Palapa Brings Mexican Street Food To San Antonio

Bringing a brand new vibe to the port of San Antonio, Palapa adds something different and exciting to the lovely waterfront promenade. We stopped by for lunch in late August and were delighted by the unpretentious yet delicious menu, amiable staff and chilled-out atmosphere. With lovely views on the harbour from the palm tree lined marina, Palapa, which translates to beach hut, offers a blend of Mexican street food favourites, burgers and pizza, in response to the ever-evolving clientele demands and preferences.

Open since June 2016, it has already caught the attention of tourists and gained its share of resident aficionados – and it’s easy to see why. Families, friends and boaters alike have taken to the chilled out atmosphere allowing them to enjoy the port without the havoc, and with its surfboard, sand bucket and shell decorations, the handmade wood structure indeed makes you feel a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of the busy resort. Open from 9am to 1am, at Palapa you can start your day with an English or vegetarian breakfast, enjoy a relaxed lunch before a boat trip or refuel after adrenalin-packed watersports, and enjoy drinks or dinner while listening to tropical house and techno beats before heading into Ibiza’s nightlife. Open year-round and boasting a backyard overlooking the iconic ‘egg’, it’s perfect for private get-togethers and events, too.

Differentiating itself from many of the other establishments in the area with mammoth menus and multiple cuisines, the new addition to the Mambo Group brings fast quality street food that can please all tastes and preferences. Kept simple but with top ingredients, it adds a fresh vibe to the port where, in traditional street food fashion, the motto is ‘sharing is caring’. Despite the relatively contained menu, Palapa satisfies any taste and dietary preference – yes, even vegan – with its delectable selections. Perfect for any time or meal of day, we decided to try a little bit of everything.

Following manager Niall’s recommendations, we started with the juice of the day, made with fresh pineapple, strawberry and mint and without any artificial additions. Feeling a little cheeky, we also sampled a refreshing round of cocktails, including a juicy mango daiquiri made with fresh puree. Served in a traditional pouch just like you would find it at a Brazilian street market, the Capucana – a cachaça cocktail with coconut purée, coconut water and lime juice – satisfied even the sweetest tooth. Table favourite was the Jose Cuervo frozen margarita, one of the venue’s specialties and made with the only Jose Cuervo ‘slush’ machine on the island. Perfect for the August heat, it was possibly the most refreshing drink we have ever tasted.Tempted by the menu’s assortment, we couldn’t help but try a bit of everything. Starting with crunchy tortilla chips topped with creamy guacamole, a classic sharing plate, we had the chicken ‘alambre’, a tortilla filled with bacon, vegetables and delicious molten cheese, as well as the mildly spicy chicken pieces. One of the table’s favourites, it offered a little bit of everything, the crème de la crème of omnivorous dishes. We also tried a myriad of tacos, made with hard-to-find soft shells, a recommendation from chef Cristina. The grilled beef taco, with its smoky flavour and fresh tomato and onion salsa, was given a zesty finish with the addition of squeezed lime juice. Another variation on the finger food favourite had a filling of spicy shredded chicken, marinated in a delicious spicy tomato sauce. The third taco option mixed prawns fried in chili batter with mango salsa, packing a pleasing double crunch of the taco shell and crispy batter juxtaposed with the sweetness of the fruit. Lastly, a pulled pork taco wowed us with its tasty barbecue flavour.

Moving on to mains, we swooned over a juicy beef burger topped with bacon and cheddar cheese, another favourite that crumbled in the mouth and had an addictive flavour – and as if it could get any better, it was accompanied by sweet potato fries. For those following a vegetarian or vegan diet, there were plenty of options to please even the choosiest among us. The tasty sweet potato chips are already a good enough reason to favour Palapa, while taco lovers will be thrilled with the ‘green’ option that has a sautéed vegetable filling. The summery Palapa salad made with spinach, cherry tomatoes, chili peppers, tortilla strips, almonds, lemon juice and olive oil was absolutely invigorating, while a vegetable pizza impressed with its rich flavour and chewy crunch.

Ending our meal on a sweet note, for dessert we couldn’t resist the gelato from the spanking new Italian ice cream machine. Using exclusively Italian products and milk for a sweet vanilla ice cream that reminded us of delicious frozen custard, we could choose between naughty toppings like freshly crumbled KitKat, Oreos biscuits or Honeycomb. Full and happy, we decided to come back very soon indeed!

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