Sir Joan’s IZAKAYA Wows Ibiza

You know you’re in a world-class establishment when, in the middle of a busy launch night, your waiter finds the time to swirl an ice cube through your wine in order to cool it down – without looking even remotely stressed. This example of stellar service happened at last night’s presentation of the White Isle’s hot new culinary destination IZAKAYA Asian Kitchen & Bar, part of the stylish – and also brand new – Sir Joan hotel in Ibiza Town.

An exciting addition to the growing international collection of Sir Hotels, a brand with outlets in global hotspots such as Amsterdam and Berlin, the movers and shakers of Ibiza turned out in force to get a first look at the sleek abode just over a week before its official opening on July 7th. And while the White Isle’s gusty winds had been teasing us all day, little did we know we were about to be utterly blown away.

From the moment we arrived, IZAKAYA’s attentive team looked after us with a level of friendly but unintrusive attention and efficiency that is hard to find even on an island that is home to some of the world’s most spectacular venues. The restaurant and its outside terrace are beautifully designed with plenty of cool details; from the bright yellow bike that’s parked by the entrance – a nod perhaps to the venue’s Amsterdam roots – to the walls that are clad in what looks like molten silver and the white and blue tiling of the azure pool in the breezy backyard, there is plenty to catch your eye. IZAKAYA is glamorous but unpretentious, with a cosmopolitan vibe that is a perfect fit for Ibiza’s multi-national community.

After allowing the fashionable guests to enjoy a look around the venue over a selection of cocktails – we loved the refreshing gin and vermouth creation with cleansing cucumber and sweet mint – the creative brains behind IZAKAYA, award-winning hospitality experts Yossi Eliyahoo, Liran Wizman and Stephanie Pearson welcomed us with a short speech, in which they shared their excitement about bringing their concept to the White Isle. Liran said, “It’s a very special project for us, because it’s the first time that we’re not opening a venue in a city, but on an island – and on a very special island. For us, Ibiza is one of the most special and beautiful places in the world, and not just because of how it looks, but also because of the people.”

Before long, it was time to find our allocated table – decorated with beautiful handwritten name cards – and sample the food. Composed by executive chef Hariprasad Shetty, IZAKAYA’s menu boast a mix of the finest fresh fish and specialities from the Robata grill, with some innovative surprises to challenge guests to try something new. On the tasting menu for the evening were delicacies such as tuna toro tartar, served in spectacular style in a ‘Momori’ ice bowl that looked like a miniature cave from Antarctica, zesty salmon and avocado ceviche, seabass sashimi, crispy rice topped with tuna tartar, a beautiful spinach salad in an addictive truffle dressing bursting with huge king prawns and Iberian ham served on juicy melon chunks with a yuzu kosho dressing.

The main courses of beef fillet robatayaki and dover sole, with a side of crunchy pakchoi in oyster sauce and topped with crispy onion, had us fork-fighting over the last bites, leaving us speechless with their incredible aromas and perfect preparation. As for the desserts – a selection of creative and innovative petit fours as well as freshly baked, still warm vanilla and yuzu madelines with fruit jam and white chocolate Chantilly cream – they disappeared in seconds.

Testament to the level of service, our barman Sebastian not only kept our glasses topped up all night (so smoothly we didn’t even notice it half of the time) but also expertly explained to us each dish. And, as we mentioned before, it wasn’t just the outstanding food that left us totally wowed, but also how calm, cool and collected IZAKAYA’s team handled the busy launch. With Jon Sa Trinxa on the decks, the evening effortlessly flowed from socialising on the terrace to enjoying a spectacular meal and, at the end of the night, the temptation to start dancing – the sign of a successful night, and our queue to stop indulging in the delicious cocktails and go home! But, IZAKAYA, we’ll be back before you know it!

Reservations:
e: info@izakaya-ibiza.com
w: izakaya-restaurant.com/ibiza