Ribello Restaurant Review, Palma

In an effort to broaden our culinary horizons I knew I needed to find a new Italian restaurant in Palma if I was ever going to be able to eat anywhere else in Mallorca.

Fortunately for me a friend had recommended a restaurant called Ribello in La Lonja and even more fortunately, I happen to live less than fifty yards from it.

Ribello's was opened in 2010 by owner Emilio Ingrosso and can be found on Carrer d'Apuntadors a few metres off the busy Carrer Sant Joan in the centre of La Lonja. It's fairly unassuming from the outside but the space that greets you when you walk in is a different story. Sleek, stylish and quite sexy the dining area is lower than the entrance and the wooden floors and dark marble bar surfaces are lit by a gentle glow.

We were greeted by the maitre d' and shown to our table upstairs. The decor and atmosphere is far more sophisticated and up market than the friendly and informal Tanto Amore and we were both immediately impressed.

The menu offers antipasti choices like spinach gratin with shallots, warm coppa and provalone, an artichoke carpaccio, and a prosciutto filled with freshly made lobster cream. The main courses looked equally rich; Monkfish, mascarpone and ricotta tortelloni and the Hamburger Ribello stood out - the latter mostly because it was advertised as "The hamburger the Sopranos would die for."

In the end we opted for chicken ravioli filled with ricotta, mascarpone and served in a white wine and basil oil sauce and penne with courgettes, shrimps and a saffron cream. Our waiter took our drinks and food order, congratulated us on our choices and left. Although our food arrived quite promptly, we didn't see our waiter again until he brought our pasta leaving us a little thirsty and without our wine we had ordered.

This was only a little slip up but we were then not offered parmesan with our food, which we wanted, and when our plates were cleared we had to wait and then ask for the desert menu. The service to be honest wasn't very good and the restaurant wasn't busy, so there really was no excuse.

Luckily the food made up for the lack of attention our waiter showed us. My "Penne e zafferano" had apparently been chosen by the King of Sweden and I could see why. The pasta was fresh and perfectly al dente and the shrimps, although not too numerous, were huge and nicely "poppy" just the way I like them. The Canadian however had once again made the better choice. Her chicken ravioli was delicious. Three huge parcels in a rich sauce that had a unexpected kick.

We both enjoyed our main courses but the best part of the meal was definitely the desserts. We had a look over the menu and wanted to try "Vickys homemade chocolate cake". We had no idea who "Vicky" was and as it transpired, it didn't matter as there was no cake left. We opted instead for doughnuts with cream and berries, and white chocolate mouse. Both were excellent. The best deserts we've had this summer. The doughnuts were doughy in the centre and the cream and berries were a perfect accompaniment. The white chocolate mouse was thick, creamy and delicious and by then end we were both excited about returning for more desserts, and hopefully chocolate cake.

The food was reasonably priced with almost every dish costing less than €15.The decor and setting at Ribello's was great and although the service was a little slow in places the food made up for it, especially the desserts. In fact the Canadian and I have since been back to Ribellos in search of Vicky's chocolate cake. The desserts are so good that I now havea new problem - whenever I suggest a meal out she suggests we go round the corner to Ribellos...