Nobis Palma
Sitting at a bar and being asked how you’re feeling rather than what you’d like to drink is the kind of plot twist you’d expect from a good film script. Mirall Bar, at the Nobis Hotel Palma, has banished classic monotony to transform its cocktail menu into a colourful, emotionally driven concept, a liquid and therapeutic prelude that culminates downstairs, in the seductive intimacy of NOI restaurant.
They say you are what you eat, but at Mirall Bar they prefer to think that you drink exactly what you feel. True to its name (“mirror” in Mallorcan), the new menu at the Nobis Hotel Palma cocktail bar doesn’t just mix ingredients: it prefers to explore moods. Enrica (bar manager) and her team believe that a bar should be a place to switch off and reconnect with oneself, where emotions transform through flavours. They don’t seek to show off technique or demonstrate mastery of mixology: their aim is to create unique moments (not just cocktails). Using this as a starting point, they have created a range of cocktails where each drink reflects a different emotional landscape, expressed through six colours.
If the body craves calm, the blue drink will be your refuge, translating peace into elegant saline notes. For sunsets that demand a warm, slow and enveloping energy, the orange option unfolds on the palate like a caress. Intensity is reserved for the vibrant red cocktail, which conceals (as the hotel’s director, Jonathan Liu, confesses) a fascinating bitter touch of dark chocolate that borders on gastronomic lust. This palette of sensations also flows into the herbal freshness of a garden in green, captures light and joy with yellow, and embraces the mysticism of violet, a moment poised between the end of the night and the beginning of a new day.
And once the spirit is in tune, the journey continues a few steps further, descending into the urban warmth of NOI Restaurant. Born in Stockholm, but with its heart irrevocably won over by the island, this space transforms as the hours go by. In the daylight, it hosts lunches and set menus where the clock seems to grant respite from the pace of the city. At night, the low lighting, candles and music transform it into one of the most seductive and romantic spots in Palma. Italian chef Luciano Di Clemente has designed an international fusion menu, rooted in local produce and with a Spanish touch, mainly designed for sharing.
The signature dishes at Noi Restaurant make you want to wipe the plate clean. It’s almost a must to succumb to their carabineros al pil-pil: a masterclass in culinary minimalism where the seafood is bathed in silky extra virgin olive oil and just the right hint of chilli. The nobility of the sea continues with the bluefin tuna loin tataki with baby vegetables and a masterful homemade ponzu made with fermented tomato that builds a direct bridge between Japan and the local larder. Those seeking something more substantial will find it in the impeccable Black Angus entrecôte with béarnaise sauce.
The finishing touch is provided by desserts such as the twist on tiramisu with Valrhona chocolate brownie, coffee ice cream, mascarpone foam and amaretto gel (the recipe is one of the Noi kitchen’s best-kept secrets). With its food and drink offering, Nobis Palma proves that it has mastered the art of creating (good) memories.
