LA MARITERRANEA Our friend Jonathon Lipsin is back in Formentera for the summer. Here is his visit to La Mariterranea. I walked by this raffish-looking restaurant last night. It has a funky patio and an equally funky kitchen, where a cook feverishly works over a fire and multiple pots and paella pans. This could be The Place, I thought to myself. You know, that place that is off the main road, away from the fancy high-end restaurants where the food makes all the difference, a

A Food experience across the border in Porto, Portugal by Jonathon Lipsin RESTAURANTE FLÔR DO BALDO Today, my friends took me here in Porto, Portugal, to a working man's restaurant seemingly in the middle of nowhere. It is by a river with big trees not unlike those in California looming outside the windows of an industrial-style, huge dining room. There is a wood-fired oven and long banquet-type tables, all with dishes set upside down as is the custom here. True enough, cl

Restaurant CAN RAFALET Tonight, my birthday dinner was mixed paella, finished with a hierbas liquor from the Balearic Islands, and served "en la casa" by the friendly restaurant staff. The place I chose for this orgy was Can Rafalet in Es Calo de Sant Agustí, which boasts the prettiest views on the Island. The sea is at its turquoise best here, and I like the paella. Other places serve rice with "some things in it," but this place serves a paella worth its salt, studded with

LA FRAGATA I walked into La Fragata (founded by Mari y Juan in 1979), the restaurant just down the beach from me, and the waiters immediately grabbed my hand and hailed me because they remembered me from last year. The owner came out and declared, "Jon Listen ", the man from California ......... It was close enough, and I felt like frigging Ernest Hemingway……… I have been craving fish, especially dorada (gilthead sea bream), and they have it. Some fish are priced by the kg,

PERMANENTLY CLOSED IN 2023? S'ABEURADA DE CAN SIMONET Revisiting one of my favourite restaurants on the Island. Early coffee at the 17th Century Plaza opposite the village church here in Sant Francesc Xavier (San Francisco Javier) Then some shopping for souvenirs, a cup and a shirt and then lunch at my favourite place on the Island, Can Simonet For sangria Gazpacho Melt-in-your-mouth gnocchi with salmon in a cream sauce Duck and then a salad with cheese, grapes, peppers, and

PERMANENTLY CLOSED IN 2023? KIOSKO LA FRANJA Jonathon Lipsin writes: This is my favourite swimming spot on the Island, situated on Platja de Migjorn, where I used to live behind the Piratabus. I enjoyed visiting La Franja, this little chiringuito, after my swim. A chiringuito is basically a wooden shack on the beach that sells basic sandwiches, tapas, cold beer, and wine. The people are friendly, and the service is quick. Unlike the more popular chiringuitos, like Bartolo's a

PERMANENTLY CLOSED IN 2023? RESTAURANTE S'EUFABI When one is under a full moon in Aquarius, and the internet healers all warn you of a significant shift about to happen in your life, and you are on an island in the Mediterranean somewhere off Spain and north of North Africa, you have two choices, as always. One is to hide in your casa until the prevailing cosmic forces subside and shiver in fear, and the other way is to say the hell with it and dive into the sea in a strong t