Übeck

Global dining, local produce

Signature XL croquettes, fried broccoli with kimchee sauce, wedge potatoes with cheddar cheese and gyozas, as starters, make up an eclectic menu with iconic dishes from here and there and all with a personal and avant-garde touch.

Author: Aina Coll

Photographer: Jaume Oliver

The myth that in Mallorca one can only find gastronomic proposals different from the traditional recipe book -not counting the ubiquitous pizzas and hamburgers, which we also love, of course- in Palma, the capital, has been falling under its own weight in the last decade. It may be true that, a few years ago, the Part Forana was dominated by the all-time cellers - the sanctuaries that guard our gastronomic legacy - and the trattorias, but the foodie map of the island has been transforming as the consumer's desire to experience new flavors and other cultures has been growing steadily.

Now, in many towns on the coast but also in the interior of the island, frit de mè and Mallorcan soups coexist in harmony with arepas, curries and sushi, to the satisfaction of all of us who are passionate about gastronomy. Manacor is a good example of this and, to prove our theory with solid arguments -and a lot of flavor- we go to number 23 Avinguda del Torrent on a midday in January.

This is where Übeck is located, a restaurant that opened its doors in 2021 to claim that any dish from any gastronomic culture can be made using local produce. So, at least, says the flag that presides over its entrance: 'Eat global, local product'.

As soon as we cross the threshold of Übeck we find a good number of tables occupied by customers who flood the place with laughter and conversation. Many of them are ahead of us, so we browse their dishes as slyly as one can undertake this gossipy exercise and discover that many tables are dominated by scallops. Without knowing if these mollusks are the star product of the place, we take a seat at our table, near the bar -from this strategic point, one always understands better the idiosyncrasy of a restaurant and its patterns-.

When the waiter brings us the menu -in fact, in the background we hear that today it is being released- he tells us that today we can also enjoy the grilled secreto (lower shoulder cut) with oyster sauce and patató. Once informed, we order two Rosa Blanca and scrutinize Übeck's proposals, watched by two lucky Chinese cats who observe us from the top of the bar.

Sandwiches and hamburgers on brioche bread, chicken cannelloni with truffled butter, tacos (beef, cod and octopus), wakame seaweed salad, Korean squid wok, as main courses, and the signature XL croquettes, fried broccoli with kimchee sauce, wedge potatoes with cheddar cheese and gyozas, as starters, make up an eclectic menu with iconic dishes from here and there with a personal and avant-garde touch.

Finally, it is time to choose and, although it is not a trivial matter, we decide to start with tacos, one for each of us: a choice of cod in crispy tempura, curry-togarashi sauce and pickled onion, and another of larded pork cheek -very tender and cooked in its sauce- and jalapeños seasoned with cilantro and lime. A vibrant and tasty explosion with an acid and fresh touch that does not leave us indifferent.

We like them so much that we would order another portion, but to continue the journey we have already ordered two succulent main courses, so we opt for sanity and resist temptation. The second act soon arrives at our table: baked Iberian ribs with Japanese BBQ sauce, peanuts and aromatic herbs, accompanied by potato and a vegetarian wok of udon noodles.

The ribs turn out to be a real spectacle of a dish, and cannot state it enough, which forced us to finish it with the help of our fingers so as not to waste an ounce of meat, and the wok of stir-fried noodles with vegetables and cashew nuts surprises us with a crunchy touch provided by a kind of shrimp bread made of rice paper, thin and delicate, that covers the noodles.

After this powerful tribute, there is no room left for dessert, so we are left - for this time - with the desire to try the baked cheesecake, the cup of mango ice cream and sponge cake, the panacotta with passion fruit and dulce de leche ice cream with mini coulants that we have glanced at the menu and at some of the tables around us.

Übeck has surprised us very -very- pleasantly with its universe of universes that fuses, with boldness and audacity, flavors, recipes and ingredients from seas, mountains and orchards around the planet. Proposals that prove that different gastronomic cultures can not only coexist, but that when they do it with sense and good taste, we become richer. In taste, in culture and in enjoyment.