Playa Pomelo, Mambo groups new venture, taking over Sa Bresca restaurant on Cala Gracio beach has created some local chatter so instead of listening to other peoples opinions I decided to try it for myself.
First impressions are good, the place has been refurbished to a high standard with solid wood tables on teak deck overlooking the beautiful beach. The new grapefruit colour is cool, it won’t be to everyone’s taste but I liked the rustic look. The place as a whole is very simple with its USP being right on the beach, unlike other places here you feel right in the middle of the action.
In keeping with the new Ibiza the service is a bit fussy with plenty of staff on hand to seat you, take your order and whisper sweet nothings in your ear. The manager is never far away overseeing everything with a friendly but stern eye.
The menu is simple and easy to navigate. For starters we went for calamari and croquets which were delicious and for a main I went for the simple smash burger and fries while my friend went for pork steak All the food was well presented, fresh & very tasty.
We washed it down with a bottle of rose wine, we weren’t going to but relaxing in such sumptuous surroundings with that view got the better of us. Total spend by the time we finished was 75€ a head for a long (ish) lunch, I had expected it to be a lot more as I’d heard plenty of scare stories so was pleasantly surprised.
The most important thing to consider is that this isn’t a local beach snack bar with food anymore. It’s a smart restaurant on the beach and the prices reflect this. It’s the new ibiza that attracts a certain crowd who are happy to pay for the position, service and food. It’s a 180 degree turn from where it was before – a family run beach restaurant – and if you do find these places then make sure to enjoy them while you can as they won’t be around for much longer.
Ibiza is now attracting a crowd that is more discerning, wealthier, worldly wise. In the 90s and noughties the competition was Mallorca, Benidorm and Costa del Sol. Now the competition is Las Vegas, Dubai, Miami and Mykonos
The new Ibiza isn’t to everyone’s tastes but restaurants in prime positions offering top service for premium prices that make you feel special are now the norm. Compared to other destinations the White Isle was massively undervalued but not any more.
Playa Pomelo will cause local debate but similar to other incredible beach venues it will become part of the fabric sooner rather than later especially if, as expected, it is a success. After all it’s not aimed at a local clientele but those pesky tourists who have the audacity to come over here with a pocket full of money and want good food and service in a prime position and are prepared to pay a premium for it.
As a nice extra there are now some really smart sunbeds on the beach at a set price of 7 euros per day operated by the town hall and open to the public. The locals might be in a state of consternation at the increased traffic but the bottom line is that businesses like this are taking San Antonio to new heights by pushing up quality and in turn increasing property prices to record levels. The yin and the yang of Ibiza right there.
MAN IN SAN AN by Martin Makepeace 