Forn de Sant Joan: Restaurant Review

La Llotja has a thriving bar and tapas scene and is popular with international visitors. Set back from the harbour and right next to the cathedral, it's narrow and winding alleys are lined with bars and restaurants.

You're not short of tapas bars in La Llotja, but one you houldn't miss is Forn de Sant Joan, just a street back from La Llotja. The restaurant is housed in a refurbished old bakery, and serves up classy, contemporary tapas and a la carte cuisine. You'll pay more for the experience, but quite frankly, it is absolutely worth it. Sit at the bar for an informal and quick bite to eat or head to the lower ground floor to dine in the main restaurant. The staff are unfailingly poilte and friendly and speak excellent English.

We arrived one Sunday evening and decided on a mixture of tapas and main courses to share. Healthy portions of Galician octopus and ham croquettas quickly arrived, closely followed by local Soller prawns with garlic, that were sweet and juicy, and swimming in enough garlic oil to drown any bread that you may have left on your side plate. Lamb kebabs were made with top quality meat and were served with a yoghurt dip. The piece de resistance was the seven hour cooked lamb, served on a bed of mashed potato. Soft and tender, the meat was truly melt in the mouth.

Desserts too were worth saving room for - strawberries filled with creme catalan hit the spot nicely. Throw in a bottle of wine and some cocktails and beers, and the bill came to around €50 a person. It's our top choice in Palma for great food in a modern and hip environment. Forn also offers a truly excellent value set lunch menu - for €15, you can tuck in to a three course lunch, with water and coffee included.