Arume, Palma
Brush up your skills with chopsticks* at this Palma restaurant serving Asian-meets-Mediterranean cuisine from the talented chef/owner Tomeu Martí.
2019, July 15th
Arume restaurant in Palma is still my favourite place to eat Asian cuisine – with some Mediterranean touches. The amiable Mallorcan chef and owner Tomeu Martí honed his Asian culinary skills during his travels to that part of the world. He opened Arume in 2006, five years after winning the title of Spain’s best young chef, aged 21.
*Cutlery is also available!
The restaurant has a convenient location for anyone coming into Palma by public transport or driving in just to eat here: Arume is only a few minutes’ walk from the Intermodal Station and close to several public underground car parks on the Avenidas (inner ring road).
The minimalist décor is smart and in modern Japanese style. You enter to see Tomeu and his chefs at work in the open kitchen. Counter seating is available on two sides and sitting here is a good choice if you like to see skilled chefs at work. Watching Tomeu making nigiri or maki is like performance art. Conventional seating is available towards the rear of the restaurant and on the upper floor.
On weekday lunchtimes, Arume offers a keenly priced three-course menú del día which costs just 18 euros and offers choices for each course. Mine began with a complimentary chicken won ton. My starter was a prawn skewer with tasty Thai salad and mango and muscovado chutney; I chose the fish main course, which was excellent, and a refreshing dessert incorporating melon, yuzu, lime, and lemon-and-basil ice cream.
An à la carte menu is also available for lunch and dinner, including starters, main courses, sushi, and sashimi. The recommended way to experience Tomeu’s creativity and culinary artistry is to choose one of the two tasting menus – Golden (55 €) or Arume (45 €) – which change every couple of months. These menus are available only for dinner and for the whole table.
Arume in Palma takes a maximum of 40 diners, so I recommend that you book a table ahead – particularly for dinner. And if you become a regular here, you can keep your own set of chopsticks at Arume – ready for your next visit.
Photos: ARUME / JAN EDWARDS
Prices correct at time of writing.