Cotton Beach Club Restaurant Review

Luckily we made out trip to Cala Tarida and the Cotton Beach Club in early season...otherwise I don't think we would've gotten a table! We turned up without a reservations and quickly discovered that this is one of the most popular eateries and beach clubs on the west coast...and it is easy to see why as soon as you pull up into the car park.

The all white exterior makes the turquoise water all the more luminous in the background as the sun beats down on the beach below. It offers a welcoming and cool environment to walk into on a hot sunny day. Calm and beautifully decorated with simple elegance this is really a beautiful lunch spot. Luckily we had arrived early, around noon, before the Sunday lunch rush and so we were able to get a table on the terrace, but I would advise making a reservation for sure!

As with many of the beach clubs in Ibiza the service here was impeccable. The staff were very friendly and attentive, making sure that we had everything we needed and were seated in comfort. We were brought a glass of champagne as soon as we were seated with compliments of the restaurant, a really lovely touch that I hope will be repeated next time we go!

As a refreshing alternative to wine we both opted for a fresh fruit 'mocktail' to start us off as we waited patiently for the usual bread, olives and aioli to arrive. Filled with berries, crushed ice, mint and who knows what else, the juices were amazing! The perfect thirst quencher on a hot day - although possibly more expensive than a glass of wine, they did in fact last longer.

The Spanish tradition of starting each meal with aioli, bread and olives is one that i have come to love and these were by far the best olives I have eaten! Covered in a smooth and tasty oil they came coated with lemon rind which gave them a delicious 'zing' as you bit into them. The aioli on this occasion was a little too garlic-filled for me but you can be sure of getting a quick health boost through it!

The 'plat du jour' was a sea bass baked in salt served with steamed vegetables, which my companion decided to try. As a vegetarian that also doesn't eat fish, I found my choice rather limited but having filled up on fruit juice, bread and olives I was more than happy to sample the quinoa salad as my main dish. When the sea bass arrived it came with what seemed to be a 2 inch crust of salt around it! Amazing! It was then prepared at the table where we could watch the waiter remove the salt crust, peal back the skin and remove the beautifully cooked fish meat to be plated with the steamed vegetables. It was all quite an intricate operation and very skilfully done. The waiter also managed to plate it up in the shape of a fish (although my friend is convinced that I was just seeing things!). I was assured that the fish was cooked to perfection and was truly delicious.

My quinoa salad came filled with baby spinach leaves & rocket, cherry tomatoes, apple, mango and came with a delicate dressing. the flavours worked surprisingly well together. I am not normally a fan of mixing fruit with my savoury meals but in this case it really was tasty, and surprisingly filling.

Around 2pm the restaurant started to fill up with the Sunday lunch crowd, the atmosphere was lovely though and it never felt too busy, even though pretty much all of the tables were taken. We had been asked at the beginning to vacate our table by 2pm to make way for those with reservations, but were shown to the bar and terrace area after our meal and not rushed away as I suspect we might have been in other establishments. The staff here really do make an effort and made us feel incredibly welcome and well looked after throughout.

Price-wise this beach club was very reasonable for the service and quality of food. We paid around 30€ each and were more than satisfied with that. Plus the beach at Cala Tarida is beautiful...why wouldn't you come here for a tasty lunch, views of the Med, a stunning beach and a great day out!