Ca’n Boqueta, modern cuisine faithful to Mediterranean gastronomic heritage

Kiki Martorell is the chef and owner of Ca’n Boqueta, the beautiful restaurant located in the centre of Soller, in a sober 19th century house with high ceilings and spacious seating area, complemented by a pleasant interior terrace with mountain views.


Martorell, a native of Inca and settled by marriage in the town of Soller, has moulded in the almost twelve years that he has been with Ca’n Boqueta a very careful cuisine, of a good technical level, based on the best Mediterranean and Mallorcan gastronomic tradition. In all his dishes we find many of the great products that have been enriching the traditional cuisine of the island, refining it with a measure of experimentation. This has earned it the recognition of the critics (Bib Gourmand of the Michelin Guide), and the appreciation and loyalty of a varied and cosmopolitan clientele that has made Ca’n Boqueta a gastronomic reference of obligatory visit in Mallorca.

Martorell has made an effort over the last ten years to improve his cuisine day by day with dedication, care for the product and attention to detail, always faithful to the tradition and gastronomic heritage of this part of the Mediterranean.

After his training at the hostelry school in Alcudia, he worked with Juan Abrines and for a year with his good friend Santi Taura. 'We worked every day practically without any timetable', he remembers. Now he is delighted to be his own boss although, surprisingly, that was not his aim. ‘I didn't really intend to open my own restaurant so soon. I told my wife that when I turned 40 or 50, I would like to start something, but not before. I was happy working for others'.

A self-made chef

In Inca, in the restaurant where he worked, the owner told him that she was thinking of leaving and asked him if he was interested. I looked into it, but the numbers didn't work out'. A short time later, a friend from Soller called him and offered him the opportunity to take over the premises where he was currently working and set up his own restaurant. Martorell was then 30 years old. I came to see him out of commitment, and I was giddy at the prospect of taking that step. But I saw that it could work, with a tasting menu. And I took the plunge. Thank goodness I listened to him', he confesses now, a dozen years later.


‘This has not created a better life for us, nor has it allowed us to bring in money. But it has allowed us to carry out the objective of making a good quality cuisine, improving it day by day, and all while being autonomous, which is what I appreciate the most, because it forces me to analyse what I want to do, to budget it and, above all, to balance it. And meet interesting people and make lots of friends’, he adds with a smile. Like when, a few months ago, Google CEO Sundar Pichai came to try his dishes, recommended by chef José Andrés and Andreu Genestra, on a trip to this area to participate in a forum of world 'mega influencers' on climate change.

‘Cooking is my passion. I like to be in the kitchen every day, to take care of the details, and above all to do it well. I've been evolving the type of cooking I do for eleven years, and I'm more and more satisfied every time. I am very technical and I like to experiment and taste, until I am satisfied, because we know that the client is demanding and will not allow failures. This is a 24/7 job, of total dedication, of taking care of all the little details, which often are not valued enough’.
Kiko Martorell is a great lover of Mallorcan wines. The menu at his restaurant is quite extensive, and presents a magnificent sample of the most interesting wines and wineries on the island. I really like the wines from here. I do a lot of pairing with my dishes, I have done many tastings and I have got to know many vineyards, and that has allowed me to make the selection I like, through many suppliers'.

CAN BOQUETA MENU

Starters: Amberjack croquette, Black ‘Porcelleta’, Carpaccio of Soller prawns with foie gras, Artisan wheat bread with natural long fermentation, extra virgin olive oil (DO Oli de Mallorca) and truffle butter.

Main Courses: Creamy rice with rabbit and morel mushrooms, Monkfish confit in hazelnut oil with prune and vegetable purée, Can Company black pork confit with fig and pink pepper sauce.

Desserts: Grimalt cream cheese; Almond and carob 'Gato', cottage cheese ice cream, 'hierbas' liqueur foam, Palo liqueur cream, chocolate, Sóller orange and Porreres apricot.

Drinks: Rosa Blanca beer, Margalida Llompart 2019 white wine, Son Puig 2016 red wine. Font Major Mineral Water.

The tasting menu can be reserved, for an all inclusive price of 65€ per person, at www.ultimahora.es or by using the QR code:
Optionally, Majorca Daily Bulletin readers can purchase a 6-pack of Son Puig bottles for 59.50€. Buy at bshop.bookstyle.net or by WhatsApp to 645 852 817.