B
bonzo26
New member
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2008
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Forgive me if I am duplicating information in other posts but there seems to be some confusion - there was in my mind at least! - about the Bistro Balaixa in Cala St Vicente which now rejoices in the name Bistro Mar.
Like many others I was very disappointed to find that the old Balaixa just outside Pollenca had closed and was very much hoping that Arnie and Mandy would still be in the restaurant business somewhere in the area.
We arrived in Pollenca in late April for a 4 week stay and after a quick look at the old Balaixa could find no sign of a forwarding address - just a "For Sale" sign. My wife suggested that we trot off to CSV and see if the old Bistro Balaixa might be operating. I was pessimistic, particularly when I noted that the direction sign that used to be located at the turn off from the main Pollenca-Puerto Pollenca had disappeared. However, on our second evening, we did press on to CSV and were heartened by the sight of lights being on in the windows of the old Bistro Balaixa as we approached. To our surprise and delight, not only was the bistro - now wonderfully renamed as Bistro Mar (Mar's Bar as Arnie called it!) - occupied, but was open for business.
Needless to say we spent a lot of time there in the ensuing four weeks and were able to welcome the arrival of a new chef. Ma is still the hard working stalwart who looked after us wonderfully throughout with Arnie and Mandy overseeing front of house and making sure that everything goes well. Both Arnie and Mandy looked very relaxed and at home in this environment and I think they are on to a winner here.
The menu has some of the old Balaixa favourites like lamb shank but they have also branched out into tapas. I must confess that I have always been a bit wary of tapas, worried that it was not quite a full meal and yet too much for a snack. Arnie and Mandy's tapas had us converted very quickly - I am now an enthusiast and if you are hungry just three or four tapas choices from the menu will be more than enough! I am hooked on the "Frito Mallorquin" - Arnie described it as "Mallorcan bubble and squeak" but that does not do it justice. Eaten with a portion of potato wedges and perhaps some sizzling prawns on the side, it is just wonderful. We also think that Bistro Mar's bread, olives and ali oli is the best we have tasted on the island.
As it was early season, Bistro Mar has some innovative offers to tempt potential customers with a different theme each day - free meals for children; starters for 1 cent with a main meal and free tapas with a drink at the bar were examples. It was obvious by the time that we had to leave back to the UK at the end of May that Bistro Mar was proving very popular and obviously the special offers wont be there in high season.
I highly recommend Bistro Mar with its covered conservatory area if the weather is not at its best and full seating area outside for when the sun is shining. The telephone number is 971 532054. Art the time we were there Bistro Mar was closed on Saturdays to give Arnie, Mandy, Ma and the chef just a short time off but that may change as the season heats up.
Like many others I was very disappointed to find that the old Balaixa just outside Pollenca had closed and was very much hoping that Arnie and Mandy would still be in the restaurant business somewhere in the area.
We arrived in Pollenca in late April for a 4 week stay and after a quick look at the old Balaixa could find no sign of a forwarding address - just a "For Sale" sign. My wife suggested that we trot off to CSV and see if the old Bistro Balaixa might be operating. I was pessimistic, particularly when I noted that the direction sign that used to be located at the turn off from the main Pollenca-Puerto Pollenca had disappeared. However, on our second evening, we did press on to CSV and were heartened by the sight of lights being on in the windows of the old Bistro Balaixa as we approached. To our surprise and delight, not only was the bistro - now wonderfully renamed as Bistro Mar (Mar's Bar as Arnie called it!) - occupied, but was open for business.
Needless to say we spent a lot of time there in the ensuing four weeks and were able to welcome the arrival of a new chef. Ma is still the hard working stalwart who looked after us wonderfully throughout with Arnie and Mandy overseeing front of house and making sure that everything goes well. Both Arnie and Mandy looked very relaxed and at home in this environment and I think they are on to a winner here.
The menu has some of the old Balaixa favourites like lamb shank but they have also branched out into tapas. I must confess that I have always been a bit wary of tapas, worried that it was not quite a full meal and yet too much for a snack. Arnie and Mandy's tapas had us converted very quickly - I am now an enthusiast and if you are hungry just three or four tapas choices from the menu will be more than enough! I am hooked on the "Frito Mallorquin" - Arnie described it as "Mallorcan bubble and squeak" but that does not do it justice. Eaten with a portion of potato wedges and perhaps some sizzling prawns on the side, it is just wonderful. We also think that Bistro Mar's bread, olives and ali oli is the best we have tasted on the island.
As it was early season, Bistro Mar has some innovative offers to tempt potential customers with a different theme each day - free meals for children; starters for 1 cent with a main meal and free tapas with a drink at the bar were examples. It was obvious by the time that we had to leave back to the UK at the end of May that Bistro Mar was proving very popular and obviously the special offers wont be there in high season.
I highly recommend Bistro Mar with its covered conservatory area if the weather is not at its best and full seating area outside for when the sun is shining. The telephone number is 971 532054. Art the time we were there Bistro Mar was closed on Saturdays to give Arnie, Mandy, Ma and the chef just a short time off but that may change as the season heats up.
