This place has been on my list of places to go to for quite a while, following a close friend´s recommendation. It stuck in my mind as “one of a few restaurants in Magalluf open all year round”.
When I finally got there, I was – first of all – pleasantly surprised by the interior. The place looked expensive, yet cosy. It had class. I was drawn to a historical piece of equipment, a beautiful cutting machine from the 1930s, expertly restored and displayed like a piece of art in a museum. The staff was well mannered and friendly from the first eye contact to the last goodbye. I instantly felt that this was something different to the rest of the area, as if it was out of place. Or, perhaps, the place was not yet where Tan a Gustito evidently was in terms of its style, class and service.
On the way to my table I spotted an acquaintance who works at another great restaurant in Palmanova. Apparently she comes here regularly for their exceptionally good ceviche. Seeing someone from another restaurant in a place you are about to try for the first time is always a good sign. By this point my friend arrived and we were both so impressed with and intrigued by the menu. We wanted to try “everything”, but in the end settled with Iberian pork marinated and smoked with rosemary served with banana & vanilla pure for me and Grilled octopus carpaccio served on a red smoked pepper mashed purée for her. It seemed like the chef took some common ingredients and regular dishes and then just had fun with flavours until they created something truly unique. According to their website, Tan a Gustito is a “journey through a rich gastronomic tradition of Ecuador, Italy, France and Mediterranean”. This was certainly evident in both dishes we selected.
The Iberian pork dish consisted of thin slices of meat, lightly charred on the outside and perfectly pink on the inside. The banana and vanilla pure was like nothing I have ever tried before. Your mind tells you that it was supposed to be savoury and pretty bland, but it is in fact rich and slightly sweet. My friend observed that this dish tasted more like a dessert than a main meal, but we both loved it. A smoking branch of rosemary, added to the theatrics of the meal presentation as well as to its aroma.
Grilled octopus was evidently inspired by “pulpo gallego”, a Galician recipe consisting of grilled octopus and potatoes, sprinkled with paprika. Again, this was taken to another level in terms of both flavour and presentation. The octopus was wonderfully tender and smokey notes of paprika elevated the potato mash that would have otherwise been bland and ordinary.
There is certainly nothing ordinary at Tan a Gustito. Even their homemade chocolate & avocado cake comes with a surprising twist of being made with an ingredient we are more likely to smash on a toast. I would not say that I loved the texture of this desert, but this might be just my own personal preference, rather than anything being wrong with it. The taste was excellent, though, and a strawberry on top – another nice touch.
Overall, I came to this place with my expectations already high, despite the location, and I left feeling that they were not only met, but exceeded. A brilliant addition to the “new Magalluf” everyone is talking about these days!
Location
Tan a Gustito
Av. Notari Alemany, 10, local 15/16, Magaluf
Tel: 655 43 86 25
Instagram: @tanagustito.restaurante
The Bill
- Iberian pork 29€
- Grilled octopus carpaccio 28€
- Homemade chocolate & avocado cake with strawberry 9€
Opening hours
Thursday to Monday 1.30pm-9.30pm
The Verdict
Pricey, but absolutely worth it! I am glad to see a place like this amongst “the usual” Magalluf fare and I hope that more similar places will start popping up, as the area improves its gastronomic offering and its reputation. Innovative flavours and excellent service. I hear that Tan a Gusito offers a fantastic brunch as well, so I will definitely be back for that!
