Singular The Lodge, Sa Pobla

Chefs in Mallorca may have a wealth of hi-tech kitchen equipment available to them but the oldest way of cooking – over a wood fire – is hard to beat for enhancing the flavour of food. Singular, a restaurant in the countryside near Sa Pobla has made ‘cocina del fuego’ its speciality.

Open for just over a year, Singular is the restaurant of the 24-room, five-star hotel, The Lodge. This year the restaurant is open to the public for both lunch and dinner by reservation only (online).

The prestigious chef, Ramón Freixa – whose eponymous restaurant in Madrid has two Michelin stars – designed Singular’s gastronomic concept. Chefs Mateo García and Margalida Moya lead the kitchen team on a day-to-day basis.

Wood from the estate’s numerous almond, olive, carob, and Holm oak trees, adds subtle nuances to the taste of the food cooked over fire. The estate also produces fruit, vegetables, and honey for the kitchen, which sources additional seasonal and high-quality produce from local farmers and fishermen.

Singular offers an à la carte menu of starters, rice dishes, seafood, grilled meats (Including premium Galician beef), sides, and desserts. Its tasting menu costs 90€ – also the price of its unique Wednesday evening dinners in the lavender fields, the largest in Mallorca.

For our tasting menu on the terrace, we snacked on a rustic ‘gilda mallorquina’ – sobrasada, pepper, anchovy, fig, and olive skewered onto a twig, ‘coca’ of sardines with rosemary ‘tumbet’, and a red prawn from Sóller.

Home-made bread is from Mallorcan ‘xeixa’ wheat flour; on the side, smoked butter, extra virgin olive oil from sister hotel Finca Serena near Montuïri, and olive oil crackers. The cured meats are from the respected Can Company.

Our starter was a vibrant and delicious cherry gazpacho. Next, we ate a fillet of perfectly cooked rock grouper. The meat was meltingly tender suckling pig from Can Company, topped with generous shavings of truffle from nearby Inca. The simplicity and expertise in the creation of these dishes allow the prime quality of the ingredients to shine.

We ended with a rich and exquisite dessert of carob ‘gató’ – which included peanuts grown in Sa Pobla, leaving just enough space for the petits fours.

Wines are from the island and beyond and include rosé and white wines made from native Mallorcan grapes, from the vineyards at Finca Serena.

Singular restaurant has an attractive dining room, with simple but stylish décor; at night the space is elegant and relaxing with soft lighting and candlelight. In summer, lunch or dinner on the large terrace with its long views will be a summer highlight.

Photos: Jan Edwards

Prices correct at time of writing.