some travel, some fun, all me
Hello there.
Just sitting here in Phoenix, AZ sweating my face off in lovely 100° weather, trying to recover from my weekend in New Orleans. We pretty much hit every spot to be hit so keep tuned. But wanted to share this video of Mike Fulton & John Royen from Fritzel’s Jazz Club on Bourbon St. It’s always a favorite place of mine for some most excellent jazz.
You know what I say – Turn it up!
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.
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 – 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.
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
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.
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!
NOLA – New Orleans, Louisiana. Ah-May-Zing! So much fun. And I feel silly for saying this, but it was my first time there. I really don’t know what took me so long. I guess it was just the distance from my older stomping grounds. In Oklahoma we would head towards Lake Texoma, Padre or once for a college spring break we drove from Stillwater to Fort Lauderdale. When I lived in Dallas, well, I went to, um, Dallas! And when I was in the New York/CT area I went to well, Manhattan, of course. But also to Mt. Snow, Vermont and a few other random Pepsi sponsored ski areas.
But I am getting off track. Jeannette (the lovely) and I went to the Big Easy for our 40th celebration. We met up at the Maison Dupuy hotel. A very nice hotel with possibly a dead, bald guy in the hot tub. He NEVER left y’all! The rooms were clean, the shower had nice water pressure (something that is very important to me), the front staff were nice and friendly, there was a pool and free Wi-Fi. All in all, a great hotel for a decent price.
As I just said, I had never been to NOLA, even though Jeannette was a seasoned pro. We headed down Bourbon St. to see the crazies and get a drink. I was bound and determined to have a Hurricane but then thought, do I really want to throw up on my first day here? I settled for a beer and Jeannie introduced me to my new favorite beer – ABITA Purple Haze.
Abita beer whether it was Purple Haze or Amber was a constant for the remainder of our trip. Well, that and Bloody Marys, mmmmmmmmmmmmm, don’t EVEN get me started on the bloodies from Molly’s at the Market. We watched them being made: a little Guinness, half a squeezed lemon and lime, some Cajun seasoning, worchestire, horseradish, tabasco, juice from the pickled green beans (i wish i could have brought back 12,000 jars of those) and their already mixed bloody mix. The first time there we had THREE. I would have had more to stare at that mellow cat that hangs out on the tables with the customers but my stomach was rumbling and we needed to get ready for dinner.
Speaking of dinner/food we ate SO GOOD. Here were our stops and each were amazing. And in all actuality, it was mainly about the food. Don’t miss any of these.
1. Dante’s Kitchen – Ok, this place…they have the best vegetables in any New Orleans restaurant, an outdoor patio, and an amazing wine list. They have incredible meat and fish dishes too. This is a great restaurant to get away from downtown, and one of the most inspired menus I’ve seen anywhere. The food and produce is fresh, fresh, fresh, and they accentuate the freshness with the preparation and presentation. The only thing I will say is that the portions are HUGE!!! Bring some friends and plan on having one of the best meals of your life.
2. NOLA – This is one of Emeril’s restaurants in New Orleans. Featuring an eclectic menu of New Orleans Creole and Acadian cuisine with an occasional ethnic twist, the rustic style of cooking showcases Southern Cajun, Vietnamese and Southwestern influences using Louisiana products. Private dining rooms, a bread and pastry bakery and wine cellar are located on NOLA’s third floor.
3. Coop’s – Hands down this was my favorite place. The fried chicken was out of this world and the prices were excellent. This French Quarter bar, with its placement across the street from Margaritaville and down the street from Café du Monde, is kind of in tourist central, meh; but these guys have the real deal in red beans and rice, gumbo, fried chicken, and super authentic local favorites. Also check out the side salad, with the BEST homemade Green Goddess dressing in town. The servers are sweet and super tattooed, the kitchen is basically in the outdoor courtyard, and next door is the fantastically alt-goth bar…
4. Felix’s Oyster Bar – Besides being the name of my favorite boyfriend, it was also a fantastic place to grab a seat, an Abita and a dozen oysters. They also have Po-boys, seafood platters and some darn good fried pickles. Man, I could really go for another dozen oysters with lots of horseradish and lemon.
5. Central Grocery – Central Grocery is home of the muffuletta, one of New Orleans’ great sandwiches. A circular loaf of soft Italian bread is sliced horizontally and piled with salami, ham, and provolone, which are in turn topped with a wickedly spicy melange of chopped green and black olives fragrant with anchovies and garlic. You miss this, and you might cry.
6. Café Du Monde – World famous for its cafe‘ au lait, beignets, and the opportunity to people watch. Another New Orleans favorite, stop by for a chicory coffee and beignets to cure your morning hangover. The service was a bit slow while seated so maybe check out the TO GO line on the side if you are in a hurry. But it is a don’t miss.
7. Satsuma Cafe – Their Kale Salad, made of all local ingredients, fresh, and organic, features Lacinato kale, Parmesan dressing, and (this is New Orleans after all) a piece of bacon on the side. This is the BEST SALAD in the city, hands down. A few blocks away from Desire Street, (which kind of says it all), and in the stunning Baywater, this is the hippyish place to go for great coffee and espresso, fresh ginger muffins, super great Nutella banana pancakes, fresh BLT’s with real tomatoes, hummus, bagels and lox with all the sides, and fresh juices made to order. It’s also all organic. Sit at the Squirrel Table and read the New York Times, or a local paper with the locals (and believe me, they’re there). It has a totally great vibe and fresh, fresh, fresh organic food. These guys make an effort and it shows.
I think I will take a break here. Now I am craving an oyster po-boy, an Abita Purple Haze and some excellent fried chicken. Stay tuned for some more New Orleans news and lots of cool pics. Ciao!
GOING NINETY MILES 