MEDITERRÁNEA

MEDITERRÁNEA sits right on the water in Cala Bona, on Carrer del Xaloc, where the seafront promenade runs into the old harbour. The place is family-run, and it describes itself in a single sentence: paellas, fish and meat off the coals, shellfish. It does not need much more of a programme than that. That is more remarkable than it sounds. As a description of a kitchen, "Mediterranean" is usually a shrug, a word almost anything can hide behind. Here it stands for something specific: Spanish coastal cooking with two centres of gravity. Rice in the pan, and everything that cooks over charcoal. The rest of the menu arranges itself around those two. Paella Sets the Tone The rice dishes are the reason most guests come back. You will find them with shellfish, as a mixed version with meat and fish, and in a lobster version — the last is the one people are most likely to recommend by name. The house deliberately talks about arroces in the plural rather than one single paella, and rounds the menu out with changing dishes of the day. Rice here is kitchen work, not a plate thrown together quickly. So allow yourself some calm. And book if a seat in the front row matters to you: the tables looking out over the water are limited, and for many guests they are the real reason to come. Off the Coals The second centre of gravity is the grill. Fish and meat cook over charcoal, and that shapes the flavour more than any sauce does. Anyone who has had enough of the sea for one evening will find steaks and ribs on the menu. Before that, the starters are worth your attention. Garlic prawns are among the dishes guests single out most readily. There are oysters too, Padrón peppers, and croquettes of salmon and octopus. To finish, cheesecake is on the menu. MEDITERRÁNEA and the Harbour of Cala Bona Cala Bona is the harbour settlement of the municipality of Son Servera, and the moorings still give the place its shape. The restaurant sits exactly on that edge: water in front, and behind it the promenade, which carries on to Cala Millor without any noticeable break. Both places hang off that walkway, so covering the stretch over from Cala Millor on foot is comfortable enough. That explains the crowd, too. Families sit alongside couples, larger parties alongside guests who have only dropped in for a glass of wine and a few oysters. There is seating outside as well, and dogs are welcome. Good to Know There is a decent choice of wine to go with the food, plus sangría, cocktails and coffee. Vegetarian dishes are on the menu, though not in great number — the emphasis is clearly on fish, shellfish and meat. If you would rather eat at home, you can order for delivery or collection.