Nosh Out - From Majorca to Majorca

As anyone working in the business world knows, going on vacation can be great, but the deluge of emails and back logged work can be killer when you get back. That, plus a summer semester start has been keeping me busy recently, but a friend and previous coworker of mine was in town and invited me out to dinner. She has a few rules around business travel and eating out, she has to go somewhere new and try at least one novel thing when she goes there. After some consideration, we decided on Majorca, a tapas restaurant just off Prospect Street.

American tapas restaurants seem to have slightly different offerings than Spanish tapas bars do. In Madrid or Barcelona, every tapas bar will offer patatas bravas, grilled octopus, chorizo, charred peppers, cheese, olives, jamon (cured ham), and coca (bread smeared with tomato). While I’m no tapas aficionado, I can tell you I saw those items on every menu throughout the Iberian Peninsula. American tapas bars have items reminiscent of these, but also are catered to the American pallet. Hungry, we ordered a panoply of dishes that started with a ceviche, and a grilled squid. The ceviche was served in a martini glass and was a bright mix of crab, a whitefish, onion, tomato, avocado, and citrus. Thin slices of toasted bread were served on the side and used to dip into the sour and savory concoction. After the vegetation and seafood were consumed, I drank the dregs like a soup shot, bracing and refreshing. The grilled squid came on a circular quinoa cake and was topped with picked radish, cucumber, and jalapeno. Slightly spicy, it too has a savory sour mix.

More plates came, including bacon wrapped dates, stuffed with almonds and chervre. The bacon added a crisp and salty component to the sweet and creamy perspectives of the date and the cheese. To me, it was like dessert in the middle of the meal. Papas fritas came to our table. At first glance, they were simply French fries, but the graded manchego cheese, garlic, and most of all, truffle oil, made the aroma of the fries waft across our table. The duck leg confit that came next was served with yellow lentils, the dark leg meat fell off the bone and the skin was crisp. A hint of orange peel was reminiscent of duc l’orange, evoking a French tone to the Spanish tapas.

Dessert was a house cheesecake, brought complimentary from the manager. The center was rich and decadent, and was adorned with a salted caramel sauce and fresh fruit. As my friend and I split the cake, the siren song of the cheese plate, complete with truffle honey, seduced us as well. Manchego, played the star role, but another salty cheese, cut into thin discs, was like an aged provolone that paired well with the micro greens and arugula that sat aside it.

While not exclusive to Spanish or Majorcan cuisine, Majorca put out a great meal. A big thanks to my dining partner, with whom I always have a wonderful evening. Hope to see you in Hartford again soon.