It has been a wonderful weekend with our special friend Pete and his daughter Abbie. We wanted to celebrate the launch of our new culture lounge in Pollença, Sala61, that Pete has played such a huge part in creating. So where to go as it’s a quiet time of the year for restaurant openings in the north of Mallorca?

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To my absolute delight Ses Coves in Campanet had just reopened after a short winter break. I had read great things about this restaurant and just recently Marc Fosh rated this as one of the best places for ‘fire’ cooking he has experienced on the island…and he knows a thing or two about great cooking!

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We had to earn our lunch so Sunday morning, we walked the well trodden road and path to the top of the Puig de Santa Maria that watches over Pollença. It’s a beautiful walk and well worth it for the view across the town, mountains and the bays of Alcudia and Pollença. It’s also a great way to tire out your ever lively two year old cockerpoo!

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Ses Coves shares its location with the Caves of Campanet a wonderful natural heritage attraction in Mallorca discovered in 1945 it is a beautiful underground world. In its elevated position the restaurant certainly has a front row seat in the most beautiful settings of mountains and the landscape of the valley of Sant Miquel, all adding to this unique experience.

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Their simple menu is based on the finest fish and meat, but that’s where the simplicity ends as the produce is given a wood fire treatment that in the hands of Josep Joan is transformed into something quite exceptional. His passion of cooking with embers is right there on your plate…our fish left us speechless it was that good and the 240 day aged ‘cow’ as they call it was sensational.

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Simply accompanied with garlic fried potato chips and calçots freshly plucked from the garden and that was it, for us the most perfect Sunday lunch. How could we forget the plate of sardines we shared as a starter…my gosh they were exquisite! We had two bottles of wine…it was a celebration after all and on this occasion locally produced white ‘Nguany Blanc 2021’ from the Santa Catarina winery and a Escursac red from micro producer Pep Rodriguez of Soca Rel were exceptional.

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There are some things you can’t teach and whilst Josep has his grandfather and father to thank for opening his eyes to the secrets of the grill he has developed his own style where sustainable produce is magically transformed by the firewood from the almond trees of their farm.

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A real family affair with Josep, his wife Paloma and sister Maria creating a very unique and memorable experience. This family is showing the new Mallorca that is harnessing the nature of the isalnd and serving it back to us lucky people with style. As we watched the sun slip lower behind the Puig de Sant Miquel and we finished our wine, we had one of those moments when everything feels just right.

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Ses Coves is a very special place…put another log on the fire for us Josep we will definitely be back soon.