Palma de Mallorca is once again the place to enjoy elegance and the good life. And at the heart of this renaissance, the Hotel Victoria Gran Meliá writes a new chapter in its history with food that is pure Mediterranean hedonism.
In the middle of the seaside promenade, the Hotel Victoria Gran Meliá not only returns, it dazzles. Without a hint of nostalgia, it reappears with strength, like someone who knows that style never goes out of style. Here, la dolce vita is served at the pace of a long leisurely meal with a view. The food, designed for unhurried enjoyment, combines all the flavour of local produce with an aesthetic that pays tribute to the glamour of great European cafés. An experience that invites you to linger, to watch, to toast.
At the helm of this experience is chef Leonel Lovrincevich, an Argentinean living in Mallorca for two decades with more than 16 years of experience in the Meliá group, together with his sous chef, Rubén Acedo Pérez, also a key player in the design and execution of the menu. “We wanted to represent what we call the Mallorcan dolce vita, a concept that mixes a classic, elegant style, what lasts over time, with local produce and the enjoyment of small pleasures”, says Lovrincevich.
A Grand Café for each moment of the day
Inspired by the grand cafés of cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, Victoria Grand Café offers an all-day dining menu open from 11 am until late at night, with a menu designed for both visitors and locals and a terrace that invites you to linger savouring signature coffees and dishes with identity.
The menu, which starts with breakfast options, such as eggs Benedict with foie gras and Iberian ham or the truffled bikini, evolves throughout the day into heartier dishes where local produce is the star of the show. But beyond geographical or culinary labels, what matters here is the taste and the experience. “We have some patatas bravas with sobrasada that, besides being the ideal appetiser, define our cuisine quite well. We extract the oil from the sobrasada and incorporate it into the brava sauce. It’s Mallorca in a tapa”, says the chef with a smile.
His menu also features dishes such as carabinero croquettes, sea bass carpaccio with truffle or the sophisticated lobster ravioli with a whiskey sauce. But if there is one dish that sums up Lovrincevich’s vision, it is the Tournedos Rossini: beef tenderloin wrapped in pancetta di Parma on potato parmentier with a Port sauce and grilled foie. A French classic reinterpreted with care and character and a Mediterranean twist. “We like to play with the old, bringing it up-to-date. There is a lot of technique but also a lot of respect for tradition”, says the chef.
The wine list also exceeds expectations with a well-chosen international selection that includes labels from Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Argentina. And for those with a sweet tooth, the pastry chef, Sara Pellicer, puts the finishing touch to the experience with creations such as the pistachio cheesecake (which has already become a firm favourite among many) and the Valrhona 85% chocolate mousse, which is pure intensity.
What’s more, as part of the new Grand Café concept that the Meliá group wants to export to its other flagship establishments (such as Palacio de los Duques in Madrid), Victoria’s menu also includes signature dishes shared between hotels, such as the Iberian ham croquette at the Palacio and the aforementioned patatas bravas with sobrasada as a Mallorcan icon. This collaborative approach, combining local creativity and global vision, is yet another nod to la dolce vita that Lovrincevich and his team reinterpret in Mallorca.
The Hotel Victoria Gran Meliá approaches the season with the intention of offering unpretentious luxury: cuisine with soul and an atmosphere where every bite is a celebration of living the good life. “We want people to feel at home but with that touch of elegance and pampering that makes you remember why you went out to dinner. That is the spirit of the Victoria Grand Café”, says the chef. And that is, without a doubt, the spirit of Palma, a city that looks to the past to proudly savour its future.
