El Jardin 2016.

[graham]

El Jardin is one of the new wave of Michelin Starred restaurants in Mallorca. We went a few years ago and it was - genuinely - an amazing experience. 11 courses, imaginative, creative cooking and your own personal waiter who looks after your table and yours alone.

The Bistro downstairs shares the 'Jardin' name so there's an awful lot of brand equity and reputation at stake. And it doesn't disappoint. The maitre d' is charming, funny and just a little foppish and he endured and encouraged my attempts at my new-found spanish with alacrity.

The food is several notches above anything anywhere in the area and the portions are big (maybe too big?). I had Polpo to start with a delicious, light, mashed potato followed by the very best suckling pig I have ever tasted. And I've tasted a lot. The bill for two was a very reasonable €120, great value for a top notch establishment. But.......

The 'But.......' is the location. This is Alcudia. This is disco city. And no matter how attentive the restaurant is to furnishings, lighting, decor, ambience and style, if you've got Queen, Beyoncé and Gloria Gaynor giving it full volume down the road , it doesn't matter how good the John Dory or the Cap Roig, sadly it's all about about Da Bass.

 

[Harters]

I'm a big fan of Macarena de Castro's cooking. We've eaten at Restaurant Jardin twice and it's absolutely top quality inventive food. Not been troubled by intrusive noise - but then we've never eaten in the bistro. Have to say, I was surprised when I heard she'd opened the bistro as it could have detracted from the main restaurant. However, it seems to be run pretty much as a separate operation and will be good for bringing in income. Ready income is always an issue for top end restaurants. When we were last there, we were chatting with Maca and she says she closes the restaurant in the winter months and she goes off to work in South America.