To Magaluf? To the Bondi Beach!
By Arnd
Probably the very last thing residents would think of: Let's take a trip to Magaluf! If you're polite, you'll ask: "Why?" But today I'd like to convince you to give Magaluf a chance in the off-season!
When a little hunger started creeping in after a viewing in Cala Vinyes, my first thought was spontaneously: "Where do we need to drive to get something edible?" I then felt incredibly brave and progressive when I suggested trying Magaluf. A parking spot near the beach was easily found at the end of October, and we marched along the beachfront promenade from the south.
Magaluf Has an Incredible Beach!
I'm not a beach fan. But honestly, the beach in Magaluf is sensational. Just look at it. Fine white sand. And really a lot of sand down to the sea. A beach depth you don't often see in Mallorca. Plus a wonderful view of the small offshore island Sa Porrassa. The winter sun draws long shadows across the sand with bold brushstrokes. A feast for the eyes!
Nevertheless, my mood gradually sank: Most places were closed or looked like they were about to close...
Bondi Beach? Bondi Beach!
But after roughly halfway along the bay, we stumbled upon Bondi Beach. It looked quite nice. Even though the hotel towers in Magaluf are generally not particularly promising for architecture enthusiasts. Bondi Beach has a bit of a beach club look. White is the base colour and there's a large bar. But what really convinced me was the menu, which sounded particularly promising for steak lovers with its beef specialities from around the world.
Overall, things looked more promising at the middle of the bay. Perhaps partly out of worry that the nice-looking place we'd found might turn out to be nothing special, I decided not to rely on Google or TripAdvisor, but simply to give it a try.
And I wasn't disappointed. A table with a view. Plus a super friendly Spanish waiter. I ordered the Croquetas Caseras. And because the sun was shining so beautifully, a glass of Bicicletas y Peces. They had it as a white wine by the glass, and I couldn't resist. The croquettes came quickly, crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside but still with the visible and tasteable texture of the chicken used. Well seasoned, perhaps a touch too much. But combined with the robust wine, the even more robust sun and the gorgeous view, that's really too much fussing for a genuine pleasure!
I ordered the steak with homemade chips with CHIMICHURRI. Ever since a friend grilled at my place and elevated the wonderful chorizos criollos from Comercial Vera (a great delicatessen in the industrial area) with homemade chimichurri, I was on fire for this oily and spicy South American speciality. Bondi Beach delivered an unremarkable version here. But the main product, the charcoal-grilled steak, was fantastic. Flavour. Doneness. Presentation. Plus good homemade chips and a bit of sautéed vegetables that were probably as unimportant to the chef as they were to me on this plate.
If you enjoy eating Wagyu or Kobe, they have that here too. I'm not a big fan of these Japanese premium breeds — they taste a bit too intense for me. Besides, I have quiet doubts as to whether there really are enough of these hand-massaged and beer-fed premium cattle in Japan to fill the menus of so many restaurants around the world.
The waiter told me that they mostly had an international clientele. That notably many guests from North America visited Bondi Beach this year as well. Overall a trend I've observed: The number of intercontinentally travelling guests seems to have increased significantly. And with the direct flight connection to New Jersey, the Americans now seem to have finally discovered Mallorca for themselves. In fact, at our holiday rental, the largest customer group in summer was actually from the USA. Hard to believe, isn't it?
For dietary (yes, everyone defines diet differently...) and time reasons, I skipped dessert and ordered the only disappointment of this trip: The coffee was terrible. I don't know why that is. But often great restaurants have terrible coffee. Usually it's too hot. Obviously the essential oils are already charred and the consistency is watery. Without a stable crema. That was exactly the case here. A pity — the pub around the corner can usually do better.
Overall though, a clear recommendation: Great steak. Really exceptionally good quality! The homemade croquettes a little gem. And then the view. The bill for two people wasn't exactly a bargain either, but given the sum of all qualities, absolutely fair. And indeed: The Google rating of 4.3 and the TripAdvisor ranking align with my experience here.
The only downside for you: BONDI Beach doesn't reopen until early March. After our visit, it went into winter break. Like pretty much everything in Magaluf.
But put this in your calendar for next year: A trip to Magaluf at the end of October. If the sun shines like it did for us, you'll not only enjoy a culinary treat but also experience Magaluf through entirely different eyes!
If you're interested in top steaks, check out these blog posts as well: