Shaken, not stirred: La Rosa

As if Palma had only been waiting for a vermuteria all along! La Rosa opened about two weeks ago on the street with the same name, just off Plaça de Weyler, next to the beautiful Gran Hotel. But it’s already the place where everybody seems to meet at night. If you are lucky, you even get a table – La Rosa doesn’t take reservations. And if you don’t, have an aperitif and crowd a while at the bar, it’s actually the best spot to watch people come and go.

La Rosa’s menu not only offers a wide choice of vermouths but also a nice selection of tapas classics, including a variety of small plates of tinned fish from premium brands. Depending on the market and the chef’s whim, there are also some fine dishes made with fresh fish and seafood. We had ceviche and tuna tartare, and they were just perfect. No need to tell the friendly waiter you’d like to share your orders – that’s understood. Meanwhile, para comparatir is a matter of course in many Palmesan bars and restaurants, much to my delight.

However, it wasn’t the food that attracted me in the first place – it was La Rosa’s cool interior. Nacho Velasco did a great job combining exquisite vintage elements such as plain white tiles in the front room with warm woods like walnut at the bar and in the dining section. There is a 50s-style staircase that leads to a mezzanine with a long table seating larger groups. La Rosa is not exactly the place for intimate rendezvous’ – but it’s a great joint to spend a night with friends.