Checking out the sweeping views of Playa d'en Bossa, it's pretty apparent that Tatel restaurant has snared a pretty plum site. Located between two legendary venues - Ushuaïa Tower and Hard Rock Hotel - it's a glamorous, interesting place for glamorous, interesting people.
It's fitting that this restaurant also has a Miami outpost, because its Art Deco-styled bar feels oh-so South Beach. Pale pink and deep turquoise with polished copper fittings, low lighting, a moody, clubby soundtrack and an alluringly vast back bar, it's a place you could happily hole up for the entire evening.
Turquoise sea views
And the bartenders really know their stuff. Weird and wonderful infusions and elixirs are rustled up in-house, combined into concoctions that can please any palate and whim. We try a trio and are impressed thrice over: first by the fruit-and-menthol flavours of a Sunflower; then the Tiki-style El Chino Loco; and finally a tea vodka-based Champs Elysées. Each drink is lavishly garnished - the latter with a bizarre, beautiful bouquet of kale, mushrooms and charred baby corn.
Wonderful infusions and elixirs are rustled up in-house
We could happily stay for another round, but hunger (and a ready table) calls. There aren't many going spare and, what's more, everyone seems to be having a damn good time. If you're the type for whom a real vibe is a key meal accompaniment, you'll not be disappointed.
The MO of head chef Nacho Chicharro's menu is ‘Modern Spanish'. Accordingly, it features all those things that are menu mainstays in Ibiza right now: quinoa salads, sashimi, tartar. But it also celebrates classics that might be thought of as humble but needn't be, because they deserve to be held in higher regard.
Classic meets contemporary
Tortilla velazqueña
Two pre-dinner nibbles offer a solid illustration of Tatel's cuisine. Slender aubergine rollitos with a sweet zabaglione provide the innovation, whilst a stellar version of Spanish staple pan con tomate invites us to apply our own garlic, tomato, oil and salt to slices of country-style bread.
Tortilla velazqueña is available either in its classic form or with the earthy addition of truffle (an ingredient that team Tatel clearly understands is the best of friends with both eggs and potatoes). There are few things so satisfying as cutting into a soft-centred tortilla and, as we hoped and prayed, this one reveals itself to be perfectly executed.
We can never, ever resist a croquetta and, at Tatel, our weak wills prove to our advantage. ‘Fresh milk' examples are free from grease and crisp of shell, their wonderfully creamy, comforting flavour making 90% of all the others I've tried to date seem vastly inferior. Tender, lightly-battered Andalucian-style baby squid provokes a similar response; simply yet effectively jazzed up with a smattering of sliced green chilli and a squeeze of lime.
Surf and Turf
Grilled Spanish sirloin steak
Moving to main courses, we veer from the traditional with black cod with miso. It's little wonder this dish has been loved worldwide since Nobu made it famous in the nineties, because the combination of delicate fish and sweet-savoury glaze is irresistible. My grilled Spanish sirloin steak is well-aged and full-flavoured, accompanied by a truffled pomme puree and a salad that cuts all that richness.
To accompany all this very fine food, we drink a 2016 Villarica Rosado - a peachy number that's as easy to glug as it is to sip (although we aim to stick to the latter). As dessert approaches, we return to the cocktail list, further contemplating the after dinner options that piqued our curiosity whilst eyeing up the menu earlier.
Toffee, coffee & more
Coffee, cognac and little sweetness
The El Mar Irlandes brings together all those post-meal must haves: coffee, cognac, a little sweetness. Thick, creamy and garnished with an amaretti biscuit, it's a dessert in itself, but that doesn't stop us from sampling anise-scented torrejas, a chocolate-and-cookie-based ‘Spanish birthday cake', and a gorgeously bittersweet ‘pastel Tatel' - a sticky toffee pudding that pleases these two Brits immensely.
It's rare that a restaurant meal is top-notch from start to finish, but Tatel's kitchen delivers not a dud dish. And it's not just the food - this is a proper dining experience where the atmosphere is spot-on and the staff embody the art of hospitality: on the ball, in the know, and full of character.
We return to the bar for a nightcap and are sorely tempted to stay put until forcibly ejected. Happily for all involved, we cause no such fracas; departing very grudgingly but highly satisfied.
WORDS | Zoe Perrett
Quick Facts
What? Tatel Ibiza
Where? Playa D'en Bossa 07817, Sant Jordi de ses Salines
When? Open daily from 19:00 - 03:00
Why? For a super-sexy dining experience where top-notch drinks and food are served by a team of fantastic individuals.
Veggie Options? Indeed - opt for a truffle-laced pasta, rice with seasonal veggies, or make a meal from a selection of nibble-y starters.
Disabled Facilities? Certainly.
Top tips? Don't miss those croquettas; and ensure you end your evening at the bar, where shots of smoky mescal replace the typical hierbas nightcap.
