Travel Log: Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Palma de Mallorca is an island off the coast of Spain and is a major port city of the Balearic Islands. The famous attraction here is the La Seu, cathedral of Palma. In 1901, Antonio Gaudi was invited to restore the cathedral but decide not to complete it after working on it for ten years. It was eventually completed by Juan Rubio, Gaudi's pupil, and a colleague Gillem Reynes. With the amount of cathedrals we're seen throughout our trip, I almost feel holy. There was so many.

Barcelona: Restaurant Can Majó

Restaurant Cafe Majo is located in the Barcelonetta district of Barcelona. I promised Hubs before we left Barcelona that he would have authentic paella from Spain. Although paella is from the Valencia region, Cafe Majo would have to do. Plus the restaurant was a short walk from our hotel at the Hotel Arts of Barcelona. Since this is a beachfront restaurant, we got to walk alongside the beach and take in the late night scene. Dining at 10pm is the norm so after resting from our lunch at El Celler de Can Roca, I was up for late night dinner.


Bread with tomato spread


Crab hush puppies


Special: Seafood paella with lobster, crawfish, shrimp and clams


Mousse of Passion fruit and White Chocolate

Before settling for Cafe Majo, I read various travel/food reviews and found that Can Majo was a tourist trap. Fortunately, Hubs had rave reviews. He absolutely loved it. I guess paella in any region of Spain would beat anything from the U.S. In my opinion, it was ok. The ingredients were fresh and I liked the atmosphere but there's always room for improvement or at least we need to go to Valencia to have the real deal.

Can Majo
C/ AlMIRALL AIXADA,
2308003 Barcelona, Spain
http://www.canmajo.es/

Girona, Spain: El Celler de Can Roca

This place doesn't need an introduction. Ranked the second best restaurant in the world, I'm still wrapping my head around this meal. This is not a bad thing. It just means I have no words to accurately describe my emotions during the meal unlike the night before at Tickets. What I'm trying to say is, you had to be there. Was this the best meal of my life or at least close to it? I'm not sure. But I do know, I'm very lucky to have experienced it.

The menu Hubs and I decided to conquer was the Feast (155 EUR). It was a 11-course tasting but it felt like a 20-course tasting.

Amuse Bouche 1: Carmelized Olives

Amuse Bouche 2: Crackers

Amuse Bouche 3: Campari Bonbon

Amuse Bouche 4: Zucchini omelette

Amuse Bouche 5: Ring calamari adaption

Amuse Bouche 6: Anchovy Bone Chip

Amuse Bouche 7: Truffled brioche

Amuse Bouche 8: Mushroom Bonbon

Bread Service

Wheat and original brioche

Apricot and Olive brioche

Green Salad

Avocado, lime, melon, cucumber, Charttreuse, sorrel, green shiso, tarragon, rocker, oxalis, eucalyptus, olive sorbet and olive oil

Figs with Majorero cheese and guava with vegetable foam

Oyster with Palo Cortado and white and black garlic

A whole king prawn

Charcoal-grilled king prawn, king-prawn sand, ink rocks, fried legs, head juice and king-prawn essence.

Charcoal-grilled sole meuniere

Milk skin, black butter, lemon and capers, flower and citrus peel

Salt-code brandade

Braised salt-cod tripe, salt-cod foam, olive oil soup, shallots and honey, thyme and chili pepper, vegetable contrast

Iberian suckling pig blanquette with Riesling

Mango and summer-truffle terrine, beet, garlic, orange concentrate and saffron pistil

Red mullet cooked at a low temperature

Stuffed with red-mullet pate and aniseed-flavoured-herb, orange and saffron gnocchi

Steak tartare with mustard ice cream (as revisted in 2009)

Spiced tomato, caper and lemon compote, hazelnut praline, bearnaise sauce, Oloroso-sherry raisin, chive butter, Sichuan pepper, Pimenton de la Vera (D.O) smoke, paprika and curry, small scoops of mustard ice cream, mustard leaves, baby onions with vinegar

Lamb with charcoal-grilled sweet pepper and tomato

Wood-pigeon liver with onion, caramelized hazelnuts with curry, juniper berries, orange skin and herbs

Lemon Cloud

Milk dessert

Milk caramel, sheep's milk ice cream, sheep's milk curd-cheese foam, sheep's milk yogurt and milk cloud

Vanilla, liquorice, caramel and black olive

Mignardise