Where Plaza de la Estacion, Calle Ronda Estacion, 35, Campos, Mallorca

What Imaginative family-run restaurant in the traditional inland town of Campus. The owners, the Alomar-Mascaro family comprising Jeronima, Miquel, their son Tomeu and their daughter Francesca, took over Sa Canova about 23 years ago. Now  Jeronima and her daughter are the culinary artistes in the kitchen, creating a range of dishes including many typical of Mallorca, others which have been given a creative twist by the family and a few dishes from further afield including Brazil. Their cooking would not be possible without the Mallorquin sobrasada, local meats and the fresh vegetables,  which are cultivated by her husband Miquel. He runs a smallholding where they grow many vegetables, such as peppers, aubergines, courgettes and potatoes, while looking after about 150 fruit trees and is cultivating his own vineyard which should start producing wine from next year. He also raises his own pigs and chickens. Tomeu said when you have raised the pigs yourself than you know you can trust the quality of the meat you are serving up. The family is committed to upholding tradition and preserving authentic Mallorquin recipes using fresh, locally grown ingredients.

Ambience and décor Your eyes will deceive you when you take a look at the exterior of Sa Canova as from the outside it looks quite small. But, like Dr Who´s Tardis, it is much larger inside with a bar at the front, dining room with plenty of space between the tables and various eye-catching ornaments. A glass dome dominates the main dining room with a replica well below it. Further back is another room which is available for private parties and an outside terrace for summer dining in the evenings. The many paintings on the wall are created by Campos artist Toni Mas. Between the tables and along the walls are unusual ornaments including a snail made from snail shells, as well as unusual collectors´ items such as a priest´s confessional box close to the bar!

Food The family pride themselves on serving fresh, seasonal foods. The cuisine combines the best of contemporary and traditional dishes, many made from produce from the red soil of Campos so they are at their most fresh. The bread and olives are also bought from a small, local supplier. These are brought to your table with sobrasada, made by Miquel´s fair hands, while you look through the extensive menu.

Tomeu said one of his favourite summer dishes at Sa Canova is caldereta de langosta or fresh lobster stew, which he says is better than the one served in Menorca, where it is revered.

The menu changes according to the seasons but could include tumbet, a typical vegetable dish of aubergines, peppers and tomatoes; rabbit with onion sauce and juicy plump prawns, suckling pork chops with tumbet, cod fish with warm red peppers and aubergine, clams, and a wide range of rice and pasta dishes including several types of paella.

They prepared for us frito mallorquin with pork, the tenderest lamb, a typical summer dish of cod on a bed of sliced potatoes with red pepper and aubergine, and rabbit in onion sauce with langoustines. The vivid colours were evidence of the freshness of all the ingredients.

Another interesting dish on the summer menu is iglu meat and iglu fish, where the igloo is made from pureed potatoes, which is filled with meat or fresh fish and served with salad-

In winter they serve plenty of pork dishes, plus a hearty-sounding cassola or hunters´stew including birds, pork, potatoes, mushrooms and rabbit.

If you cannot decide whether to choose fish or meat, that´s not a problem as many Mallorquin dishes contain both.

Sa Canova also prepares 10 types of frito mallorquin, a tasty dish of finely chopped meats and vegetables and may include lamb, pork, fish or seafood for example. Diners also have the choice of menu of the day and also special set menus consisting of three courses and a drink from 16€ to 30€.

The family has travelled extensively and has relatives in Brazil, so they have incorporated some of these flavours into their menu – but with a personal touch. Duck with sweet and sour sauce, Bossanova (prawns with chilli oil and garlic) and Sant Salvador (very fine French fries mixed with fried eggs and prawns with young garlic and chillies) are some of the tempting dishes on offer.

There is a very extensive wine menu, with many Mallorquin varieties to try including more than 30 reds from the island.

If you want something that is not on the menu, just give Tomeu a call and he will prepare it for you.

Likewise, if you fancy trying some of the recipes for yourself, you can buy a copy of Jeronima Mascaro Pons cookbook De l´hort a la cassola with illustrated recipes of typical regional dishes written in Mallorquin at the restaurant.

Sampling local cuisine is one of the delights of travelling and visitors, plus long-term residents, who want to enjoy Mallorquin cuisine and hospitality would be well advised to pay a visit to Sa Canova.

Service Expect a friendly welcome as befitting a family-run restaurant.

Time Lunch from 13.15 until 15.45 and dinner from 20.15 to 22.45. It is closed on Sunday nights and all day on Mondays except festivals.

Image Gallery

Restaurants