MalcolmS
Member
Part 2
On Wednesday we went to La Fonda where we couldn’t get a table outside in the lane but still decided to eat there, but inside. It’s hard to describe what it is we like about La Fonda. It’s just pleasant surroundings (ask for the story about the old stone pillar inside!), attentive staff, good, well cooked food if nothing outstanding and all reasonably priced. It’s another restaurant I don’t see mentioned too often here on the forum. Also every time we’ve been there’s been other Spanish speaking couples or families eating out so perhaps it’s popular with some of the locals too?
Which reminds me; just what is the situation with smoking in Spanish restaurants just now!! Maybe it’s because Scotland has enjoyed smoke free restaurants for so long now that we just noticed it more, but Cantonet, Trencadora, La Fonda and Clivia all had people smoking at the table in between courses! And only in Trencadora was that outside. Whilst it didn’t annoy us we did notice the smell whilst eating…
Thursday was the one we’d all been looking forward to so much – Ca’n Costa. I was worried when I walked in and saw it empty that we’d built up the visit so much that if anything wasn’t to standard it would be such a let down. And it almost was!
We hadn’t booked and were initially shown to a table straight away but we said no we wanted a drink whilst relaxing in the couches at the side of the bar. There only seemed to be Tollo and T? (anyone?) front of house and we were disappointed not to see our favourite waiter Alex there (we subsequently found out he left last year but is still working in Pollenca in a bar opposite the petrol station). Anyway I was looking forward to a marguerita and my wife a pina colada only to be told bluntly that “we don’t mix cocktails”. Both of us are certain that we’ve had cocktails in Ca’n Costa in the past. Anyone else care to verify??
Anyway that disappointment over we chose our first two courses from what did seem to be a rather cut down menu from the past. My youngest son and I both had the Ostrich steaks which neither of us has eaten before. I had heard before that they were more akin to a good beef steak than chicken so was glad to have chosen a good red wine.
That’s one thing I’ve noticed about Ca’n Costa that none of the other restaurants do which is to leave the wine glass in front of our 14 year old – all the others remove it straight away. We always let him try a mouthful of wine which I think is fine to get him used to different types of wine (someone will no doubt chip in and say this is illegal or disgraceful
).
My wife and other son both had the corn fed chicken and mozzarella dish described elsewhere as bland but when I told them of this description, both strongly disagreed. The desserts were very good but not the monumental course that we’ve had previously.
However overall the meal was excellent and still reasonable value when compared to eating out in comparable restaurants in the bigger cities here in Scotland.
I wondered how Thursday night paid though – two staff front of house. I’m guessing one if not two chefs in the kitchen plus no doubt someone to wash up and we were their sole customers taking only 232€ all night!
We’ll certainly be back though. Indeed we were still arguing over where we would eat on our last night in Pollenca and wished that we’d eaten in Ca’n Costa earlier in the week so we could eat there again. However we felt it was a bit extravagant (?) to eat there two nights in a row so Clivia won.
My youngest son has never liked Clivia – I think it’s because of the prominence of fish dishes on the menu – however we managed to persuade him with the promise of their signature shoulder of lamb dish. Guess what? It was either off or sold out that night when we got there!
I always think Clivia is a restaurant that doesn’t quite know what it wants to be! Sometimes it very ‘posh’ with lots of suits (ties even!) other times it’s relaxed and full of families with kids. This night it was the latter. My eldest son and I had the sea bass in white wine sauce and one of these days I’m going to be tempted by the sea bass cooked in the sea salt crust – looks amazing. Sweets that night were very good and I had one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve tasted in a long while.
Service was very efficient, fast even, and we were in an out in less than 2 hours… In fact I remember walking past the previous evening having been to Ca’n Costa and noticed Clivia already all shuttered up!
All in all an excellent meal but our most expensive of the holiday beating even Ca’n Costa.
And so on Saturday morning after a leisurely breakfast on the terrace of our rental villa overlooking Pollenca we had to leave for home – but I’ve no doubt we will be back one day. Hopefully not long away.
PS - we do usually try to have one meal out in PP but for the first time we never made in to PP other for some present shopping on the Wednesday morning and the Friday afternoon!
On Wednesday we went to La Fonda where we couldn’t get a table outside in the lane but still decided to eat there, but inside. It’s hard to describe what it is we like about La Fonda. It’s just pleasant surroundings (ask for the story about the old stone pillar inside!), attentive staff, good, well cooked food if nothing outstanding and all reasonably priced. It’s another restaurant I don’t see mentioned too often here on the forum. Also every time we’ve been there’s been other Spanish speaking couples or families eating out so perhaps it’s popular with some of the locals too?
Which reminds me; just what is the situation with smoking in Spanish restaurants just now!! Maybe it’s because Scotland has enjoyed smoke free restaurants for so long now that we just noticed it more, but Cantonet, Trencadora, La Fonda and Clivia all had people smoking at the table in between courses! And only in Trencadora was that outside. Whilst it didn’t annoy us we did notice the smell whilst eating…
Thursday was the one we’d all been looking forward to so much – Ca’n Costa. I was worried when I walked in and saw it empty that we’d built up the visit so much that if anything wasn’t to standard it would be such a let down. And it almost was!
We hadn’t booked and were initially shown to a table straight away but we said no we wanted a drink whilst relaxing in the couches at the side of the bar. There only seemed to be Tollo and T? (anyone?) front of house and we were disappointed not to see our favourite waiter Alex there (we subsequently found out he left last year but is still working in Pollenca in a bar opposite the petrol station). Anyway I was looking forward to a marguerita and my wife a pina colada only to be told bluntly that “we don’t mix cocktails”. Both of us are certain that we’ve had cocktails in Ca’n Costa in the past. Anyone else care to verify??
Anyway that disappointment over we chose our first two courses from what did seem to be a rather cut down menu from the past. My youngest son and I both had the Ostrich steaks which neither of us has eaten before. I had heard before that they were more akin to a good beef steak than chicken so was glad to have chosen a good red wine.
That’s one thing I’ve noticed about Ca’n Costa that none of the other restaurants do which is to leave the wine glass in front of our 14 year old – all the others remove it straight away. We always let him try a mouthful of wine which I think is fine to get him used to different types of wine (someone will no doubt chip in and say this is illegal or disgraceful
).My wife and other son both had the corn fed chicken and mozzarella dish described elsewhere as bland but when I told them of this description, both strongly disagreed. The desserts were very good but not the monumental course that we’ve had previously.
However overall the meal was excellent and still reasonable value when compared to eating out in comparable restaurants in the bigger cities here in Scotland.
I wondered how Thursday night paid though – two staff front of house. I’m guessing one if not two chefs in the kitchen plus no doubt someone to wash up and we were their sole customers taking only 232€ all night!
We’ll certainly be back though. Indeed we were still arguing over where we would eat on our last night in Pollenca and wished that we’d eaten in Ca’n Costa earlier in the week so we could eat there again. However we felt it was a bit extravagant (?) to eat there two nights in a row so Clivia won.
My youngest son has never liked Clivia – I think it’s because of the prominence of fish dishes on the menu – however we managed to persuade him with the promise of their signature shoulder of lamb dish. Guess what? It was either off or sold out that night when we got there!
I always think Clivia is a restaurant that doesn’t quite know what it wants to be! Sometimes it very ‘posh’ with lots of suits (ties even!) other times it’s relaxed and full of families with kids. This night it was the latter. My eldest son and I had the sea bass in white wine sauce and one of these days I’m going to be tempted by the sea bass cooked in the sea salt crust – looks amazing. Sweets that night were very good and I had one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve tasted in a long while.
Service was very efficient, fast even, and we were in an out in less than 2 hours… In fact I remember walking past the previous evening having been to Ca’n Costa and noticed Clivia already all shuttered up!
All in all an excellent meal but our most expensive of the holiday beating even Ca’n Costa.
And so on Saturday morning after a leisurely breakfast on the terrace of our rental villa overlooking Pollenca we had to leave for home – but I’ve no doubt we will be back one day. Hopefully not long away.
PS - we do usually try to have one meal out in PP but for the first time we never made in to PP other for some present shopping on the Wednesday morning and the Friday afternoon!
