Our 10 days

Stephen · #1 22-10-2010, 17:17

Just back 2 days ago from a 10 day visit.
It is the 7th consecutive autumn we have been to PP,and this was by far the quietest I have seen the resort.The changeable(wet and chilly/sunny)weather
didn't help the atmosphere in and around the square,as it was just too inclement on several nights to be able to sit out and have a drink.
Our eating experiences this time were,can I say,mixed.
The Bad:Kashmir,the Indian in the square.Shocking.Indian restaurants have made their food so bland,in their attempt to appeal to everyone,that they have lost what they started out providing;tasty and robust grub that satisfied.After Mirch Massala last year,I can safely say that the two of the worst Indian restaurants I have ever been to are both in PP.
How difficult is it to make a decent curry? I manage here in Cheshire every week to make better one than Kashmir can.In fact my wife had curries in the 3 other non-indian restaurants (Makkasar,Hells Kitchen and Nico's)that were all far better than Kashmir.
The Very Good:Hells Kitchen.We ate there 3 times -the last 3 nights that we were able to.My only regret is that we left it until the 6th day to try it.
Good food without pretensions.Good service and a fair price to pay for it all.
This place is what eating out should be like,If it makes other places pull their socks up then it will have served a great service.
We paid 20 euros more in another place for a meal half the size and quality of HK.

pollensaparadise · #2 23-10-2010, 00:04

Maybe you should try Bradford for your next holiday

Mark · #3 23-10-2010, 10:36

Never been to either of them, but it might be better if the Chefs from the indian restaraunts went on holiday to Bradford to learn how make a curry that has some 'Zing'

Fantastic food = repeat business
Average food = catch the tourist only once

Portofan · #4 23-10-2010, 13:34

Come on Stephen!

You really need to tell us.

Did you eat any Spanish or Majorcan food in any Spanish or Majorcan restaurant at all during your visit?

Porto

whaleywanderer · #5 24-10-2010, 11:11

Sorry all but I think you are being a bit harsh on Stephen. It is a very personal thing what you want to eat when on holiday. Yes, it's nice to have a choice but don't criticize people that do not always want to eat spanish.

Don't get on my soapbox very often, thankfully

Mark · #6 24-10-2010, 11:40

Sorry Whaley, I did not word that very well. ( just added the words 'from the indian restaraunts' to my post above to try to make it clearer.)

I am in Suppport of Stephens comments, nothing worse than an average Indian meal.

I was trying to respond to pollensaparadise suggestion that Stephen should go to Bradford. ( that was a bit harsh I thought)

We generally eat at one of the many spanish owned restaraunts in Pollensa old town every night as I like to support local businesses where ever possible.

At least once each holiday we go to the Codfather for fish and chips, makes a change from rich food everynight.

When we arrive home after a week or two of eating out every night our first meal is always Fish and Chips and mushy peas at the Mother inlaws who invites us round on the drive back from the airport, Lovely

Mark.

lovethepinewalk · #7 24-10-2010, 13:03

Hiya All,

Must admit that I agree with you WW & Mark....... I thought that PP's reply was extremely harsh, wonder (in view of the time it was posted), if the reply was posted after one or two glasses of wine maybe....

All restaurants in the Port & Old Town need supporting in these trying times, for all different peoples taste buds.... After all, even with the local population resident in the Port, who one might think would always eat Spanish... sometimes decide to eat the delights of Burger King..... Nothing wrong with that.......

Just combine a bit of everything I say......

Have a lovely day.....

pollensaparadise · #8 24-10-2010, 14:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovethepinewalk

Hiya All,

Must admit that I agree with you WW & Mark....... I thought that PP's reply was extremely harsh, wonder (in view of the time it was posted), if the reply was posted after one or two glasses of wine maybe....

All restaurants in the Port & Old Town need supporting in these trying times, for all different peoples taste buds.... After all, even with the local population resident in the Port, who one might think would always eat Spanish... sometimes decide to eat the delights of Burger King..... Nothing wrong with that.......

Just combine a bit of everything I say......

Have a lovely day.....

Perfectly sober LTPW it just struck me as being quite strange to go to 1 restaurant thats specialities are bbq meats another thats a tex mex and a
3rd thats English and have curry in all of them as well as the Indian and after heading straight for an Indian on the last visit. But hey maybe its just me

Stephen · #9 24-10-2010, 16:15

I too thought the Bradford comment was unjustified.
If I'd criticised HK's food would I have been advised to look for a restaurant in
Shrewsbury or Ipswich in future?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regarding the question did I eat in any Spanish/Mallorcan places.
In the last 2 years;
Ca'n Josep (Spanish or Mallorcan?...I don't know)
Na Ruixa (Sounds Spanish,but didn't ask where the owner was from)
El Posito (Owner is Spanish I think,but an English lad was our waiter)
Makkasssar (Does that qualify as Spanish enough?)
Tribeca (English woman served us.Perhaps she's married to a Spaniard?)
Hells Kitchen (Not Spanish at all,other than it being in Spain)
What about if I go into a Spanish place and just get steak and chips?
Is that Spanish enough?
What if I go into an English run place and order some lamb that has been born and raised in Mallorca?
Is that Spanish enough?
I shall have to be careful about where I eat in future,paying particular attention to the nationality of the proprietors of the establishment,and the geographical provenance of the food I'm eating.

Sparky · #10 24-10-2010, 16:26

Come on guys there are no rights or wrongs here, only personal tastes, what food people choose to eat on their hols in PP is up to them. The very fact that there are so many options in a small resort is in my opinion a massive plus. I live here now so i use the Chinese and Indian restos which were a big no no when i was on holiday but that was my choice, only ever ate Spanish /Mallorcan fayre.
Stephen ate where he chose and while i agree with him re Kashmir (bland food and terrible service), i disagree re Mirch Massala (have always found the food to be tastier than any i had in Plymouth) btw Lila, who runs it with her husband is English.
Lets just live and let live

.

sleepyboaby · #11 24-10-2010, 16:31

LOL Spot on Stephen loved your reply and the comments were unjustified!

cumberland8 · #12 24-10-2010, 22:45

i thought it was funny, I think we are all abit serious at times.

BigErn · #13 25-10-2010, 11:18

Well put Stephen, unfair of people to be judgmental just because you fancy an indian. I too get withdrawal symptoms due to lack of decent curry in PP, especially after a few San Miguels!!

In my experience Hells Kitchen do very good Onion Bhajis and a decent madras, I think this is the best you will get in PP. Never tried Mirch massala so cannot comment.

Also there are two indian restuarants in Palma we have tried which are first class, cant remember the names but they are both by the hotel Costa Azul, near the harbour.

Lorenzo · #14 25-10-2010, 13:51

Not wishing to get too embroiled in this discussion, but isn't it also true to say that favourite dishes, whether they be Indian, Chinese, Thai or any other speciality meals, often taste different because the basic ingredients have a different flavour?
IMHO, the chicken, lamb, pork etc in Spain (and also in Mallorca) have a completely different flavour than the same meats at home in the UK. Same goes for the vegetables too so most dishes with the same name here taste pretty different in PP. Both are good though!

Disorderly · #15 26-10-2010, 12:57

Well done, Lorenzo, for injecting some good grounded common sense in amongst the backbiting!

The ingredient point is a very good one. If you've ever eaten corn fed, as opposed to grass fed beef, or saltmarsh lamb as opposed to grass fed lamb, you wouldn't think you were eating the same animal. I suspect that the purveyors of all things Indian (high quality, fresh spices, for example) may be a little few and far between on the island, so perhaps the taste is a little "stale" as a result.

Must admit that I'm of the "when in Rome" persuasion myself.....never seen the point in trailing half-way round the planet for pie and chips, but I have no interest whatsoever with other folk's choices, that's the great joy of being an adult.....choices!

I love Spanish food but, even at really great UK Spanish restaurants like Fino in London, it doesn't necessarily translate entirely authentically, though many of their ingredients are sourced in Spain, I think.

Anyway, I've enjoyed this post.....it's been a while since a little controversy entered the discussion - always makes me smile.

Duncan