Restaurante 5’S Sant Llorenç
Creative cuisine is found in the most surprising places in Mallorca. Until May this year, I’d barely noticed the signpost to Son Penya Petit Hotel on the Ma15 roundabout near Sant Llorenç. In May, I had dinner there for the first time and when I heard that the hotel was 20 years old, I realised how many opportunities I’d missed to eat there.
The adults-only, rural Son Penya Petit Hotel is a totally renovated old Mallorcan finca, surrounded by unspoiled countryside. Its restaurant 5’S stands for 5 Sentidos or ‘five senses’ and serves Gabriel (Biel) Nebot’s signature Mediterranean cuisine with Asian touches, based on seasonal local produce.
The restaurant is in an attractive sandstone building, which also houses a small bar. As well as the cosy dining room, with its Gothic arches, there’s a conservatory-style dining space at the rear with lovely garden views. In fine weather, eat on the terrace, gazing at the surrounding countryside and enjoying the tranquillity.
The first time I ate at 5’S, I was in a group testing the menú degustación (tasting menu) of which there are two options: 5 plates for 55 € and 7 plates for 70 €. The optional wine pairing from sommelier Manuel (recommended if you’re not driving) is 25 €. We were impressed by the creativity of the dishes and their presentation.
Since then, I’ve tried the seasonal à la carte menu, which offers a choice of eight starters, four pasta or rice dishes, four fish, four meat, and six desserts. Each dish on the menu is marked with the potential allergens. In addition, there may be a couple of specials. Our dinner last week started with two squid bao buns with tempura and lemon mayonnaise (17 €) and crispy red shrimp tartare cones (three) with kimchi and avocado (19 €). Either of these would be suitable for sharing (although there may be a small battle for the third cone), as portions of the main course are generous enough.
For our main courses, I had perfectly cooked John Dory with a crust of mustard, Parmesan, and parsley, served on a small bed of vegetables (25 €). The other dish was a pleasing teriyaki sea bass loin with wakame salad (22 €).
I implore you to leave space for a dessert, as they’re rather good here. The Instagram-worthy Rose of Son Penya is the house speciality, which we both had, but I’ve also had the Lemon-Lemon and the surprising Sweet Caviar. There’s also a cheese course (10 €) – which isn’t very common in restaurants in Mallorca.
Wines are Mallorcan or from the Peninsular, with a couple from France and a small selection of premium wines – including Vega Sicilia. Service is friendly and efficient from a young team.
Photos: Jan Edwards
Prices correct at time of writing.