Michelin Star in the Making: Quadrat, Palma de Mallorca

Staying in the mountains of Mallorca we decided to drive into Palma for a romantic evening in the city. Lucky to get reservations at the hottest spot in town Quadrat at Hotel Sant Francesc, we arrived early to catch the sun set (we even did a live Periscope broadcast) from the stunning rooftop lounge! It was just us, the passing birds and evening church bells ringing. Still too early for dinner we strolled through town for a little people watching, shopping (handmade fans) and take in the architecture on a warm late winter night… Hotel Sant Francesc is on Travel & Leisure’s It List 2016: Best New Hotels on the Planet – and we could quickly see why! The entrance was grand with arched ceilings and massive black and white tiles, the architecture is stunning and oozes modern elegance with old world charm. Led through the garden, past the bar and down the steps to what felt like an intimate chic cantina we were quickly greeted by the Exec Chef himself!! Chef Simon Petutschnig, remember that name, trust me. We exchanged pleasant hellos – but for Jason (a life long Chef and now happy home cook) it was slightly awkward being on the other side of the table. I knew the guy was busy prepping for dinner and wanted to get back into his safe heaven of the kitchen but he never showed it. The unpretentious, passionate Chef lit up when I asked about his take on dim-sum! (Check out the dim-sum video) You can see the spark in his eye and fire in his belly – this man will earn himself a Michelin Star if he so wants it, and not for being overly fussy (you know I’m not into foams,etc) but more-so for his perfectly executed dishes that balance local tradition & creativity with a modern flare. This hotel may be hot but let me tell you, the kitchen is on fire!!

We went for the Tasting Menu … Each course was paired with local Spanish wines selected by the most passionate (unpretentious) sommelier I’ve ever met, Luis. Bottle after bottle, he poured the perfect wine to accompany the dish sharing stories of the grapes or winemakers making the wine come alive! By the end of the meal I asked if he would join me at every meal, Luis was brilliant. The Tasting Menu – (with my two cents) Tomato tartar with smoked tomato chip (so intense and interesting, we talked about it for weeks after) Duck dim sum with Shitake mushrooms (I could have eaten these all night long) Meagre fish on yellow curry, coconut and peanut rock (loved the light fish) Iberian pork filet on the grill with potato, Shimeji mushrooms and Japanese barbecue (just gorgeous) Apples on sake with ginger and lime ice cream (the perfect palate cleanser) White chocolate with crumble, thyme, pineapple on anise and yogurt ice cream (just the cherry ontop!) The meal was more than memorable. The chef’s creative menu was cohesive and blended the local cuisine and Asian influence seamlessly. I can’t wait to return to Mallorca – just to eat here again!!