IBIZA - SANT LLORENC DE BALAFIA - RESTAURANT CAMI DE BALAFIA

RESTAURANT CAMI DE BALAFIA

If you fancy something big and meaty in the evening, (sorry vegetarians but this is probably not for you!) drive up restaurant road, officially known as Carretera San Joan de Labritja, (it‘s the second to last restaurant on the left, on the stretch of road going to the village of San Joan de Labritja from Eivissa (Ibiza Town). If you count down the kilometre roadside posts, it is at 15.4km.

Here, you will find Camí de Balàfia, which is set back off the main road opposite Ca Na Pepeta, which is also good.

This restaurant represents the real Ibicencan (even hippy) spirit of Ibiza. You eat under the stars in a beautiful hacienda courtyard covered by orange and lemon trees.

There is indoor seating in the unlikely event of a freak thunder storm. This place is frequented by the famous, (Mick & Jade Jagger, Kate Moss et al) and the not so famous faces of Ibiza.

Start with fantastic aioli, which is utterly gorgeous, strong, vertualy, raw garlic!.

With olives and home made bread

Next, is a side dish of sensationally sweet and locally produced, tomato and onion salad.

They have no menu, as this is the place for big chunks of meat and in particular, steak.

Great big succulent slabs of steak are cooked on a huge outdoor grill,

over a combination of three kinds of wood, from almond, carob, and olive trees.

They also grill :

Chorizos (Spanish Sausages)

Pollo de corral (free range chicken)

Conejo (rabbit)

Chuletas de cerdo (pork chops)

Chuletas de cordero (lamb chops)

Entrecôte (sirloin steak)

You can try all of these meats in a mixed grill if you wish.

They come with the most delicious chips, they say, they are expertly hand peeled by the grandfather.

Desserts include

Crema Catalana

Flaó (homemade cheesecake with mint)

Graixonera (a local cinnamon based bread pudding)

There is also a decent wine list, including, Rioja and Ribera del Duero and many local wines such as Tinto de Pais from North West Ibiza, good, if you like big unfiltered reds.

Finish, with a chupito of home made hierbas (a local liqueur, made with herbs from the island) usually, on the house.

This place, is run by a local family with friendly service. Do not expect a sophisticated ambiance with live shows or fashion catwalks as this is a traditional, long standing, Ibicencan restaurant.