Sa Soca ("trunk of the tree" in the local dialect) is situated just outside San Antonio on the road to Sant Josep. You fly around a sharp bend, going uphill and voila, the car park appears on the left. The exterior gives little hint to what awaits, being a rather typical square whitewashed building. Walking in to the bar, it is only when you pause, looking to the left and right that you start to suspect you're somewhere rather special.
To the left there is a sizeable dining room, the charm summed up in the large fireplace that is the central focus of the room. However it was to the right that I so wanted to explore. It leads out to a gorgeous terrace, the roof a canopy of leaves through which the late evening light drifts down. It is like walking into a rainforest. High above, just out of sight, birds chirrup and a cat - apparently a bit of a show-off - runs through the branches.
The tables are simply but appealingly set; yellow table clothes and generous sized wine glasses (fabulous!) Andres & Alicia, the proprietors, continuing from their parents ensuring the 36 year history continues, seem to speak a range of languages with impressive fluency - English, Spanish and German at least! - and are enchantingly warm in their greeting of all guests - both those who obviously come here often and strangers alike.
The menu is in ... take a breath ... Spanish, Catalan, English, German, French and Italian! The focus is traditional but considered, catering to all. There is a good range of salads, fish dishes, meat dishes and of course, Paella.
The wine list is HUGE! It is more usual to have a choice of perhaps seven whites, rosados and reds but Sa Soca offer in excess of thirty five reds alone. Bliss.
Andres popped to the table to tell us of the evenings specials and his sheer enthusiasm for food and love of Sa Soca is captivating. Having thought we had decided on our dishes, after he had so beautifully described the Specials, we scrapped our original choices altogether.
Tip before I forget - Sa Soca are adored far and wide by the English community for their version of fish & chips...
Traditionally with an Ibicenco meal, you are served 'pan y alioli' (bread, olives and garlic mayonnaise) Sa Soca's alioli (the mayonnaise) is, to date, unique to me. Many venues pride themselves on their recipe and Sa Soca quite rightly should. I have long learnt not to fill myself with bread before a meal but this alioli, with a good almost mustard-like kick was so moreish....!
Then the starters arrived... Taking into account we are in a typical Ibicenco restaurant where Mum of the family is in the kitchen alongside a younger but also Ibicenco chef, the servings were never going to be small. In Ibiza you don't go hungry.
My 'Sa Soca' salad (tuna, salmon, mixed lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, asparagus, peppers and a superbly considered soy dressing) was nonetheless ginormous! The trouble was it tasted so good that I couldn't help myself but eat the lot as I chatted with my guest. Only as I reached the end and found myself feeling incredibly full did I remember it was just a starter.
We paused before the mains - a slow cooked shoulder of lamb for me and the aforementioned battered cod and chips for my guest. Another tip for you - as a general rule the Ibicenco's are great with meat and fish but totally fail with vegetables. So often I've been served a first class dish, until the eyes have strayed to the ... Steaming soggy mass of tinned beans and carrots, perhaps with a fairly dry half a potato for good measure. Yet again Sa Soca goes against the norm, serving an excellent potato and courgette gratin, fresh broccoli and beautifully sautéed potatoes to accompany the meal.
Both the lamb and cod were superb and we understood why now every table in the restaurant was full! We also understood why when folks wanted both a lovely restaurant ambience and fish and chips Sa Soca was a preferred destination (good chance I'll pop along for that in the near future myself...)
I am both sorrowful and grateful that Sa Soca isn't my local. If it were close to me I'd be a regular, with pleasure. However whilst I'd be content, I'd also be somewhat more rotund, ha! As long as I can still get a table, I am delighted to be able to recommend this restaurant to you!
Closed end of November but re-open in Febuary.
Call for Reservations - 0034 971 341 620
