Restaurant Reviews in Pollenca — 4 of Our Favourites

My dining partner for the evening, The Frenchman, and I were here to try the hotel's restaurant, the 365 Restaurant with its sleek, dark and intimate dining room. But when the weather is good, as it was for us, dining on the terrace by the infinity pool is the preferred choice. The tables are large and well spaced to allow for private conversations and, as the light fades, large white orbs begin to glow in their flowerbeds and illuminate the garden's plants. The atmosphere is undeniably romantic.

Two large golden envelopes were presented to us once we had sat down, much like you see at the Oscars and had us wondering what they contained, childishly they made us feeling like guests of honour - could we have won something? Much to our delight, they contained the evening’s menu – a lovely and original touch that symbolises the restaurants attention to detail. The modern Mallorcan menu is divided into starters, fish, meat and dessert, with four or five options in each section. 365 has also committed to using local and organic produce wherever possible, which we really are in favour of.

As we were perusing our choices, we were presented with delicate canapés and fresh warm bread accompanied by local olive oil and flakes of salt, a traditional Mallorcan offering. Our charming server for the night offered some wine suggestions and we decided to take wine by the glass to match each course. Local white wine from Pollenca was duly brought to the table; a 100% chardonnay grape, the wine was rich, buttery and smooth.

We were then treated to an amuse-bouche of sliced roast duck, served with a pineapple compote which didn't last long given its size and deliciousness. This was closely followed by our starters: cuttlefish fritters with green pea cream soup which had a wonderful freshness to them - I was taken right back to my childhood where I used to eat peas straight from the pod in the garden. And The Frenchman’s king prawns were sweet and tender, served on a bed of beans with slices of garlic.

After a brief pause, our wine was replaced with a local crianza from Macia Batile in Binissalem – one of the island's best known producers.  We had chosen Mallorcan Lamb and Roasted Suckling Pig for our mains and the wine complemented the choices perfectly. The lamb had been slow-cooked and was succulent and full of flavour whilst the accompanying gravy was particularly rich and flavoursome. The pig was deliciously soft and moist – real melt-in-the-mouth and a definite success.

Both dishes were beautifully presented and were such generous portions that we wondered where exactly dessert was going to fit. This became even more of an issue when we were presented with a pre-dessert, a small but perfectly formed orange parfait with a hazelnut cream but yet again we soldiered through in the name of investigative-dining.

We were glad that we went ahead with the dessert plan once they had arrived. A beautiful and delicate strawberry custard with a vanilla cream was light enough to slip between the gaps to finish off the meal just nicely, a cunning choice.

But the best surprise was the quizzically named/translated Dry Nuts Coulant (it was how dry nuts could also be runny which threw us) which turned out to be the piece de resistance of the night, and crashed itself up there into our pudding experience Top Ten. Unlike the similar looking 'chocolate fondant/lava cake', which The Frenchman dislikes with a passion, this treat was made of praline, served warm and looks fairly innocuous until you slice it open... At which point the fabulous tasting praline cream bursts forth and mingles with the accompanying chocolate mousse that had been served on the side. I urge you to leave room for this delectable treat.

Coffee and petits-fours wrapped up the evening. Considering the surroundings, the quality of the food, the attentive and charming staff, a three-course dinner here is an absolute steal at €61 per person. Bookings are recommended, as is lingering by the pool after your meal...

Located on a busy street between the main square and the Calvary steps, this restaurant is perfectly placed for you to see and be seen, sit out doors and watch the world go by or enjoy the sleek minimalist interior as you eat beautiful food and drink elegant cocktails.

La Botigueta have recently added ‘& Sushi’ to their name and offering where they used to serve solely Spanish cuisine. As the only sushi spot in Pollenca and the port of Pollenca, it’s given this restaurant a new niche role in the over populated restaurant world. Making a sensible choice to keep tapas on the menu too, this is now a great spot to bring a crowd who can't make up their minds, since you can mix and match from the two menus and also have the option of ordering pizzas and pastas from the sister restaurant La Penya Pizzaria next door.

The tapas is traditional, simple and well made, but honestly if you’re coming to La Botigueta & Sushi then you’ve got to try the sushi! It’s made with skill and precision, packed with fresh ingredients and cooked to order by the sushi chef working on display inside the restaurant.

The sushi menu is extensive offering many different combinations of flavours in traditional sushi rolls of several different sizes and styles plus sashimi and nigiri, offering such fish as salmon, tuna, sea bass, octopus, eel as well as meat and vegetable options. The menu is easy to read, explanatory without being patronising and each section has a simple decorative drawing next to it depicting the style of sushi so that any one branching out for the first time knows exactly what they’re ordering. In addition the traditional sushi items La Botigueta also offers noodle and rice dishes, grilled fish and meats, tempura battered fish meat and vegetables and an impressive choice of 6 tartars – raw fish or beef marinated and dressed in a variety of beautiful and elegant flavours.

How much you spend is up to you, a tartar or noodle dish will cost you up to €15 and is suitable for a small main meal, the sushi comes in arrangements of 1 – 9 pieces and can cost you €5 a piece or €5 for 6 pieces depending on what you’re ordering. Experiment and order a few different things to try or check out one of their selection plates offering 20 – 40 mixed pieces chosen for you by the sushi chef.

Whilst you’re exploring the tastes sensations on the menu do not forget about drinks, La Botigueta is not only the place to go for sushi it’s a hot spot for cocktails as well. They pride themselves on the fresh ingredients in all their cocktails, the strawberry daiquiri is a firm crowd favourite and their sangria stands out from the crowd by containing brandy and banana liquor - best of all they won't break the bank starting at €4 and working up from there. The wine selection is extensive and you can find Japanese beers and spirits on the menu too but the stand out celebrity of their drinks selection has got to be their gins.

If you’re a gin and tonic fan you’re going to be in heaven here, the 10 different G&T options on their menu do not even covering all the premium gins they have to offer. Not content with just stocking all the gins they’ve also got a range of tonics and you’ll find G&T’s offering ingredients like juniper, cucumber, vanilla pods, basil, and rosemary, if you like your gin this is the place for you!

Open for lunch and dinner La Botigueta is well worth a visit, it offers something different to the rest of the restaurants filling this town, have patience with the service, it runs to it’s own time frame as the sushi chef works alone preparing each dish freshly to order, order some cocktails from the friendly wait staff and trust that when the food arrives it’ll be worth it.

Head here if you love sushi, gin or cocktails, if your party can’t make up their mind what to eat, or if you want to watch the world go by from a great vantage point in the centre of town, and if you just want a quiet night in then La Botigueta’s whole sushi menu is available to take away.

The restaurant used to be a corner shop, ‘botiga’ and with some clever interior design the locale maintains a certain shop-like quality and seems as though it may have been operational for decades. The décor is fresh and inviting, bright and comfortable. On the walls there are full height display cabinets, and they are used as a central room divider too, these showcase some of the local, artisanal crafts that can be purchased in Pollensa and its environs; everything from pottery to wines from local vineyards.

The staff were helpful and very friendly to us on that rainy night, just the right amount of attentiveness without seeming overbearing or forgetful, letting us rest in between rounds of tapas and leaving us to relax after our sumptuous meal. La Botigueta, Pizza Obris which is right across the street on the other corner, and Spira which is on the way to the Claustro de Santo Domingo, are all three under the same ownership. This comes in handy with La Botigueta and Pizza Obris, as you can enjoy a few tapas from La Botigueta whilst sitting at one of its tables and then have a pizza from restaurant Obris on the other side of the street, you have access to both menus to tailor make your evening.

We were in a mood for trying a fair few tapas and we were not disappointed in terms of flavour, quantity or serving temperature. For round one we enjoyed tortilla Española, albondigas, ensaladilla Rusa and spinach croquettes. All of the dishes were delightful, the tortilla was served in a hefty slice, still soft and slightly gooey in the centre, which I think, is perfect. The meatballs were moist and flavoursome and the sauce was delicious. All dishes were lovely and just as you’d expect them to be, classics of the Spanish tapas world. After a few moments of digestion and a pleasant conversation with the folks on the table next to ours, we ordered round two. This time we had, boquerones, alitas de pollo and patatas al ajillo. Again all three dishes were lovely, the fish had the right balance of vinegar and oil, the chicken wings were crispy skinned and perfectly cooked and the potatoes were a surprise to us all, we were expecting sautéed potatoes with parsley and garlic with a mayonnaise on the side, but this more closely resembled a potato salad made with wonderfully flavoured alioli, lots of garlic and lemon. We washed those down with glasses of red wine from the Mortitx vineyard, sparkling water and pints of Estrella Damm beer, and used the all the fresh bread in the generously sized bread basket to mop up sauces. The bill came to just under €60 for the three of us, which is excellent value for all the food and drink that we consumed.

Our meal was so plentiful that we had no room for dessert, coffees or even a delightful cocktail, which was a great shame as there is an extensive cocktail menu. La Botigueta is a great place to sit and while away a few hours either sampling the cocktails or the tapas, whilst watching the Pollensins going about their business, I certainly will be going back.

At least thirty tables to choose from on the large terrace you can sit in the sun or shade, watch people ascending the steps, posing in front of them or shopping at the little boutiques along the street. You could sit for hours watching the world pass by and once you see their coffee menu you’re going to want to stay longer.

The covers of their menu’s are dedicated to their coffee selection with little cartoon coffee cups demonstrating the combination of ingredients that goes into each of the 16 on offer. You can have any ratio of coffee to milk to cream that you could wish for plus a few extras. On the 'got to be tried' list are the Submarino, a milky coffee with a block of chocolate submerged in it, Hawiano, coffee made with coconut cream, Quitafrio, milk with whiskey, honey, nutmeg and cinnamon and the Caribeno, coffee with rum, sugar, milk and vanilla. What a great way to spend an afternoon. Not in the mood for a caffeine hit? Check out one of their milkshakes or fresh squeezed juices or if you’re feeling adventurous try the ‘Duo’ vanilla ice cream in fresh orange juice, which sounds very strange. They also have a decent wine list boasting several Mallorcan wines and a few from Pollencia.

Their food menu is extensive offering plenty of choice of sandwich fillings and burger toppings, they make very elegant salads, serve savoury crepes with chips, offer two portion sizes for their tapas and have several Brocheta’s, skewered pork, beef, chicken or seafood served with various vegetables and chips. The prawn skewer with crabsticks, pineapple and avocado sounds especially good.

All that aside you really must try their pizzas, from a menu of 22, you’ll be hard pressed to select one but it’ll be worth it. I had the Caprese and it was excellent, fresh tomato and fresh mozzarella with rocket and olive oil on a homemade base that managed to be thin but substantial with a beautiful golden doughy crust. They brought me balsamic vinegar and black pepper over to the table and the whole thing was a triumph although the size of it did get the better of me and I had to resist asking for the remainder as takeaway, although I’m sure they would have been happy to do so.

The staff were exceptionally friendly making a particular effort to ensure I was happy with everything. They allowed me to sit over my meal and coffee for much longer than was necessary without trying to hurry me in any way, and when I eventually did try to pay and it turned out that they didn’t have a card machine, they didn’t bat an eyelid, just allowed me to leave in search of an ATM. They exhibited no worry about me leaving or any surprise when I returned, out of breath from hurrying in case they thought I’d run off.

It's a great restaurant to while away the afternoon, or linger over dinner. They serve breakfast until 12 then lunch and dinner from the same menu, there is no specific kids menu but there are small portions of Tapas available as well as small sandwiches, plain burger and chips and chicken nuggets and high-chairs are available. The menu is not expensive with burgers and pizzas ranging from €7-€12, cheaper sandwiches and baguettes and mains from €8-€17. There is a small indoor seating area if you fancy it, all decorated in fashionable kitsch with pastel owl portraits and fun vintage pieces on the walls, there are only 6 or 7 tables though so if the weather turns or you want to be inside you might want to get there early or book for dinner.

As mentioned La Scalinata does not have a card machine nor do they have any discernible web presence, so if you visit and love it get onto to trip advisor and lets get this friendly coffee hub some recognition.

Contact: Carrer de Martell, 07460 Pollença, Illes Balears, 971 53 20 91