Toque Restaurant Review
Delicious Belgian and Mediterranean food in Palma
Having seen Toque restaurant with its Belgian-Mediterranean cuisine always at the top of the charts on Trip Advisor in Palma, I decided it was time to see what all the fuss was about, so booked myself in for dinner last week with a few friends.
I arrived at 19:30 at this inconspicuous location in the area of Son Armadams, a few minutes’ walk away from Santa Catalina, which is Palma’s gastronomic district. I was slightly alarmed that we were the first to arrive at the restaurant when it was apparently so fiercely popular. It’s worth mentioning however that, by 21:00, people started to flurry in through its doors, so Toque embraces the Spanish habit of eating late more so than many other places I have visited in the city. This was perhaps down to the local clientele frequenting the place which became more apparent as the evening went on. Anyway, enough about eating times. Let’s get down to the experience.
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I was rather surprised at the décor as it was very different to anything I had seen before on the island and perhaps this is where its Belgian roots shone through. There was a heavy emphasis on the colour burgundy particularly on the walls and the table cloths, which was balanced by different shades of yellow and fairy lights strewn throughout the restaurant.
Once we were seated, the journey truly began and wow were we in for a treat! It turns out the Belgian-French man taking our orders was not just a waiter but the chef and owner of the restaurant too. He revealed that he had been living on the island for 40 years and set up the restaurant nearly 10 years ago. Anyway, he eloquently described the specials which were a prawn carpaccio (13.50€), followed by wild sea bass (22€) and handed us the wine list and food menu.
We were impressed with the selection of wines available at an assortment of prices. Being accompanied by friends visiting the island, we asked for his recommendation on a Mallorcan white wine. He was extremely helpful discussing the different wines available and didn’t hesitate in telling us which he thought we would prefer based on our preferences. So we went for the Quíbia (21€) which is from one of the island’s most famous vineyard, Ánima Negra. To me, it was fresh and citrusy with a crisp finish, most easy to drink!
Ordering the food was an extra special event, he was very helpful and knowledgeable in describing the dishes and the way they were cooked. As there were a group of four of us, we were lucky because we got to sample each other’s dishes so I am going to highlight some of my favourites from the menu. Let’s kick off with the complimentary aperitifs, a mild, fluffy and light Pumpkin Mousse which was a lovely little preview of the quality of food to follow.
The Carpaccio of Beetroot, Stilton and Balsamic sorbet was the winning starter for me, the pungent cheese and sweet beetroot complemented each other perfectly creating a taste explosion in my mouth. It was fresh and light, everything you could want a starter to be.
Second place went to the Pumpkin Ravioli Stuffed with Mushrooms and Smoked Idiazabal Sauce, this starter was beautifully presented and tasted glorious. The smoky creamy flavours along with the unusual pumpkin parcels made this a dish to die for!
For the main, I ordered the Shoulder of Lamb with Smoked Eggplant Caviar (16€). The meat was beautifully cooked, both succulent and flavoursome. It wasn’t overpowered by the tasty smoked eggplant either. I was more than satisfied with the generous portion I received which came served with delicious vegetables.
The Belgian Steak Tartar (16€) is one of the most popular dishes at the restaurant so I am glad someone else ordered this because I am sometimes a little wary of this dish when it involves a large amount of raw minced meat. Upon trying it, though, I was pleasantly surprised because it wasn’t too rich, the mayonnaise definitely balanced the flavours.
The service was again faultless when ordering desserts, our waiter offering all the descriptions and recommendations you could possibly want. Having seen Crème Brûlée on the dessert menu, a childhood favourite of mine, I just had to have it and I was not disappointed. I delved down through the crunchy caramelized sugar to the creamy but light custard bottom, the only problem I encountered was that it was gone too soon.
We were handed menus for a little night cap before we departed, so decided to treat ourselves to a glass of the Veritas José L. Ferrer dessert wine from Binissalem (4€). This is again a favourite of mine, if you like dessert wine and haven’t had a chance to try it, it is a must! It is sweet and fruity with honeyed sensations. We finished the meal with coffees and, although we were full to the brim by this point, we couldn’t resist the scrumptious sweet treats in the form of hand-made chocolate truffles and Belgian biscuits that accompanied them.
This is definitely a place I would recommend to those looking for good quality, honest food. Never have I experienced such intimate service. Toque restaurant is a strong candidate for being one of my most memorable dining experiences in Palma!
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