One of the most frequently asked questions in various expats groups on Facebook these days it “What's open this time of the year?”, particularly referring to touristy areas outside of Palma. This gave me an idea to go in search of restaurants in my own neighbourhood and so I stumbled upon Contro Corrente (Itailan for against the current), a stylish looking glass enclosed terrace at the seafront in Palmanova, not fat from the marina.
I looked them up on the internet and found out that there were two Contro Corrente restaurants, one located in Palmanova and another in Can Pastilla. They were described as offering “a unique dining experience that blends Italian culinary traditions with a modern twist”. The Palmanova branch, known as Contro Corrente - Italian Fusion Grill, is situated at Passeig Mar, with uninterrupted sea views, particularly beautiful this time of the year, when the tourists are few and far between.
On entering I was impressed with the restaurant’s cosy and welcoming atmosphere, and I liked their tagline of “Italian excellence”. Simple and confident! The menu at Contro Corrente in Palmanova includes a variety of Italian seafood, and Mediterranean dishes. It also features grill specialties, Neapolitan and Southern-Italian cuisine, providing a wide range of options for lunch and dinner. Although this place seems to be best known for its Neapolitan pizza baked in a wood fire oven, I really fancied a steak. So I opted for an entrecote and was pleasantly surprised when the friendly young waitress informed me that it came with a side of grilled vegetables and roast potatoes, so I did not need to order anything extra, as is often the case in steakhouses on the island.
The steak came out sizzling hot, served on an iron skillet, which meant that it would be kept warm throughout the meal – perfect for slow eaters like me. It was served with a cube of butter mixed with herbs and chilli, which gave the meat a tasty additional touch. I ordered the steak “medium done” and it was just perfect. The meat was juicy and tender and the side strip of fat was equally delicious. There was another iron dish full of crunchy grilled seasonal vegetables that included carrots, aubergine, green beans and radish. Potato halves were also perfectly cooked and nicely seasoned with salt, black and red pepper.
Overall, this meal was an absolute delight and I was super happy to discover a good steak reasonably prices. As I was dining alone, I observed numerous bowls of salad and large pizzas being carried past me. I will definitely return very soon to try both of those options.
Having enjoyed this truly excellent steak, I was so full that I did not feel like having a dessert, which is super rare for me. I did, however, have a cup of good strong espresso. I noted that it was made with Lavazza coffee, which is one of my favourites when it comes to commercial, rather than specialty coffee.
Location
- Contro Corrente
- Passeig Mar, 22, 07181 Palmanova
- Also at: Calle Pins, 17, Can Pastilla
- Tel: 971 80 14 40
Instagram: @controcorrente.pizzeria
The bill
- Entrecote - 24€
- Espresso - 2€
Opening hours
The verdict
Contro Corrente in Palmanova is a great little find for those visiting the area out of season, as it is open all year round. The steak was excellent, perfectly “medium” done, and a great value for money as a generous portion of seasonal grilled vegetables and roasted potato halves were all included in the price.
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