When I moved here, I heard that Palma was constructed so that wherever in the city you are - if you go to a top floor or a roof terrace - you will see La Seu, the city’s stunning gothic cathedral, built on remains of a mosque. I am not sure whether that is true or not, but I have certainly enjoyed seeing the cathedral from many vantage points around town over the years.
Enjoy the views in the heart of Palma
One such place is the Sky Area, on the 8th floor of 4* Hotel Almudaina in the heart of Palma. The area consists of the bar, the restaurant and the terrace. You can enjoy “the sea breeze, sunsets, chill-out music, cocktails and delicious appetisers to share with friends - all with the Cathedral and the Mediterranean as a backdrop”.
I have sat on Sky’s terrace, relaxing or meeting friends, many times over the years. This time I went there to enjoy their Menu del dia. The restaurant is relatively small, but stylish, with comfortable cream leather seating, cool brass lighting and - already mentioned - incredible panoramic views of Palma and the cathedral. At some point I also noticed that, through the window behind the bar, we could see the Tramuntana, with its gorgeous snow-capped peaks. What a great setting for a meal!
The menu changes weekly here and includes: three courses, bread and a drink (water, wine or beer). The bread was nice and fresh, but I was surprised that it was not served with olives, alioli or anything else.
Gnocchi with smoked cheese sauce, dried apricots and walnuts
I started with Gnocchi with smoked cheese sauce, dried apricots and walnuts. This was excellent! The gnocchi were perfectly done; the sauce was creamy and smoky while the chopped apricots and nuts added an interesting crunch and a touch of sweetness to the whole dish. I would have liked a few more nuts, perhaps, but overall I really enjoyed my generously portioned starter and would definitely have it again.
For the main dish, I was deliberating between a Sea bream fillet ‘a la mallorquina’ (with vegetables) and a Pork cheek, creamy corn, gruyere cheese and truffled potato. I went for the latter, but it turned out that my friend’s choice was wiser. The pork was melt in your mouth soft, really juicy and full of flavour, but it was a little overdone for my liking. The creamy corn and the truffled mash potatoes were tasty, but their consistency was slightly too runny. The dish was wholesome and filling, but somehow lacked the excitement I felt when reading it’s description on the menu. On another hand, my friend’s sea bass was very, very good. The fish was perfectly done and accompanied by a generous portion of colourful steamed vegetables and sliced potatoes, which all together resembled mallorquin tumbet.
Caramelised "arroz con leche"
I chose Caramelised ‘arroz con leche’ i.e. “rice with milk” for dessert, thinking “one can’t go wrong with this classic”. Also, I was intrigued by the addition of orange zest and cinnamon to the mix. It was served in a low tumbler glass, it was good and filling, but it should have been more flavourful with those warm spices.
Overall the meal was quite good. The service was really friendly and accommodating, especially as we just walked in without the reservation during the busiest lunchtime period. I will keep checking the menu and probably eat here again, but I will without any doubt be back for a coffee or a sun downer, once this cold finally leaves the island and the sun warms up our bones again.
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