Restaurant Review: Puerto Fino - Ibiza
- Dirk Vandereyken
- Jun 2
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 4
Restaurant Review: Puerto Fino – Ibiza
Dalt Vila remains one of the most beautiful places in Ibiza. The old town reveals its secrets layer by layer, with plenty of narrow streets, outdoor staircases, and of course a picturesque harbor just outside the walls of the fortified enclosure. Anyone walking along the quay from the center and passing the bronze Monumento a los Hippies by Catalan sculptor Ció Abellí (depicting a long-haired hippie father walking with his daughter) will soon come across Plaza de sa Riba – a quiet little square located just outside an LGBTQ+ neighborhood. That’s also where we find Puerto Fino – a fantastic open-air restaurant where Annika and her Argentine partner Joaquin run the show. We went to taste.
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Reception & exterior
We arrive a bit late on an uncharacteristically windy evening. It's early April, and it’s not exactly warm yet, especially because Puerto Fino has just reopened – just like most hospitality venues in Ibiza, the focus is mainly on the six 'tourist months' – and the outdoor heating isn’t there yet. It will arrive a few days later, but Annika and her team turn out to be particularly attentive, and it doesn’t take long before we’re all offered a nice warm blanket. The fact that we arrived in T-shirts and shorts or skirts makes such a nice gesture anything but a luxury.
The tables are very sturdy – although every stain we make remains visible for a while, which might be less pleasant if, like us, you’re a bit clumsy – and we’re seated comfortably, though that alone is no indication of the fantastic dishes that await us...
The menu
We begin with some wonderfully tasty sourdough rolls – firm, not overly crunchy crust with a very flavorful, slightly sour crumb – and smoked aioli with black olives. The olives give the fatty sauce a sharp, briny note, while the combination with the lovely smokiness and clearly present acidity creates a beautiful balance. A savory opener that turns out surprisingly refined!
Equally surprising: the two types of small croquettes we are served next. The croqueta de jamón de Wagyu not only has a perfectly golden brown crispy crust that crackles nicely with the first bite, but also a creamy filling in which the velvety, slightly sweet flavors of the nutty wagyu ham come through perfectly. The wagyu jus that has soaked into the croquettes adds an umami bonus. The little sauce on top provides some extra acidity.The slightly darker croqueta de morcilla de Wagyu also features a (even) crispier coating (perhaps panko was used instead of traditional breadcrumbs?) and a creamy, sensual filling that relies on the more intense, smoky flavor of the morcilla (a type of blood sausage or 'black pudding'). That Joaquin has managed to give a ‘simple’ croquette such depth is immediately a feather in his cap, and during the rest of our stay we don’t come across better croquettes.
Other bread is also served: carasau, a typically super-thin crispy wheat bread from Sardinia with a slightly nutty flavor and roasted notes. It crackles with every bite and is somewhat reminiscent of a cross between a cracker and communion wafer – excellent for dipping.
Sometimes you best honor a top ingredient by not fussing with it too much, and that certainly seems to be the case for the board with fantastic slices of cecina. That’s dried and salted meat usually made from the rump of a cow, once again with a clearly present smoky note that fits nicely with our previous dishes. The meat is not only intensely meaty and rich in umami, it’s also wagyu – arguably the tastiest (and perhaps best-treated) beef in the world (see also our restaurant review of Aragawa in London). The beautiful marbling adds even more buttery softness, and the mouthfeel is truly luxurious. Fantastic!
Although there are also fish dishes on the menu, Puerto Fino is primarily a steakhouse, and that shows, among other things, in the choice of meat: dry-aged or not, Frisian, Uruguayan, Argentine (Black Angus), and Spanish beef, wagyu, buey (the meat of a castrated mature bull), plus Iberian pork (fed with acorns).
The various cuts of meat: vacio (flank steak), lomo alto (ribeye, or entrecôte with fat cap), chuletón (ribeye on the bone), picaña (top sirloin cap), solomillo (tenderloin), entraña (skirt steak), secreto (tender, fatty pork cut), and hamburgers (but of course made with wagyu).
For us, a large piece of ribeye with the bone appears, sliced into strips, served with a hot stone and Himalayan salt. This way we can decide ourselves how far to cook the meat. The fact that our beef has been aged for more than 45 days is immediately noticeable – not just in the deep, earthy flavor with a note that almost leans toward blue cheese, but also in the intense aroma and texture. The marbling melts gently on the hot stone, which allows the meat to retain its full, juicy character. The fact that we can give the outside a bit of extra sear while keeping the inside nicely pink is, of course, a bonus. With the added punch of the Himalayan salt, it’s a delicious and very successful main course!
In addition to salad (with a tasty dressing), several side dishes are served: excellent patatas bravas with a very cleverly spiced salsa we won’t soon forget, and crispy fries with green and orange padrón peppers (the orange ones being more mature and slightly spicier).
As dessert, we’re served three different options.
The panqueque con dulce de leche is an incredibly addictive Argentine classic: not-too-thick, golden rolled pancake with a syrupy, caramel-like filling. The dessert is slightly salty, which keeps it from becoming too sticky… although the pancake practically melts in your mouth.
The flan con dulce de leche y nata is almost equally irresistible: a silky, homemade caramel flan with a light vanilla flavor, with the fresh cream (nata) providing the necessary airiness.
Finally, there’s the tarta de queso, a baked Basque cheesecake with a dark, nearly scorched crust and a creamy, slightly salty interior. Intense, but just not too sweet.
The accompanying wine at our dinner? A Malpastor Crianza from Bodega La Carbonera, 2020 – more or less the house wine at Puerto Fino. A true, rather good, oak-aged ‘meat wine’ with lots of notes of red and black fruit, toast, dried garden herbs, and a hint of hazelnut. Not too expensive, but certainly very good value for money.
Conclusion
No doubt about it: Puerto Fino is one of the best grill restaurants the harbor of Ibiza Town has to offer. Joaquin has a grill that runs on Portuguese charcoal, a thorough understanding of his core product, and a well-trained nose for both seasoning and aging. The exceptionally friendly service and lovely waterfront setting complete what turns out to be a wonderful overall experience. Definitely worth a visit!
More info: Puerto Fino Ibiza| Fuego y Brasa
Text: Dirk Vandereyken, Richie Chance
Pictures: Paula van Unen, Lore Belien
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