I have walked past “Vandal L’Atelier” more times than I care to admit on my way to work, and every time I peer through the windows, I mentally add it to my (ever growing) ‘must-try’ list. Finally, I bit the bullet. Just to celebrate my boyfriend’s birthday, we finally headed to the little sister of the ‘original’ Vandal, and it didn’t disappoint. The crowd was mixed, couples, families and friends were all eating, drinking and being merry, on this chilly Saturday evening, showing that its appeal was wide ranging.

Upon entertaining the cosy enclave that is Vandal, you’ll spot the bar on the left — which served up the most perfect pre-dinner negroni, and the low lighting made it the perfect setting for a romantic rendezvous in our case (bright lighting in restaurants should surely be illegal, I’m all in favour of a dimmer switch). Now I would go as far as to say that eating out is genuinely my hobby. I make it my mission to eat out and put some money back into the hospitality industry which took such a battering during covid — albeit selfishly, as I’m a gal who loves her grub. During lockdown (aside from friends and family), it’s truly what I missed the most. I love getting dressed up, perusing a menu and sharing as many things as my appetite will allow, which is usually a lot. The menu at Vandal isn’t overly long, but that’s not to say that there wasn’t multiple dishes that caught my eye and had me salivating.

Everything that we plumped for a knock out. We started with burrata, grilled asparagus and Sicilian tomato pesto. It was so delicious that I immediately asked my other half if he could whip it up for us at home — granted, he’s a chef, but it was a masterclass in how simple ingredients cooked with care, can create a stunning dish. We also bulldozed our way through four more dishes. In no particular order (as I devoured each one with equal excitement), they were atun rojo, pork gyozas, some incredibly more-ish patatas bravas and we wrapped things up with a melt in the mouth ‘presa’ served with labneh. This dish to me summed up the vibe of “Vandal L’Atelier” — classics, but with a bit of a twist. We split all of the aforementioned goodies, two cocktails and a bottle of bubbles for just shy of 160 euros. By no means was it ‘cheap’, but it certainly wasn’t overpriced and we aren’t really ones to hold back when it comes to ordering — this was showing a vague attempt at restraint.

The service was warm and welcoming, the chocolate mousse that we shared for desert was decadently rich and our glasses of bubbles never ran empty. We left well fed and ready for bed, alas, karaoke beckoned, proving that the night was still young. Vandal is the perfect spot for date night. Whether you’re looking for a chic and stylish eatery in the city centre, or an early dinner before you head off to paint the town red and blast out your favourite power ballad.

Text by Cat Powell

Address: Placa del Progres, 9, Palma