RESTAURANTE VENTORRILLO DEL CHATO This restaurant is a beautiful historic Goya-esque 18th-century roadhouse, situated near the beach dunes, an oasis in the heart of a desert strip. Jose Manuel Cordoba makes magic with fish here.   We come here for the Tortillitas de Camarones (shrimp fritters). The ones here are larger but also incredibly crispy, with more batter edges and significantly more shrimp than any others we had. They are great with a cold fino sherry. Other excellen

CAMBIO DE TERCIO Under Abel Lusa’s excellent hospitality and guidance, this restaurant has been a long-standing favourite in South Kensington for many years. It has become a standard-bearer for Iberian food in London. Most Hispanophiles consider it the best in town. On this occasion, we sat down, wrapped up on a reasonably chilly lunchtime, starting with a glass of Amontillado or Cava. Followed by, Pan cristal y Cinco Jotas Jamón Ibérico de Bellota 100% (Jabugo) Five Jotas Ib

RESTAURANT SALVADÓ This is an old-school, typical Ibicencan fish restaurant north of the island in Sant Carles de Peralta (San Carlos). Featuring fresh fish and rice dishes with a solid wine list and stunning sea views overlooking the little coves of Canal d’en Marti and Pou des Lleó Any lunch or evening meal at restaurant Salvadó is quintessentially Ibicencan and worth the trip. You start with an appetiser of high-quality bread, aioli, and olives. Mejillones picantes (spicy

CASA BIGOTE      Michelin Bib Gourmand It was in 1951 when a local sailor, Fernando Hermoso, opened a despacho de Vinos selling manzanilla to fishermen. Fernando grew an Errol Flynn-style moustache, and his friends started calling him “El Bigote”.   Manzanilla, a salty, extremely dry sherry (the salt comes from the local bodegas’ proximity to the sea air), originates from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and you will still find it on almost every table. In 1970, Fernando Jr. took over

LA SCROLLER We returned to this atmospheric beach restaurant mid-March on a sunny Monday lunchtime. We sat outside on the lovely terrace overlooking Playa Es Cavallet, as the weather was good.  In winter, seaweed is left on the beach to protect the sand; it is usually removed for the summer. If the weather is inclement, you can sit in the large dining room, which has a lovely open fire, for chillier low-season or winter dining. We started with a few aperitifs. Alioli con pan

CAPOTE Y TOROS HAM & SHERRY BAR We returned to the little offspring of Cambio de Tercio, where you will find this lively little tapas bar specialising in sherry and Jamón and serving other delicious tapas. From the small menu, you can try: The wonderful 5J Cinco Jotas Jabugo Jamón Ibérico de Bellota. The patatas bravas here are served in all three of their restaurants and tapas bars. Tiny new potatoes are topped with a smooth tomato bravas sauce and a luscious dollop of sp

IBAI LONDON As we had previously been to the famous Ibai (click here to view) restaurant in San Sebastián (the original, run by Alicio Garro and his wife , not the current one Michelin-starred run by  Paulo Airaudo ). We thought it was time to try the much-talked-about ibai in London. This is a place to worship steak in Basque-style indulgence in London. It is an authentic taste of the Basque Country, right in the heart of London, set in an old industrial warehouse, where t

RESTAURANTE LA PRIMERA We were looking for a restaurant in Madrid for 12 friends to have lunch, and we decided La Primera was the place. The restaurant is located in an ideal spot to enjoy Madrid, on the first floor (hence the name) of an iconic building on the famous Gran Vía. The interior design is elegantly minimalist, with a Scandinavian aesthetic and a dark yet cosy colour palette. It is spacious and comfortable. They offer a fine-dining interpretation of traditional Spa

RESTAURANTE S’ILLOT DES RENCLÍ  S’Illot des Renclí is a stunning, small beach, one of those that captures the essence of tranquil Ibiza.  The entire area is stunning, surrounded by pine trees and fishermen’s huts, with a famous islet offshore that lends the bay its name. The crystal-clear water is perfect for swimming and snorkelling, with a seabed teeming with sea life. There are four jetties where you can put your towel down if you don’t want to sunbathe on the beach.  It i

45 CURTAIN ROAD We had an excellent long lunch at the new 45 Curtain Road in trendy Shoreditch, London. The restaurant is set on the ground floor of the 45 London Hotel, with a large dining area, bar and open kitchen. The cuisine, led by Executive Chef Alex Furusawa-Cadoni, is a Spanish/Japanese fusion chophouse that combines bold Spanish flavours with Japanese techniques.  From the relatively short menu, we chose, Aonori milk bread, miso & shiso butter. Gilda (Gordal olive,