ALARO, MALLORCA, SPAIN
During my stay in Palma I had heard of several people rave about this absolutely delicious lamb restaurant. Very few people who had visited the restaurant seemed to know the name of it but what they did know was that they prepared the most mouthwatering lamb shoulder that they had ever tasted. With a little help from Google and directions given to us by some kind and friendly locals we were able to locate the restaurant in a little town called Alaro.
Once you enter the town follow signs for Castell d’Alaro. These should lead you up a steep narrow winding road full of bumps and potholes, this should come with a warning, DO NOT attempt to drive up here in an expensive sports car you will not go home happy! Aside from that, this place is absolutely magical.
Once you enter the town follow signs for Castell d’Alaro. These should lead you up a steep narrow winding road full of bumps and potholes, this should come with a warning, DO NOT attempt to drive up here in an expensive sports car you will not go home happy! Aside from that, this place is absolutely magical.
On the drive up you will pass copious amounts of hill walkers and cyclists, which is an alternative way to journey up to the restaurant. It is quite a climb so I would advise leaving very early in the morning and you should reach the restaurant by 1/2pm – you will most definitely deserve a succulent lamb shoulder and a bottle of wine by then!
We drove the car up to the carpark near the restaurant, by now we had figured out that the actual name of the restaurant is ‘Es Verger’. We strolled up to what looked like a large farmhouse placed in the middle of the Mallorcan mountains. The tinkling sound of sheep and goat bells is heard in the distance, with them wandering freely amongst the hills. We entered the restaurant to what looked like a restored old barn. A huge stone fire blazed heating the room with very casual and cozy seating arrangement. Old farming tools hang on the stone walls which adds to the authenticity of the old Spanish barn. We were immediately greeted by an incredibly friendly waiter, he showed us up stairs to another room filled with long wooden tables and benches. This is one of Es Verger’s charming qualities; everyone eats together and enjoys the beautiful food that is prepared. We arrived up to the restaurant at 12.30pm, it was quite empty but we had heard that it fills up reasonably fast and is usually at capacity by 2pm. So with the aromatic scent of slow cooked goat and lamb filling our noses we sat down with no hesitation.
Home produced olive oil, bread, olives and wine is brought to the table before you can even open your menu. The menu is straightforward and self explanatory, our friendly waiter made it very clear what to have. So we followed his instructions and ordered the Mallorcan soup to start followed by a lamb shoulder each for the mains. He also insisted throughout the day that we try the goat, which I presume can only be just as delicious.
Dangerous or not the bottle of wine is left on the table so you can help yourself as you please. Our soup arrived in minutes. A huge hearty bowl of steaming garlic and meat stock with beautifully cooked cauliflower, cabbage, spinach and onions. This all sits on top of sliced bread that has soaked up all the tasty goodness the ingredients on top of it. We were given a bowl each to help ourselves, this was the perfect tummy warmer to get our appetites going.
As we were slurping away on this yummy soup the room quickly started to fill up around us. Hikers who had ventured up the steep climb joined the table beside us, and a lovely elderly Spanish couple who ordered a large bowl of garlic snails had come and sat next to us. With not many common words between us, we smiled and interacted with them through enjoyment of the scrumptious food and wine. Meanwhile our extremely friendly waiter had taken the liberty of taking photographs of all the groups of people who had come to eat at the restaurant.
Dangerous or not the bottle of wine is left on the table so you can help yourself as you please. Our soup arrived in minutes. A huge hearty bowl of steaming garlic and meat stock with beautifully cooked cauliflower, cabbage, spinach and onions. This all sits on top of sliced bread that has soaked up all the tasty goodness the ingredients on top of it. We were given a bowl each to help ourselves, this was the perfect tummy warmer to get our appetites going.
As we were slurping away on this yummy soup the room quickly started to fill up around us. Hikers who had ventured up the steep climb joined the table beside us, and a lovely elderly Spanish couple who ordered a large bowl of garlic snails had come and sat next to us. With not many common words between us, we smiled and interacted with them through enjoyment of the scrumptious food and wine. Meanwhile our extremely friendly waiter had taken the liberty of taking photographs of all the groups of people who had come to eat at the restaurant.
At this stage our plates had been cleared and our lamb shoulders had arrived. The two of us took a moment and just smelt the incredible strong and rich aroma of lamb. The dish is served with simple oven roasted potatoes and a green salad, and trust me it needs absolutely nothing else! I pressed my fork lightly into the flakey meat and it came sliding off the bone. I have never seen or smelt lamb like this before. The sweet yet earthy meat melted in my mouth, it was an intense taste, an amplified version of the best lamb I had ever tried. It was juicy, moist and so incredibly moorish. The potatoes were perfectly salted and almost cleansed the palate in-between bites of this beautifully slow cooked lamb.
We sat and savored every last bite, taking our time to enjoy the heavenly flavors and melt in the mouth texture of this stunning piece of meat. Our friendly waiter once more enticed us into a dessert but we decided to save it for after our stroll up to the castle. With nearly a bottle of white wine consumed, beer, warming soup, two shoulders of lamb and the antipasto bits to start, the entire bill came to a shocking €41! No where else would you be able to find a stunning panoramic setting, great friendly personal service, out of this world food and beautiful wine for only €41.
We sat and savored every last bite, taking our time to enjoy the heavenly flavors and melt in the mouth texture of this stunning piece of meat. Our friendly waiter once more enticed us into a dessert but we decided to save it for after our stroll up to the castle. With nearly a bottle of white wine consumed, beer, warming soup, two shoulders of lamb and the antipasto bits to start, the entire bill came to a shocking €41! No where else would you be able to find a stunning panoramic setting, great friendly personal service, out of this world food and beautiful wine for only €41.
We left the restaurant with extremely happy bellies and attempted to walk off a blissful lunch. To be honest the stroll up to Castell d’Alaro is almost as beautiful as the food at Es Verger, I suppose it depends what you are in to! We walked up winding paths, through little forests, and climbed what were now the remains of the castle wall up to the castle itself. The views from the top are breathtaking. At 822m high you can enjoy a full 360 degrees of Mallorca. Whether you decided to enjoy the hike before or after your meal, it most definitely should not be missed.
After taking in the sensational scenery and soaking up the late afternoon rays we slowed plodded our way back down to enjoy the last few minutes of sunshine at the restaurant. We ordered coffees, ice cream and a smooth creamy dessert to share and enjoyed them as we sat watching the blazing orange sun slowly disappear behind the mountains.
Make this a priority when you come to visit Mallorca, its an experience that everyone must savor.
Make this a priority when you come to visit Mallorca, its an experience that everyone must savor.