Not all restaurants are born to fit in. Some, like Vandal, are born to question everything. To combine roots, break moulds and, of course, redefine the concept of eating out. In this corner of Palma where chaos is part of the charm, besides just dishes, Bernabé Caravotta (co-owner and executive chef) and Sebastián Pérez (co-owner and sommelier) have been serving up attitude for eight years straight.
"Vandal is a reflection of who we are. We never seek to fit into any mould. That gives us peace of mind when working because we are not forcing anything," says Caravotta, whose cuisine, which is impossible to label, is born from his blend of cultures, with French and Italian origins, an Argentine heart, and a career that has taken him halfway around the world. "I'm at odds with the word ‘fusion’. It's crashed and burned quite a bit. But yeah, our thing comes from there, although in a natural way".
Pisco Bloody Mary Oyster
The Vandal experience does not stop at the plate. “We have a menu with more than 25 signature cocktails, which we update every year. We are also now unveiling a section of special vintages, with unique wines that we obtain almost bottle by bottle", notes Pérez. Passionate about wine “and drinks that tell stories”, his obsession for liquid excellence is also reflected in the work of the dining room, a fine-tuned mechanism that, unlike other restaurants, does not take second place. “We also wanted to give prominence to the service, to the cocktails, to everything that completes the experience,” adds Pérez.
As part of this eagerness to always move forward, the evolution is constant. Last year they completely renovated the façade and the interior design. This year, the focus is on the kitchen. "We are always looking for something new. When we realise that we don't have anything to get stuck into, we invent a new challenge. That's how we stay alive," jokes Caravotta.
We never seek to fit into any mould
And while “chaos” is Vandal’s calling card, its sister restaurant, Santa, is its elegant counterpoint—a more sober space, where the narrative takes you in other directions but the level of diligence remains the same. "The work behind it is identical. Different options but with the same dedication to detail," says Pérez.
Fashions in the gastronomy sector come and go, but Pérez and Caravotta remain faithful to a simple premise: to make the kind of restaurant they themselves would like to go to, without giving in to gastropopulism or the labels of the day. "If local produce is good, we use it. If not, we look for it wherever we can. The important thing is quality," says Caravotta.
Vandal is just that: a Tarantino-esque film served in tasting format. Carefully orchestrated chaos where each and every decision—from the wine to the bao bread with a filling based on grandma’s empanadas—responds to only one thing: authenticity.
Dinning room
