In our quest to find you the best restaurants serving reasonably priced menus del dia, or set menus, throughout the winter, we set off to Cala Vadella on the south-west coast of Ibiza to check out Restaurant Can Jaume.
Heading in from San Antonio, Cala Vadella is extremely well-signposted, and the views as you drive down the twisting mountain road into this picturesque little bay are nothing short of spectacular.
Restaurant Can Jaume was easy to spot with its prime position right in the centre of the bay. There is some free parking on the street outside, and also a large car park, which the local restauranteurs invested in themselves, costing just €3 to park all day.
Now, if you visited Can Jaume during your summer holiday in Ibiza, you are probably wondering why you never noticed their €11 menu del dia…well, (unusually) it is available only during the winter months!
This set menu consisted of three choices of first course, two choices of second course and four choices of dessert, with a bottle of water, bread and alioli and some good, juicy olives also included in the price.
In addition, our waiter (and it has to be said that all of the multi-lingual staff at Can Jaume were particularly efficient and friendly) explained that there was a "Special of the Day" which varied in price depending on what was being offered each day. Today's special was Arroz de Matanza, a local pork speciality with rice, mushrooms and vegetables at €15.90. This, one of my companions was unable to resist, whilst two of us made our choices from the menu del dia.
Our starters arrived; chicken croquettes for my friend, and mixed salad for me. The croquettes were cooked to perfection, and my salad was enormous, nicely presented, crisp and fresh.
We were all quite intrigued to see what the Special of the Day would be like, and we were certainly not disappointed! Served at the table from a tureen containing enough for three people, my companion took one mouthful and announced that, even though she lives more than one hour's drive away, this was the kind of food she would happily make the journey for frequently. High praise indeed!
Next for me was gallo, a very tender white fish, which came lightly battered and served with thin, fried potato slices and roasted peppers. For my friend, home-made meat balls in a tomato, pepper and onion sauce with plenty of fresh herbs and served with chips.
Quite frankly, none of us could fault anything and we found ourselves discussing how these very traditional, "down to earth" Spanish restaurants invariably offer a warm welcome to locals and foreigners alike, along with high quality, beautifully presented food. One of my friends concluded "it's because it's prepared with heart". Amen to that.
Desserts were creamy, caramel and vanilla flavoured Flan, and Greixonera de Ibiza (a moist, egg-based cake typical to the Balearics) with the thoughtful addition of extra spoons so that we could all try each of these delicious home-made sweets.
Staggering Main Menu
The set menu and special of the day were superb in their own right, but when we checked out the main menu, we were staggered; extensive is a understatement! Take your choice from..
25 starters
13 Meat Dishes
9 Paella/Rice Dishes
2 Soups
22 Fish and Seafood
7 Pastas
6 Tortillas
7 Pizzas
8 Mixed Dishes
and over 60 choices of Wine, Cava & Champagne
Wow!!
We had dined inside the large, and very comfortable restaurant, and afterwards, went to join owner, Pedro, on the spacious terrace with its wonderful view of the bay of Cala Vadella. He told us that he has owned Can Jaume now for eight years and still works as chef, but in fact he started working here as a waiter back in 1988. It is clear that Can Jaume is his passion, with his main pride being the fresh fish which is served every day...including a whopping 1,500 kilos of squid per year.
The Best Testimonial
And the greatest testimonial of all? Pedro grins as he nods to the table next to us...the fishermen themselves come here to eat!
Quick facts
What Can Jaume.
Where Cala Vadella.
When All year from midday to midnight, including Christmas Day and New Years' Day. Closed on Mondays from November to March.
Why You'll love it!
Average Spend per head Menu del dia €11. Special of the Day €11 - €20.
Veggie Options Yes, plenty on the main menu.
Disabled access Yes
Room for Improvement Nope!
Top Tips Try their extra-smooth Hierbas Ibicencas…made by local children in Santa Gertrudis who are learning the old traditions of Ibiza.
