It wasn’t that my €50 overview finances had been minimize, it was merely that I had spent €15 of it at a tapas bar. You’ll find à la carte €35 meals with relative ease in Palma however I made a decision to make it harder for myself by going for an all-fish lunch. That’s not really easy.

I knew that Sa Volta has some economical dishes on their menu, in order that’s the place I headed in my try to reel in a meal with three fish dishes. A fast have a look at the menu quickly made me realise that three fish dishes for €35 simply isn’t on the slab. Besides, I used to be going to eat a memorable three- dish meal and be properly inside the €35 in my pocket. Due to a sharp-eyed waitress, nonetheless, I ended up consuming 4 programs — three of them value a ten. And the quantity on the invoice was precisely €35.

My first dish was an ensaladilla rusa, adopted by sardines a la plancha. I then requested for a dish of cazón en adobo — and that was after I knew my invoice can be about €35 and I might be on finances. After consuming a big Russian salad and the 5 sardinas a la plancha, the waitress stated: “Cazón en adobo can be an excessive amount of after these first two dishes. I’ll carry you a half portion of cazón.” And people smart phrases meant I might have sufficient to pay the €35 price for 3 dishes and a dessert.

Nevertheless it wasn’t simply the amount that made this a meal to recollect and rave about — it was the first-class high quality of the 2 starters and the mains. It’s value remembering that many eating places are greater than prepared to serve half parts of sure dishes, so we must always benefit from it. You clearly can’t ask for half an entrecôte steak, however most locations can be prepared, say, to serve a half portion of meatballs on a mattress of rice, mashed potatoes or cous-cous.

Some eating places really encourage their clients to ask for half dishes by printing the costs on the menu. The fee for the client is that the half portion value is a bit of bit greater than half the complete value. However most individuals gladly make use of the half parts deal.

Folks consuming on their very own are particularly all in favour of smaller plates of meals as a result of the complete measurement model can really turn out to be a bit boring. That’s the case with in the present day’s cazón en adobo. Even when it’s as completely achieved because it was at Sa Volta, many diners would discover it too repetitive. That’s when half parts are the answer.

Having stated all that, nonetheless, I’ve to confess I’m not all in favour of half parts, though I accepted the small plate of cazón as a result of it allowed me to have three dishes and a dessert for €35. Once I go for ish and chips, it’s the jumbo measurement I need, by no means a small piece. If it’s a steak I really feel like, I need it to weigh in at 500 grs — and I wouldn’t thoughts sharing it. However I wouldn’t have break up the sardinas a la plancha with anybody.

THE VERDICT

As I used to be standing by the door of Sa Volta wanting on the menu, a girl popping out stated in a lilting Scots accent: “You’ll prefer it. It’s excellent.” It is rather good and also you, too, will prefer it. I’ve been going to Sa Volta for donkey’s years and meals there have by no means been something lower than excellent. And there have been instances once they had been glorious.

However that is the primary time I’ve given a ten ranking to 3 of their dishes. It’s by no means straightforward to get three 10s in a four-dish meal, and when it occurs I’m all the time more than happy as a result of it means the dishes had been good in each manner and I had no complaints about them.

As I wrote on the meals web page not too long ago, no two cooks ever make the identical Russian salad or potato salad. In Sa Volta’s Russian salad, the potatoes had been minimize barely bigger than regular, the cooking time was spot on, there have been good little touches of color from carrots and chopped tomato and so they used quantity of mayonnaise.

The half portion of cazón en adobo was among the many finest I’ve ever had: the flour coating was completely freed from residual oil and there was no signal these items of fish had been deep-fried.

I can not discover phrases exact sufficient to provide the sardines the reward they deserve. I’ve by no means had sardines that had been in the identical league as these. The caramelised flan was an quaint one which was clean of texture and wealthy in style.

THE PLACE

Restaurante Sa Volta, Calle Apuntadores 10, Palma. Tel:971-718440. Closed on Sundays. The eating room isn’t all that large and a few days it fills up shortly, so it’s all the time finest to make a reservation.

THE BILL

I all the time write the costs down in a pocket book, however this time I did it on a chunk of paper which I misplaced. I bear in mind the sardines had been €12.50, an unbelievable value for such an unforgettable dish. However I don’t bear in mind the opposite costs, though I’m positive the overall got here to €35.

FOOD

They specialize in Mallorcan and Spanish dishes and the kitchen works to a really excessive normal indeed.