Tasting menu
If you're looking for a surprising restaurant in Mallorca—where every dish is a statement of intent and every bite an invitation to wonder—El Sótano is your destination. Nestled next to the Marivent Palace, on the lower floor of the Belle Marivent Hotel, this restaurant, now entering its second season, has already established itself as one of the island's most original gastronomic spaces. A year after opening its doors, it offers far more than dinner: it proposes a full-blown culinary voyage, an immersion into a sensory jungle that blends cultures, ingredients, and techniques with rare talent.
At the helm of this experience is Alex Arquero, executive chef of Grupo Folies, joined by Tito Verger, head chef of El Sótano. Completing the team are maître Arkadius Gisicz and Sergio Toffoli, the mastermind behind a cocktail menu that is as creative as it is contemporary, perfectly paired to elevate every stage of the journey.
A Melting Pot of Cultures, Technique, and Creativity
El Sótano is more than a restaurant—it’s a livable metaphor, a hidden corner where the diner ceases to be a mere spectator and becomes an explorer. Inside, a warm, jungle-like atmosphere embraces visitors, preparing them for a menu that meanders through a kaleidoscope of countries: Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Peru, Mexico, France, and Italy, without ever losing the Mediterranean roots that give the journey its compass.
The culinary concept is bold, global, technically flawless, and—above all—a treasure chest of delightful surprises. Here, recipes are not copied; they are reimagined. Worlds are merged, memories are fused, and the unexpected is welcomed. Each dish is a creative act, fusing cutting-edge technique, top-tier ingredients, and international influences with a strong, coherent personality.
The menu unfolds through three tasting journeys—comprising fourteen, ten, or seven stages. We chose the ten-step “Amazon Route.” So grab your suitcase—we’re heading out.
The Amazon Tasting Menu: A Journey in Ten Acts
This ten-course menu unfolds like a compass-free expedition, where each bite drops you into a new coordinate on the global gastronomic map. The journey begins with a scallop: miso, deep umami mushroom notes, and a sharp citrus spark to awaken the palate. Next, a pad thai in a single bite—an orb of essence and a nest of crisp noodles capturing the soul of Thailand in a thrilling play of textures.
The langoustine arrives tucked into a nori cone, topped with a jasmine rice foam, a crown of caviar, and fragrant bergamot notes. It’s a subtle choreography of citrus perfume, sea-sweetness, and delicate creaminess. Complexity wrapped in elegance.
Then comes a dish that fuses Korea, Italy, and Japan: a gochujang carbonara emulsified with rich guanciale, bathing tender, raw squid noodles (somen-style)—one of the menu’s most audacious and triumphant surprises. Umami-driven and daring, it’s a winner.
Perhaps any Spanish grandmother wouldn’t approve of the next dish: the croquette eaten with a spoon. But once you break the surface, salivation is inevitable—duck, foie, coconut, ají panca, with panko crunch and a few hidden notes we’ll let you discover on your own.
Thai beef fritters come next—crispy outside, juicy and fragrant inside, marinated in lemongrass and oyster sauce, bursting with freshness and fire. Then comes the jungle curry: an ibérico pork and prawn skewer cloaked in a bold, herbaceous northern Thai curry. Heat rises, but a coriander gel soothes the burn.
The Filipino kinilaw follows, combining tuna, octopus, mussels, and roasted peach in a floral, saline sequence meant to be eaten in order. Harmony through progression.
Next, lamb and sweetbreads in a Malaysian rendang curry. A veil of coconut milk and basil covers the intense curry, while nitro shots of sudachi and green apple create a frosty, acidic contrast. This dish plays brilliantly with temperatures and balance.
To close: a pineapple and mango cream, saffron ice cream, red fruits, and crisp spiced yogurt shards. A gentle landing for the palate, sweet and precise.
This menu is not a parade of pretty plates without purpose—it’s an uncharted expedition. A bold, technically refined, surprising, and high-voltage experience that will ignite every one of your taste buds. It’s a stroll through the streets of half the world—without leaving Mallorca.
Let yourself be swept away by the flavors, textures, and aromas that will transport you to places you've never been, yet somehow feel familiar, thanks to the coherence and savoir-faire of a chef with a long and adventurous path. This is signature cuisine, yes—but it is also world cuisine. Above all, it’s a restaurant where boldness and creativity walk hand in hand.
