Estragon La Plaça, Felanitx

The name and sign over the door of this restaurant in Felanitx may be familiar, but everything else has changed since I first visited in 2004. Today, Estragon has a smart, contemporary interior and has been in the hands of new owners since the beginning of November.

Felix Passow and his wife Vivien moved from near Berlin to Mallorca to take over this restaurant, located in a quiet part of Felanitx next to the Parc Municipal de Sa Torre. And it’s easy to see that Felix is loving his new hands-on role in hospitality.

We found parking just steps from Estragon, which has a few terrace tables at the front for warmer months. Inside, we spent several minutes admiring the change to a more modern décor since we’d last visited. Large artworks hang on the wall – and are for sale, if you see one you fancy and have enough wall space at home. A novel and eye-catching way of storing wine bottles above the bar is a talking point.

Once we’d settled at our table, one of the two young female servers brought over a blackboard menu. The choice of dishes is just enough to know that everything is made on the premises. Felix told us that there are small changes to the menu every three to four days.

The German chef René Neuber worked here with the restaurant’s previous owners. He’s been on the island for twenty years so has established good relationships with his food suppliers.

Estragon gets a big tick for its delicious sourdough bread, supplied by a baker in Campos. With a good crumb and crust, this moreish bread was served warm.

We shared a starter of beetroot, pear, walnuts, and gently baked goat’s cheese – delicious! (16€). From the seven main course dishes, we had fillet of corvina (croaker) with a quinoa and mushroom risotto (29€), and tender, slow-cooked Iberian pork cheeks with a delightfully smooth sweet potato purée, tomatoes, and courgettes (25€). All four desserts were 7€ each and we chose a silky mango panna cotta and an apple cake.

The wine card has a good choice of Mallorcan wines – including several from the Felanitx area. A separate page offers a good choice for those who prefer natural wines. And for those who are driving, there’s an alcohol-free ´rosado´ on the list. Our dinner ended with a complimentary ‘chupito’ made from apples and cinnamon by Felix’s wife Vivien. It arrived in a small bottle with two small glasses. If it were for sale, I’d have bought a bottle.

Estragon ticks quite a few boxes but special mention must be made for the service. Felix is fortunate to have two young servers – Veronica and Monica – with impressive people skills who enhanced our dining experience there.

Photos: Jan Edwards

Prices correct at time of writing.