Ibiza is a perennial favourite destination. This diminutive Balearic island captures perfectly the essence of barefoot luxury. Contemporary fashion, art, and music may well be part of its vibrant, ever-evolving cultural scene, yet there are corners that seem forever Ibiza, like Amante Ibiza. This beachside restaurant and club has celebrated its 10th Anniversary season and is the epitome of what makes Ibiza so captivating, writes Andrew Forbes.
Amante Restaurant
Amante is the place for cocktails, long lazy lunches with friends, and romantic dinners. It promises modern Mediterranean cuisine for lunch as well as dinner. The style is contemporary, and informal, with each dish perfectly complementing the summery atmosphere and the stunning clifftop location. The menu is based on Spanish and Italian dishes with fresh fish and meat prepared in the Josper oven or on the charcoal grill.
So on our recent trip to Ibiza, we just had to visit!
Secluded Location
You can’t help but fall in love with Ibiza. It has an energy that seems to embrace and captivate you. The landscape is a mass of pine-clad hills, looking down to cliffs, coves and iridescent bays.
To find one such hidden bay, you need to take a 20-minute drive from Ibiza Town, through the country roads to Cala Sol Den Serra (Cala Llonga). There, after a few steps between scented pine trees, you’ll see a large sign with an icon of an ammonite – you have reached Amante Ibiza!
Stepping through the entrance into the light filled salon one first catches a glimpse of the bay. The cool space of easy chairs, and deep cushioned sofas overlooks Sol Den Serra bay – the cinematic view is spectacular!
From here terraces run down to the ground level where more tables are set out under white parasols. Below is the cove and the Mediterranean. It’s a stunning location, without sight of any other development or other beach restaurants – you feel as if it is all just for you.
Lunch with a View
We certainly felt the love at Amante – the team were fabulous. Davide Baroni and his staff clearly love their jobs, and who wouldn’t, being in paradise every day. But the fact is, it shows. As guests you feel welcome, relaxed and you are just set to enjoy yourself.
Our waiter suggested the cocktail of the day, made with watermelon – a burst of colour and freshness on a hot autumn’s day. Perfect.
Before we knew it a basket of fresh bread arrived, accompanied with olives, tapenade, and also tomato pulp, which is a tasty and popular choice here to have a bread – so good with the rich olive oil. I could have just eaten that, it was so tasty,
But of course, I didn’t! I started with the burrata, enhanced with just a touch of balsamic vinegar, and basil infused cream. The cherry tomatoes came from Amante’s own organic kitchen garden, which they have created with Can Muson, so they can source many ingredients locally.
Other starters included bluefin tuna tartare; chargrilled clams; and an organic mixed salad. But I was tempted by Amante’s speciality fish croquettes – yummy! Crisp on the outside, and soft and bursting with flavour inside.
For vegetarians, there were plenty of creative dishes like Josper oven-roasted aubergine with bulger, and crisped corn; or chargrilled vegetables with (or without) Tomino cheese. Chargrilled organic chicken; and also rack of Lamb should satisfy meat eaters. There is a menu of rice dishes, famous in the Balearics, as well as a generous choice of sides.
Yet, here, sitting overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean, we were inspired to eat from the abundant menu of fish and seafood.
Salmon prepared on the Josper charcoal grill was great; and the Galician chargrilled octopus with mashed potatoes (mixed with Ibizan sobrasada) was sensational.
The secret when you eat out a lot is of course to skip the puddings. Unnecessary calories. However, I have never subscribed to that view! So I shamelessly ordered the Amante 10th Anniversary chocolate pudding. Heaven.
Beach Day
Amante is more than a divine place for a relaxed lunch or dinner. Thanks to its beach setting you can make a day of it, booking the day beds or sun loungers, and enjoy a luxurious Ibizan experience, surrounded by nature but with good music and a great cocktail bar!
Events
Before we left, I discovered that Amante Ibiza is a popular wedding venue too – understandable, considering not only its stunning location but the amount of space available. They also host open-air cinema film evenings during the summer.
Contact Details
Website: www.amanteibiza.com
Address: Cala Sol d’en Serra Calle Afueras, s/n, 07849 Cala Llonga, Balearic Islands, Spain
