. It is AWESOME, y’all. They have a huge selection of beers – and that is saying a lot considering all I can usually get around here is the same – Heineken, Estrella, Mahou, Alhambra. Hell, sometimes the bar will go crazy and have a Corona available. But not Lórien, no no no. What do you want? They have it. You want ale? They got it. You want a stout beer? They got it. You want a weissbier. THEY. GOT. IT! Ale, IPA, Lager Bock, Pilsner, Micro-Beers, Sparkling Ale, Stout, etc etc etc. They got it, yo. And you want it from a particular country. Guess what. They got it.

lorien

So after touting all the fab beers, they have even more than that. Even more than all those beers you ask incredulously!?!? Yup. They’ve got games. And sandwiches. Stop the madness. We played chess, while drinking fabulous beer, at a cool place. You could say it was magical. And in fact, it was.

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So, bring your dinero, bring your happiness and bring your swank because it is all welcome here. Come visit the best cerveceria in Mallorca.

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catalonia · eat ~ mallorca · food · Mallorca · spain · yum

Please pass the coca.

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Coca is so muy delicioso!

I bought some at the bakery the other day. Doesn’t it look scrumptious?

coca

This coca to be exact is the coca trempó (also known as coca de trampó). It is a pastry made of pepper, onion and tomato. The coca trempó is popular in Mallorca and the Balearics. And it is my favorite. My friend Pilar, her mother makes this every summer and I pretty much don’t leave the table until it is done. Feeling adventurous? Here is how to make it… in Spanish even. You can do it!

The coca is a pastry typically made and consumed in Catalonia, eastern parts of Aragon,  most of Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Andorra and in French Catalonia. The coca is just one way of preparing a dish traditionally made all around the Mediterranean.

There are many diverse cocas, with four main varieties: sweet, savory, closed and open. All of them use dough as the main ingredient, which is then decorated. This dough can be sweet or savory. If it is sweet, eggs and sugar are added, and if it is savory, yeast and salt. As regards the topping or filling, fish and vegetables are usual at the coast whilst inland they prefer fruit, nuts, cheese and meat. Some cocas can be both sweet and savory (typically mixing meat and fruit).

A popular coca is served during is the “Coca de Sant Joan”, a sweet coca with candied fruits and pine nuts, typical of Catalan summer solstice celebration.

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But whatever coca you choose to enjoy, the are all DEEELISH. Just look at the variety to choose from.

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It’s a hard choice but one you have to make. I know – try one of each!

Buen Provecho!

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eat ~ mallorca · food · Mallorca

Eat ~ Mallorca LA BOVEDA

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My lovely German friend Imke was here for a few days to visit me. It was so nice to see her! She wanted tranquilo so we did pretty much that. Except her last night we went out for a good dinner in Palma. I always like to try out new restaurants when friends are here. And that night we went to La Boveda, proclaimed as the best tapas restaurant on the island.

I’ve read that it fills up fast so I made a reservation. And when we arrived at 8:00 (when it opened) there was a line at the door. We were seated immediately and given a menu. So many options! If you don’t know what tapas are, let me explain. Tapas are small portions of Spanish cuisine – meats, cheese, seafood, etc. They can be hot or cold dishes. You order enough for the group. Many tapas restaurants give an option of a large portion or smaller portion depending on the size of your group.

We ordered the small meat plate (chorizo, jamon serrano, sobrasada) which came with four slices of Mahon cheese, sauteed shrimp, bread with aioli (the famous mayonnaise with garlic), lamb chops which also had french fries and pimientos de padron, and dates with bacon. Plus a half bottle of Rioja and …. PERFECT. So many other options on the menu, we really wanted to order one of everything – maybe with a group of about twenty that is possible. Next time.

What we did order was a little too much for two people but we tried our best to finish it. We even had fresh pineapple for dessert because there is no such thing as leaving without dessert.

Go to La Boveda! A fantastic tapas restaurant in the old town of Palma, my favorite area. If you like tapas, you will not be disappointed.

La Boveda. C/ Botería, 3 · Palma · 971 71 48 63

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