Experimental Beach Ibiza lies on the coast near the airport, at Cap d'es Falcó, at the end of a long dirt track that runs parallel to Las Salinas Natural Park. As you drive past the marshes and wetlands towards it, you get the feeling you're headed somewhere secluded and special - it's a hunch that's confirmed on arrival.
The first thing that grabs your attention is the splendid view beyond its pebbly shoreline of the south coast of the island and the tip of the magical islet of Es Vedrà peeking up in the distance.
Although you can't see the sun setting directly in the sea here until late September, it's a marvellous spot to watch the rolling waves and the planes landing, to admire the colours of the distant sunset, and - if you're lucky - spot one of the pink flamingos that frequent the salt flats.
No wonder, then, to discover it's such an 'in' place with the Instagram crowd.
After parking - a doddle thanks to the venue's valets - we made our way up the steps to the wide terrace. Two receptionists welcomed us and guided us to our table. Still early for sunset, Experimental Beach was thronged with a cosmopolitan crowd enjoying the music, sunbathing on its affordably priced loungers, and preparing for dinner.
Our friendly waiter began by suggesting a drink. We opted for a Sunday Reviver mocktail and a spritzer.
Experimental Beach Ibiza’s chef, Alexander Larrea, is Basque with Catalan roots: if that’s not a promising sign when it comes to fine dining, we don’t know what is! What’s more, we’d heard he had an innovative approach to traditional Ibicencan cuisine and wanted to find out more.
After a long, hot day, we needed something cool, so we asked the maitre d' for some cold starters. He came up with three ideal choices:
Simple but so suitable for the weather: crisp, fresh Ibizan vegetables and Mediterranean mezze with a choice of three yummy dips.
Cordoban salmorejo...the use of pickled strawberries was a nice addition to this classic Andalusian gazpacho-type cold soup made with dried tuna and a soft-boiled egg.
Served well chilled, the watermelon salad with feta cheese, preserved lemon and macadamia nuts was just the ticket.
Time to spice things up! Red prawns with mango, yellow creole chilli, cucumber jelly and lime.
Our first main dish was a plate of scallops.
Simple, wholesome and utterly appropriate for a seaside setting, the homemade lobster ravioli with coral butter, tomato foam and caviar was well received.
A nice update of a traditional dessert, the lemon posset benefitted from the extra texture provided by the almond crumble.
Served on a bed of ice, the fruit salad contained a nice mix of fruits from different climes.
Experimental Beach Ibiza is a cool beach restaurant that stands out from the competition thanks to its unique, isolated location on a part of the coast that most visitors to the white island don’t know.
It attracts a mix of sophisticated young clubbers and older discerning diners, drawn to its alluring combination of boho simplicity, jaw-dropping vistas, ingenious Mediterranean gastronomy, high-end mixology, and upbeat music.
It’s a great spot to spend the day and, when evening comes around, to dine beneath the myriad stars in the Ibizan night sky. Just make sure you book your table or sunbed in time.
