Miceli: Authentic Majorcan cuisine

c/ Àngels, 11, Selva, Mallorca; tel. +34 971 87.37.84; www.miceli.es 

by D. Barochel

For our last evening in Mallorca last July my friend Ms. VK booked us a table at Miceli in Selva, a small village that sits at the base of the Tramuntana Mountains.

Marga Coll chef and owner studied Hotel Management at University of the Balearic Islands and learned the art of cooking in different restaurants on the island, among others Ca’n Quet o Ca’s Puers. Coll opened her own restaurant in 2012 in a traditional 19th-century village house owned by her mother and since 2016 also leads Arrels at Gran Meliá de Mar hotel in Illetas, Mallorca.

Entrance, Miceli

Entering Miceli, is like entering a convivial family home, walking through a neat lobby and pretty courtyard to reach the restaurant, which has several rooms. An open kitchen is at one end of the modern main dining room, which seats around 10 and has polished wooden floors, ceiling beams and shelves crammed with recipe and gastronomy books. The charming partly covered terrace is decorated with potted plants and offers extensive views over the Serra de Tramuntana Mountains.

Restaurant impressions

Marga Coll (© abc-mallorca.com)

Each morning Coll goes to the market in Inca and creates her menu based on what looks most appealing to her. There is no menu as such, the chef comes to our table and gives a detailed talk through (she speaks very good English) of what is being cooked that day, based on what is fresh and available. You can choose single courses from various options (9 - 14€) or you can go for a tasting menu – either five (32€) or six courses that also include cheese (41€). We both opted for the six.

We started with an amuse-bouche of a delicious combination of baked herring with onions and tomatoes confits.

Amuse-bouche

Following my friend’s recommendation we picked a local white wine she already knew from a previous visit, Can Majoral - Capgiró (D. O. Pia i Llevant, Mallorca). Can Majoral is a small family winery founded in 1979 that produces high quality organic wines. Capgiró is a wine of gold coloring with sensations of exotic fruits like pineapple, mango and a note of citrus and herbs. It is 100% Giró Blanc also called Giró Ros, a white native variety that was about to disappear and has been recovered in recent years.

Chef Coll started the meal with three appetizers, all very simple, fresh and tasty.

⦁ Mejillones de Menorca al vapor con mayonesa de limón (Steamed Menorca mussels with lemon mayonnaise), these small mussels are very tasty and sweeter than the larger ones.

⦁ Espárrago blanco relleno de carne de cerdo negro con pesto rojo (White asparagus filled with black pork meat and red pesto), an interesting combination of flavors mixing the sweetness of the asparagus, the crispy salty pork and the light acidity of the red pesto.

⦁ Coca con pimientos rojos asado y atún (Coca with roasted red peppers and tuna fish), coca is a bread-based pastry that can be filled with a variety of ingredients, typical of the Balearics is the Coca de trempó.

Steamed mussels

White asparagus with black pork filling

Coca

The main courses followed with 2 dishes:

⦁ Bacalao gratinado con alioli, cebolla de Figueras y sobrassada (Gratin cod with alioli, white onion and sobrassada); sobrassada is a typical Majorcan raw cured sausage, with a characteristic reddish-orange that is the result of mixing ground lean pork and pork fat with paprika, salt and spices.

⦁ Costillas de cordero con salsa de romero, puré de patata y judías verdes salteadas (Rack of lamb with rosemary sauce, potato puree, and sautéed green beans).

Cod gratin

Rack of lamb

A selection of regional cheeses followed including, goat and cow varieties served with three different fruit relishes.

Cheeses

Last but not least it was time for dessert and two options were offered. We both chose the first one.

⦁ Tarta de chocolate con albaricoque y sorbete de frutos rojos (Chocolate cake with apricot and red fruits sorbet)

⦁ Tartar de melocotón con salsa de vino tinto y helado de leche merengada (Peaches tartar with red wine sauce and milk, lemon and cinnamon ice cream).

Chocolate cake and red fruits sorbet

In summary, Miceli offered very good “terroir” cuisine with friendly service in a quiet and pleasant atmosphere. I will definitely come back next summer.

Dinner for two, including wine, water and coffee, tax and tips added up to €125.