Page 52 - Divine Destinations by Wonderluxe Luxury Travel
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  La Residencia Hotel
  DESTINATIONS FOR FOOD LOVERS
 The terrace at El Olivo
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With all due respect to Robert Louis Stevenson, to travel hopefully isn’t always a better thing than to arrive. Not when, at your destination, there’s duck breast with beluga lentils waiting for you. Or lobster with green asparagus ravioli. Or a millefeuille of Cuban chocolate with spiced bread. All this and much more is the signature of Deia, a magical gastronomic village on the north west coast of the island of Mallorca. Made famous by the writer Robert Graves (‘I Claudius’ who bought his villa there) a visual feast of colour and history is complemented with sublime cuisine.
As Bray is to England, so Deia is to an international set of discerning palettes (and indeed wallets). Andrew Lloyd Webber, a local resident, describes Deia as the “gastronomic capital of the Mediterranean’. Michael Winner, with typical understatement, described it as “fantastic, beautiful beyond belief... and the food is stupendous”. In Deia, you have a paradise with food to match. Here, we explore a few recommendations that are worth the trip alone.
El Olivo
A firm favourite of Hollywood A-listers, La Residencia nestles between the impressive craggy Tramuntana mountains and the endless blue of the sea. Some 30 acres of olive and citrus groves guard your privacy, where this hotel artfully blends glamour and fine living with a reverence for its ancient Mallorcan past. Indeed, this exclusive haven has been created out of 16th and 17th century traditional manor houses, now equipped with state of the art luxury. Its restaurant El Olivo is not only one of the island’s finest, but one of Spain’s. Be warned: in this impossibly romantic setting, it is nothing less than sheer gastronomic seduction. Guillermo Méndez’s Tasting Menu destroys your defences with such creations as venison carpaccio with caviar from “Rio Frio” and Port wine vinaigrette; and John Dory with langoustines, crabs and coconut; cod fillet with callos and herb oil; and then millefeuille of pigeon breast in a truffle sauce. The dessert menu also takes no prisoners, and a mighty tome of a wine list ensures the perfect accompaniment to every nuance and flavour.
Ca’s Patro March
Daily fresh fish and dream views in Cala Deià. This fantastic restaurant can be accessed by sea, in just half an hour of navigation (or less) sailing from Port de Sóller.
Cala Deià. It is a small rocky cove, located at the foot of the beautiful mountain village of Deià. Its privileged location by the sea, on top of a small cliff overlooking the clear waters of Cala Deià, is one of its strong points. Its appearance, somewhat rustic, makes us think of the fishermen who lived here for years, when fishing was a way of subsistence. Local fresh fish is the specialty of Ca’s Patró March with fish caught on the same day just a few hours before serving.
Restaurant Es Raco de’es Teix
Another alumnus of El Olivo is Josef Sauerschell, who won his first Michelin Star there in 1991. He then departed to set up Es Racó d’es Teix (which, not surprisingly, is known simply as ‘Josef’s’ to the locals). He opened in 2000 and won his Michelin Star there in 2002. Sir Michael Caine proclaimed “let’s






















































































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