After a great lunch time meeting with the guys at Sonica, where we caught the tail end of Jon Sa Trincha’s show live, we decided to hang about in San Rafael for a bit and grab a bit of lunch. Ca’n Pilot is famed for it’s steak so the decision is a no brainer. The traditional restaurant on the main road through the quaint village has played host to numerous celebrities over the years. All keen to sample the delicious cuts of beef that it offers. The reputation throughout the island means that locals travel to the sleepy village in the heart of the island especially for Ca’n Pilot.
The first real rain of the season has fallen today so the streets are still wet as we cross the road and enter the old building. It sits on the corner of the main road and the turning for Sta Agnes, the outside terrace has a roof and enjoys views over the countryside behind the village. The sky is an angry grey today but nothing can dampen our spirits as we check out the amazing array of beef in the counter next to the grill. The smell of grilling meat and veg is enough to get the juices flowing and we all order a sirloin with some roasted peppers. It reminds me a little of then Argentinean steak houses where they come round the table with different cuts of the animal and you spend an afternoon eating!
Pictures of the owner with celebrities cover one complete wall; this is a restaurant that has no problem filling its tables. The lunch tie rush has begun and before our food has arrived, many of the other tables are occupied and there is a real homely atmosphere building. Our steaks arrive, with an array of sauces to choose from and the roasted peppers. They are cooked to perfection, slicing easily with our knives, that look more like swords, and melting I the mouth. From the first mouthful, it’s evident that its reputation is well deserved. Any lingering thoughts that steak might be too much for this time of day are blown out of the water as we all set about the task of putting the big slice of beef away.
The satisfaction of completing the task of finishing the huge steaks leads us to ask for the menu again as we decide to round the impromptu meal off with a dessert! Chocolate mousse and cheesecake are the two favourites and in no time at all, the steak is a memory as I try my hardest to work my way through a chocolate mousse that could be a meal in itself. I finally admit defeat and sit back happy in the knowledge that I won’t need to eat again until tomorrow! Ibiza has so many exclusive restaurants, where glamour is almost as important as the food they serve; it’s great to get a taste of something a little more authentic. Ca’n Pilot is as traditional as it gets and the food we have had today is as good as anything we’ve tasted this summer.
