Palma Mallorca's Best Restaurant - Faun De Sant Joan.
About Forn Sant Joan.
I discovered this little gem a few years back and often think about going back. Not many restaurants have that effect on me as I'm normally interested in trying something new. I stumbled across this place by accident when walking the streets of Palma, Mallorca, looking for a place to eat. Little did I know at the time what a special place I had found.
The restaurant is located in the 'La Lonja' (the old fish market) in the historic centre of the city. The building was formerly a bakery and was turned into a restaurant in 1992 by the founder Joan Baques. The outside of the restaurant does not give away the kind of place you are going to find inside, which is why I love it even more, nothing pretentious or fancy. I didn't have a reservation but the staff were happy to accommodate me all the same even though they seemed busy. There are four different areas of the restaurant, the Main Room, casual yet elegant; the Sala Cristal, small and intimate; the Sala Roja (the Red Room), perfect for a romantic dinner and the Bar-Lounge, with its modern, low-key design, ideal to have tapas in the centre of Palma or a drink before or after dinner. I sat at a table in the 'Red' room (seemed appropriate) over looking the old narrow streets of Palma.
My Menu Choices.
It was hard to pick my dishes as there was so much on the menu that I wanted to taste. For a starter I went with grilled filleted kangaroo, mashed carrots and soya cream. I've had kangaroo once before and find it to be very tasty. For my main, I selected free-range chicken and apple ravioli with leek sauce and crispy ginger. A totally unique ravioli experience. I finished it off with a Crema catalana "Forn": Crème brulée foam with apple and cinnamon ice cream. The restaurant has a great wine selection and cocktail menu for you to enjoy! The service by the staff was excellent and the owner even made his rounds to speak with all the guests and seemed to really care that people were enjoying the food. This is something that rarely happens these days in the world of corporate restaurant brands where you will never hope to even glance a look at the owner.
I cant wait to go back to Mallorca sometime and experience this lovely restaurant again. Fingers crossed it's sometime soon!
Helen
