El Caminito, Palma

One of Palma’s most popular tapas restaurants, El Camino, now has a younger (and smaller) sibling – the appropriately named El Caminito, which opened in early October. British restaurateur Eddie Hart and his professional team created this new eatery in a tucked-away lane, strategically located only a few minutes away from El Camino.

There are both differences and similarities between the two restaurants. Both have stylish interiors, although El Caminito has table seating rather than the stools at the counter at El Camino. As at El Camino, they display wine bottles to tempt. The stone arches and wooden ceiling beams of the original interior have been kept at El Caminito to attractive effect.

Executive chef Guillermo Roca has overall responsibility for the food offering at both El Caminito and its ‘big brother’. However, the menus are not the same, although some dishes are common to both.

We began with goat’s cheese-stuffed courgette flower (12€) from the ‘Fried’ section of the menu and monkfish and prawns (6€) – one of the three dishes under the category of ‘Bites). From those, we moved on to turbot (30€) for my lunch companion and baked rice with prawns (22€) for me. This was a delicious and satisfying dish, and I’d choose it again. There are dishes on the menu that are designed for sharing, including platters of cheese or cured meats.

I also recommend the organic, sourdough bread here, which comes from Thomas’ Bakeshop in Santa Catalina. After eating this moreish bread, you may want to head to the bakery to buy some.

A mango sorbet (7€) was my companion’s choice of dessert, while I nibbled the salted chocolate almonds (5€); if they sold them by the box to take home, I’d be a customer.

We both had wine by the glass: a 2022 Lyne organic verdejo (7€ a glass) and a 2022 Charlatan garnacha from Valladolid (7€). Some superb wines are on the list, with bottle prices ranging from 29€ to 600€ if you fancy a 2013 Vega Sicilia Único. Red wine fans should be particularly pleased with the choice here.

By the time we’d consumed our lunch – and most of the two hours allotted for a table booking – El Caminito was almost full. Some other diners were foreigners, but a table of four well-dressed, older men were locals sharing dishes, bottles of wine, and enthusiastic conversation.

We enjoyed the gastronomy, the service, and the ambience at lunchtime and shall try it for dinner one evening. I give a bonus point for high-quality amenities in the bathrooms and here the liquid soap and hand lotion are from Bamford (of the upmarket Bamford Wellness Spa in the Cotswolds).

Although the two restaurants are not the same, if you love El Camino, as I do, you’ll probably love El Caminito too.

Photos: Jan Edwards

Prices were correct at time of writing