Every Friday locals head to Shardana for APERITIVE IN MUSIC, a night of quality underground music, cocktails and a tasty free buffet. Still somewhat of a hidden gem, you enter through a pretty flowery canopy into a dimly lit pool area, with a small modern bar inside. Friendly staff serve up wine and spirits for reasonable prices – a vodka and mixer only sets me back €7 – and the DJ is set up at the far end of the bar playing deep tech house.
Drink in hand I choose to find a seat outside by the pool. People are lounging on white beds looking relaxed and laughing, and you can still hear the music in the background just loud enough over conversation. Finding a little table to sit down by I notice the crowd seems to be mainly locals, plus a few familiar faces from DC10. The vibe is very chilled and intimate but the DJ keeps a lively atmosphere about the place.
Tonight the music is provided by Gritter, a UK based underground house and techno party, run by Rogan, HoH and Rio. Different visiting DJ's play each week, and June has seen hosts like Lola with Le Loup and Julian Perez. Most people are sitting outside but you can imagine this would be a great little bar for a dance when it gets busier later on in the season.
A nice touch is the free buffet. Plates of tomato topped brushetta, salads, juicy strips of steak and other finger food are continuously being laid out throughout the evening. The restaurant has a reputation for good food and the buffet does not disappoint, meaning I go back for seconds and thirds!
It is refreshing to find somewhere with a sense of sophisticated tranquillity amongst the 2 for 1 tourist-led cocktail bars of Playa d'en Bossa. The perfect alternative to the big nightclubs if you are looking for a more chilled drink and dance but still want to hear some great music.
