Ibiza’s evolution from party town to sustainable dining destination – The Independent

Dining al fresco at a rustic, dark-wood table as the sun sets, being gently misted by cool water every few minutes from nozzles overhead as I linger over a melt-in-the-mouth burrata and peppered strawberry salad, I think to myself: This is all wrong. My eyes dart suspiciously around the packed restaurant, encountering nothing more than tables of relaxed, well-heeled diners enjoyingIbicencan specialities and light conversation.

Wheres the techno? Where are the lobster-red, loud-mouthed Brits? Wheres Rhys Ifans pouring straight liquor into his eye socket?

You see, Im in Ibiza and I have certain unshakeable expectations.

If you werent a teen in the summer of 2000, youve probably never seen Kevin and Perry Go Large. But I was, and I have. The film follows the misguided exploits of two teenage boys, Kevin and Perry (played by Harry Enfield and Kathy Burke respectively) as they clumsily navigate their way around the outrageously cool Ibiza club scene while attempting to get laid.

And so I stayed away from the hard-partying Balearic island for the next 17 years, figuring that the cocktail of STDs, ecstasy and judgemental bouncers immortalised on screen would most likely trigger some kind of mental episode.

Yet here I am, almost two decades later, sipping a glass of chilled organic wine and following thesalad with a plate of locally-sourced courgette flowers stuffed with ricotta and cucumber sorbet all without an LSD tab in sight. I soon discover hallucinogenics arent likely to be found in Ibizas picturesque Old Town; it apparently used to be home to a number ofseedy, run-down clubs, but has since been transformed into a centre of upscale dining.

El Portalon, the Old Towns newest establishment and already leading the way in reinventing traditional Ibicencan cuisine using local, sustainable ingredients, is the setting for my Damascene moment. Its the brainchild of farm owner Anne Sijmonsbergen, the face of Ibizas burgeoning farm-to-table food scene, whose irrepressible energy was in part to blame for me finally taking Ibiza off my personal no-fly list.

Youve got to try the squid stuffed with sobrassada, she says insistently in her no-nonsense American accent, despite my protestations that Im a pescatarian and sobrassada is a traditional Spanish sausage. Its all local, the pigs are sustainably farmed why are you a vegetarian? Honestly, if youre a vegetarian for ethical reasons you shouldnt feel guilty. Trust me.

El Portalon is the Old Town's newest arrival (El Portalon)

A whirling dervish of passionate opinions and creativity, Annes brain doesnt seem to stop; one minute shes encouraging us to try the restaurant's signature thrice-cooked potatoes, the next shes schmoozing at another table with the producer of Made In Chelsea. Her husband Rene, meanwhile, sits contentedly chowing down on a Chateaubriand as his wife spins around the tables, showing face, making diners feel attended to, signing copies of her Ibizan seasonal cookbook, Eivissa, as she goes.

Looking around at the many smiling faces the restaurant is fully booked its hard to believe the place only opened six weeks ago. Or that its Annes first restaurant venture. Shes the creativity I take care of the boring paperwork, Rene says, half-jokingly. Her business partner Justin Mallett, meanwhile, deals with logistics.

We meet him the next day after a night in avilla once graced by the Camerons its a beautiful old stone building thats part of Can Riero, Annes 450-year-old farm in the rural north of the island, complete with outdoor pool and menagerie of friendly pets skipping around the yard.

Can Riero is Anne's 450-year-old farm (Oliver Jarvis)

Justin whisks us off to Babylon Beach Bar, another of the restaurants hes a partner in, to try a different slice of Ibizas farm-to-table scene. As the name would suggest, its a beach bar but the vibe is a world away from the likes of Blue Marlin, a notorious establishment in the south where obnoxious billionaires drop 100,000 on Champagne in a day without a second thought.

We just wanted to create somethingreally authentic, Justin explains. We didnt want it to be pretentious or sceney we wanted to make food and drink that seems simple, but theres actually more to it.

So the pina coladas arecreated usingBabylons inhouse-produced white rum, and topped up with homemade toasted coconut syrup. The bread is made inthe bars onsite bakery because, in Justins words, They cant make bread on Ibiza. The pork is sourced from Can Pere Mussona, a local farm that has set up a breeding programme for the nearly-extinct Ibicencan black pig; all the animals are reared outdoors in an environment free from chemicals and pesticides.

Babylon Beach Bar focuses on quality ingredients (Oliver Jarvis)

I only know all this because Justin tells me. Theres nothing on the menu to indicate the deep level of care that goes into selecting just the right ingredients, boughtlocallywherever possible. With a growing trend for calling anything and everything organic and sustainable in a bid to attract the moneyed crowd, its refreshing to discover a place where the principle is lived out but not shouted about.

But there does seem to be a genuine food revolution going on in Ibiza right now, and everyones in on the action. As we go to leave Babylon, were accosted by long-time island resident Sid Shanti, who confidently informs us: I am farm to table. Hes just launcheda line of hot sauces using Ibiza chilies. Take some! he insists, pushing sample bottles into our bags as we make our excuses. From there, the delectable dining experiences come thick and fast.

At newly opened beachside restaurant Aiyanna, were brought plates brimming with black and white quinoa tabbouleh, squid ink risotto and perfectly flaky baked seabass all the vegetables come from the restaurants own organic garden, the waiter tells me.

The Giri Cafe is popular for breakfast (Giri Cafe)

My avocado on rye bread breakfast at the Giri Caf comes with an iced coffee and a side of restaurant philosophy: We carefully curate our evolving menus to reflect the changing seasons, cherry-picking the finest organic, pesticide-free ingredients from local markets and farmers or by growing it in our own garden, reads the menu.

And that night at Lamuella, we sample one of thehigh concept restaurant'soff-the-wall tasting menus, whichincludeslangoustine Vietnamese pancakes and grissini with smoked eggplant, arugulacream and roasted tomato. Alongside the fine dining, the achingly cool open-air space offers a boutique shop selling bespoke garments and jewellery made in Goa, a small gallery and a separate area that hosts regular ballet and yoga classes. Not everyone understands what we do, but the right people do, Ilan Da, one of the three founders, says.

Anne feeds the family roosters (Oliver Jarvis)

That evening, back at Can Riero, I ask Anne whether she ever thinks about leaving. Weve been here for 12 years now sometimes we stay up late into the night talking what our next adventure could be. And then She makes a sweeping hand gesture that manages to take in the off-whitefarmhouse, glimmering in the dusk; the rows upon rows of organic tomato plants just now coming to fruition; the chicken coop where the family collects fresh eggs each morning; the immaculate view of the rolling Ibiza hills in all their untouched, rural beauty. And then we say: But where else could we go?

Where else indeed? Seventeen years on from Kevin and Perry, I finally see what all the fuss is about.

This understated farm-to-table restaurant in Ibizas Old Town is already developing a bit of a buzz. It sources as much produce as possible from co-founder Anne Sijmonsbergens own farm, which grows the only organic heirloom tomatoes on the island. The seasonal menudraws inspiration from Sijmonsbergens first book, Eivissa: The Ibiza Cookbook, which came out last summer. Try the restaurants speciality dish, the squid stuffed with sobrassada vegetarians, opt for the creamy burratafollowed by risotto.

Plaa dels Desemparats. 0034 871 110 925; elportalonibiza.com

El Portalon serves up burrata with peppered strawberries (Oliver Jarvis)

This unassuming caf in San Juan gets hugely popular for brunch booking is essential, especially for a table in the pretty outdoor garden, where the team also grows small batches of fruit and vegetables for use in Giris dishes. Breakfast features juice freshly squeezed from the cafs own oranges, locally roasted organic coffee and poached eggs from free-range Ibiza hens. The Giri Caf also serves lunch and dinner.

Plaza Espaa. 0034 971 333 474; cafe.thegiri.com

Aiyanna Ibiza was launched in June by the team behind the popular Amante Ibiza. Vegetables grown in the restaurants own garden are complemented by views of the ocean at Cala Nova, while immaculate white furnishings, brightly coloured sun shades and absurdly attractive staff are already making Aiyanna a destination to be seen at. It also boasts morning yoga sessions and a discreet onsite boutique.

Avinguda Cala Nova. 0034 971 330 456; aiyannaibiza.com

A supremely chilled-out beach bar for those who are happy to swap the pretentious crowd for laid-back luxe. All the bars bread is made in the on-site bakery try the rosemary-infused focaccia with roasted tomatoes for sweet and salty all in one bite. Also be sure to order a cocktail many of the spirits are made in house.

Carrer Bartomea Tur Claps. 0034 971 33 21 81; babylonbeachbar.com

Lamuella offers off-beat cuisine (Oliver Jarvis)

An organic restaurant, shop and art gallery all in one, Aubergine offers a farm-to-table seasonal menu that includes salads with vegetables picked straight from the restaurant garden, plus sharing plates, mains and childrens meals. The wine is organic and the water is purified via a hi-tech osmosis system.

Carretera de San Miquel. 0034 971 090 055; aubergineibiza.com

See the original post:

Ibiza's evolution from party town to sustainable dining destination - The Independent