Mirador de la Victoria (restaurant review, September 2011)

[Harters]

To my mind, there aren’t many places that combine really great food with a really great view. I can think of a place on Lake Garda, a pub in Cumbria, a seafood restaurant in Bournemouth, another on top of a block of flats in Calais and a couple of others. But they are few and far between. Usually, I find there’s a trade off – one wins over the other and that’s the case with the Mirador. The views are faultless – the clear blue water, dotted with small boats, stretching out to Pollensa in the distance, much nearer is the rugged landscape of the Formentor peninsula.

The food is less than perfect but that shouldn’t put you off taking the drive. It really is a pleasant way to spend an hour or so over lunch.

There’s good bread – the chewy “pan integral and good local olives – the ones they just crack and leave to infuse with the flavours – here it’s salt and fennel.

Salads were disappointing. For a “green salad”, nothing more had been done than open a supermarket pillow pack and dump a handful on the plate. For the “mixed” version, a hard under-ripe tomato had been added, along with a spoonful of tinned corn and a slice or two of onion and cucumber – and half an egg that had been hard boiled for so long it was unpleasantly rubbery.

Grilled sole brought a goodly sized fillet. Perfectly cooked, the flesh just flaking away from the bone. Alongside, a little fried courgette and a couple of boiled potatoes. Or, to be more precise, almost boiled potatoes – undercooked, still hard and not edible. Luckily, life’s companion had already got well stuck into the bread so diodnt go hungry for carbs.

I always think of shoulder of lamb as the Mallorcan equivalent of the British pub classic of Lamb Henry. Maybe like most pubs, they buy it in frozen from the catering wholesaler and warm it up in the microwave or as “boil in the bag”. Certainly here, it was “pull it apart with a fork” tender, but tasting of very not very much. It was OK, in the way that Lamb Henry can be from time to time. At least my spuds were cooked through – in fact they were the best thing on the plate. 2cm cubes, deep fried to a lovely crispness and tasting of, well, tasting just of potato.

Main courses are around the €15 mark with starters a bit less than half that. And, for all its faults, I’d rather be eating lunch there than a Lamb Henry in a dreary pub in Macclesfield.

[Alcanada]

Thanks for the review Harters.

I haven't been up to La Victoria for a year or two. As you rightly say the views are sensational, putting it firmly in the places to lunch rather than dine category. I agree that some of the food is a little on the ordinary side. The standard meat and fish dishes don't really stand out at all. About 10 years ago my wife and I discovered the special fish soup. This is far from ordinary and is an astonishing feast consisting of many types of fish and shell fish. I would recommend it to anyone who has a taste for sea food. The minimum number they will prepare it for is 2 people. If anyone reading this does order it then please don't make the mistake of thinking it is a starter. You won't have much room for anything after you've had this dish! They also offer one or two different types of paella. I've never tried one but they certainly look very good.

[alcanadakid]

Originally Posted by Alcanada

Thanks for the review Harters.

I haven't been up to La Victoria for a year or two. As you rightly say the views are sensational, putting it firmly in the places to lunch rather than dine category. I agree that some of the food is a little on the ordinary side. The standard meat and fish dishes don't really stand out at all. About 10 years ago my wife and I discovered the special fish soup. This is far from ordinary and is an astonishing feast consisting of many types of fish and shell fish. I would recommend it to anyone who has a taste for sea food. The minimum number they will prepare it for is 2 people. If anyone reading this does order it then please don't make the mistake of thinking it is a starter. You won't have much room for anything after you've had this dish! They also offer one or two different types of paella. I've never tried one but they certainly look very good.

We went off this place as the food had seemed to have gone downhill, but we have been there 3 times this year and have been pleasantly surprised. Not the greatest food, but a lot better this year. Service has improved too.

[barefoot]

Took friends up to La Victoria last week, and he said it was the best Beef Stroganoff he had ever tasted. Of course it helps that they use solomillo!

[whaleywanderer]

Originally Posted by barefoot

Took friends up to La Victoria last week, and he said it was the best Beef Stroganoff he had ever tasted. Of course it helps that they use solomillo!

Solomillo ???

[Sparky]

Whaley, it's fillet steak.

[supamac]

Could do with easy directions up there from let's say Tolo's. Would someone be kind enough to talk me through it? Want to try the view and lunch there in a few weeks' time. Ta!
Sue

[mike_dublin]

Hi
Hope the link below works. It's the Google Maps route from Tamarells to the Mirador de la Victoria.


Passeig de Londres, Pollença, Spain to Mirador De La victoria - Google Maps

[pollensa]

Originally Posted by mike_dublin

Hi
Hope the link below works. It's the Google Maps route from Tamarells to the Mirador de la Victoria.


Passeig de Londres, Pollença, Spain to Mirador De La victoria - Google Maps

Link works fine! Also have ago with street view. Zoom in a little & then drag the yellow man onto the route. It looks especially good as you get nearer to Victoria - fabulous!

[supamac]

Ah thanks for that - looks fairly straightforward!