If aesthetic alone were to determine how your evening meal will pan-out, then our palate should have been mesmerized by La Belle Ibiza. Decked out in the finest of Ibizan resort chic – all whitewashed furniture accented with batik prints, palm trees and floaty curtains gently flapping in the breeze and enough fairy lights to rival the night sky, you’d be forgiven for being glamoured by La Belle’s ultra-pretty veneer.
Located in San Rafael, a 20-minute drive outside of Ibiza town on the road to San Antonyi, La Belle Ibiza lives up to its name. Desperate for an escape from the bubble that can be Ibiza town, we arrived mid-week to find a somewhat deserted restaurant. Not to be deterred by the absence of staff or diners, we were charmed by the picture postcard setting, eventually greeted warmly by the charming hostess.
We weren’t quite ready for our meal just yet, so we sat at the bar to grab a cocktail with the hope that we wouldn’t be the only diners for too long. A half hour later a few fellow diners began to trickle in, and no longer able to fight off pangs of hunger, we settled on an outdoor table with a full view of the magical courtyard. The food was a mixed bag with my biggest issue being the failure to keep things simple; the crab with tutu sauce and guacamole was generous in size, as was the wagyu beef tataki once I was able to fish it out from underneath all the embellishment. The prawns were probably the best dish of the night, but only marginally. The restaurant has a manageable wine list, and we chose the Gaba Do Xil from Galicia to keep us cool on what was a very warm evening.
The Verdict
I’m not quite sure what happened tonight. It was neither early when we’d arrived to dine, nor were we visiting in off season, which would have explained the lack of diners and the rather subdued atmosphere. I also felt the food was just too fussy and could do with being paired back to let the ingredients do the hard work. Speaking with friends in the know, it seems that brunch may be the meal of the day to dine at La Belle Ibiza. If you’re up for trying this out, do drop me a note and let me know if your experience measured up to the occasion.
Restaurant – 6/10
Experience – 6/10
