A journey to wonderful and special Palma Paella restaurants
When I was on Mallorca arrived, I not only fell in love with the island, but also began a fascinating gastronomic journey through the best restaurants and rice bars for Spanish paella. I work as an architect and when I started my gastronomic journey in Mallorca, I asked my bricklayer and truck driver colleagues who are experts in good, beautiful (sometimes) and cheap roadside restaurants.
Juan woman
Address: Plaça Navegació s/n 07013 Palma, Illes Balears Our first and intriguing discovery was a small eatery in a corner of the Santa Catalina market, known as the Juan woman, which was founded in 1965 and where delicious, great paella dishes are prepared on Saturdays for €5, which is the best price for two strangers from the mainland who want to get to know Mallorcan gastronomic culture.Club Naútico del Molinar
Our little Palma paella restaurant route is enriched by Club Naútico del Molinar, located in the front row of the Portitxol neighbourhood. This idyllic restaurant not only cooks one of the best paellas I've tasted in my 44 years, but also offers a poetic view of the small port of Molinar-Portitxol and its small traditional boats known as Llauts (pronounced "JAUTS").
The last time I passed by the port of El Molinar, the restaurant had been partially demolished and was being rebuilt. I remembered the owner explaining to me one Sunday the secret of his paella, which was to put it in the oven for the last 5 minutes to give the top layer something crispy.
Buganvilla
Address: Carretera Andratx, 29, Cas Catalá, Calviá
Later, when I started living in Cala Major, I discovered the Buganvilla restaurant. It's on the beach of the same name in the luxury Cas Catalá district. In my own and not objective gastronomic ranking of the best paellas on Mallorca, it took first place.
Buganvilla Cala Mayor - Restaurants in Palma
You can see the photos from this Sunday, when we enjoyed a wonderful seafood paella with friends, accompanied by the best view of Buganvilla beach.
"María Sarmiento, you decide how the story ends."
Address: Carrer de l'Illa de Xipre, 37, 07007 Palma, Illes Balears
And finally, I recently discovered a restaurant in Ciudad Jardín with the funny name "María Sarmiento, you decide how the story ends". . This saying comes from Spanish popular culture, when parents used to tell the children of my generation when they were teased: "Child, you are heavier than María Sarmiento, who went to shit and took the wind out of her sails".
This new restaurant, which specialises in paellas of all kinds and Mediterranean cuisine, is of course a must in my Palma Paella Restaurant Guide.
My recommendation: the paella with Iberian secret and the artichokes with Iberian ham. As you can see, everything is very Iberian and at the same time very Mallorcan, prepared with love and good humour.
Israel Robles Quiñonero
