Different place, same Passion – Yalla Ibiza

The fearless founder of Ibiza’s iconic Passion Café empire is accustomed to busy summers after two decades spent serving up the island’s best breakfasts and brunches in multiple locations. Rather than rest on her laurels however, Lana upped the ante in summer 2023, adding two new strings to her already bursting bow: Máona, the specialty coffee house and brand, and Yalla Ibiza, her dream Middle Eastern fusion restaurant in the heart of Santa Gertrudis. So, as the island switches into off-season mode this weekend, some people might think she’d be ready to kick back and enjoy a well-earned break. Those people would be mistaken!

You see, while she was busy creating the concept for Yalla Ibiza earlier this year, Lana always had a second phase to the brand’s launch in mind. First, she’d build a core community of local clientele – completely via word of mouth – who’d spend hot summer nights dining on the stylish terrace, socialising and sipping bespoke cocktails beneath the light of the moon and the stars. And then, when the weather began to cool down, she’d get to work on indulging her passion for breakfasts and brunches – diving deeper into the flavours of the Middle East and creating new menus that married her love of fresh, wholesome, plant-based and vegetarian cuisine with exotic flavours and organic ingredients.

“Breakfast and brunch have always been my thing,” Lana says. “As much as I wanted to open an evening restaurant like this, I’ve also always really wanted to experiment more with the flavours from this vast area, in ways I couldn’t do at Passion.” Autumn days on the Yalla Ibiza terrace are drenched in soft, golden sunlight – perfect for alfresco dining – and there’s also the option of the intimate, interior dining space and the stylish all-weather (shaded and heated) side terrace. Now open daily (excluding Wednesdays) from 9.30am until 4.30pm, the restaurant is set to become a daytime village hub thanks to Lana’s tantalising new brunch and lunch menus, brimming with goodness, tempting with flavour and made with flair. As the brand’s tagline proudly states: ‘Different place, same Passion.’

The most important meal of the day is served at Yalla Ibiza until 1pm and it’s been love at first bite for Lana’s devoted clients since day one, with a plethora of options for those who follow plant-based or vegetarian lifestyles. Choose from light bites like the pistachio or zaatar croissants fresh from the Yalla ovens; choose a Passion-inspired brunch toast, made with locally made artisanal sourdough and topped with combos like avocado, roasted tomatoes, tahini and preserved lemon or the hard-to-resist sweet tahini, banana, granola dust and date molasses. Dedicated foodies will find it impossible to resist the stars of the show however – the hearty and wholesome brunch dishes, made with Lana’s own tried, tested and tasted recipes.

There’s the classic Fattet breakfast hummus – creamy yoghurt tahini served on a crunchy pita with chickpeas, pine nuts, parsley and boiled eggs – and brioche French toast with sumac apple berry compote, whipped ricotta and labneh with lemon zest. Baklava porridge boasts hints of rosewater, pistachio and lemon zest, while the crispy potato and parsnip latkes with herb and rose labneh leave hash browns in the past. Other Yalla Ibiza standouts include Harissa tofu scrambles (another Passion classic, reinvented); the classic Shakshuka; and Turkish eggs made with creamy, salty feta, spiced ‘burnt’ ghee, dill, perfectly poached eggs and sourdough to scoop it all out with. The Yalla Breakfast is the house special and teams crispy spuds with tomato and aubergine sauce with poached eggs, tahini, zaatar, coriander and more chunky bread. And for those who want to dress up their veggie brekkies, sides of smoked salmon and turkey bacon do the trick perfectly.

Good coffee has always been another of Lana’s true passions, and although Máona is closed for the season, you can still enjoy its specialty coffee blends at Yalla Ibiza. There’s also Turkish coffee, done the traditional way (if you know, you know), fresh Moroccan mint tea, light rosewater lattes, cardamom tea and more. Juices run the gamut from pure OJ to pomegranate, rosewater, melon, green and Lebanese mint lemonade, and there are smoothies on the menu too. “A few are stolen from Passion, naturally,” laughs Lana. Be sure to try the Majoon smoothie, made with banana, walnuts, dates, pistachio, vanilla, cinnamon and tahini. With weekend brunches being celebratory events, expect to see some new Yalla twists on classic cocktails soon, and in the meantime, there’s traditional Arak to sip slowly as you wrap up your meal.

When the clock strikes lunchtime at 1pm, the Yalla Ibiza menu makes the switch to cosmopolitan café-style wraps, salads, stews and sides – an easy, fast way to grab a bite in the middle of a busy day, whether you eat in or takeaway. The lentil soup or tofu stew are classic winter warmers, while Fattoush and falafel salads are nice for sunny alfresco lunches. Grab a lush shredded lamb wrap with caramelised onion and mint; try the marainated chicken wrap with alioli – all made with authentic Lebanese wraps and served with garlic sauce, pickled cucumber and tomato, plus delicious zaatar fries. There’s a hearty kofta burger, a light pan-seared tahini salmon and lots of delectable sides, all inspired by Middle Eastern fusion flavours. Don’t leave without trying a slice of pistachio, rose and semolina cake with fresh orange yoghurt on top, or Lana’s now-famous homemade baklava.

The new brunch and lunch offering at Yalla Ibiza is just the first taste of things to come in the off-season. Keep your eyes peeled for Yalla Yoga on the new custom-built alfresco deck, plus ultra-chill live music, meditation circles and special events with henna painting and fortune telling. Lana plans to implement laptop-free zones in parts of Yalla (don’t worry, digital nomads, there’s also a special area for you!) to encourage more community socialising, and you’ll soon be able to pick up express takeaways from the Yalla Deli or have them home delivered through Ibiza Runners.

The launch of the daytime menus at Yalla Ibiza doesn’t mean its existing devotees will miss out on their beloved dinnertime service – the impressive kitchen grill stays flaming from Thursday to Sunday for sharing-style dinners, group gatherings, birthday celebrations, after-work drinks or pre-party cocktails and more. Decadent dinners will continue to be served sharing-style, with dishes being delivered to your table as they’re ready, keeping conversation flowing long into the night.

For Lana, this next phase of her entrepreneurial career is igniting a flame within her that’s reminiscent of her early days at Passion. “I just love being here in Yalla Ibiza,” she says. “Even when I’m not here physically, I’m here mentally! It’s my love right now – and the energy there is just so good. It feels like the right place to be.”

A feast of flair and flavours

For more than two decades, Lana Love, founder of Ibiza’s iconic Passion Café empire, has planned most of her restaurant menus in accordance with the sun. But this year, she’s swapping dawn for dusk with the launch of her impressive new venture, Yalla Ibiza, one of the most talked-about openings of the season. A stylish space where the mesmerising sights, smells and flavours of the Middle East are celebrated and reimagined, it’s a place where Lana finally gets to indulge her desire for after-dark, decadent feasting.

To some, Yalla Ibiza may seem like an unexpected diversion from the healthy Passion concept, but those who know Lana will attest that the idea had been simmering at the back of her mind for years. “It’s really been since the very beginning, when I first opened the doors to Passion in Playa d’en Bossa, that I wanted to do something like this,” she explains. “I think it goes back to my Croatian roots – we actually came from Persia, walking over the mountains before settling in Croatia. I’ve also lived in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and when I lived in London, I often went to Middle Eastern restaurants to eat. It might be in my DNA!”

Passion Café founder Lana Love always dreamed of opening an after-dark restaurant centred around mesmerising Middle Eastern flavours.

“I’ve always had an obsession with things like dates, rosewater, tahini, orange blossom, zaatar – from day one, those flavours were intertwined with the Passion menus. But I always wanted to take it further.” Yalla Ibiza’s beginnings were serendipitous, in a way. When she discovered a location in the cosmopolitan foodie hub of Santa Gertrudis, and laid her eyes on the restaurant’s open grill, Lana knew it was time to spread her wings and open a destination that was designed for heady summer nights and dinners beneath the stars. “I want to establish Yalla Ibiza as a place that’s a dinner time venue,” she says, although she readily admits she’s already contemplating the potential for winter weekend brunches.

“People know me for Passion, for breakfast and for lunch. This is going to be the night-time restaurant I have always dreamed of.” Coming up with the concept and menu was easy – Lana says she’d almost decided on every dish within an hour. She makes it sound simple, but in reality, it was a culmination of many years’ worth of experience that led to Yalla Ibiza. From drawing on her time spent living in the Middle East, to taking inspiration from recipes she had collected over the years, the seed had been sprouting long before it had chance to blossom. But that meant that when the opportunity finally arose, it was ready to pop.

“I’m very lucky to have such a beautiful space in such an amazing spot,” Lana continues. Located within the centre of the pretty inland town, Yalla Ibiza is a beautiful restaurant spread across indoor dining room and the alfresco terrace, where brightly coloured bougainvillea bounces low from bamboo terraces, creating shadows in the fading sun. Much of the décor, tableware, cutlery, crockery and even the tea sets have been inspired and collected personally by Lana on travels to Marrakech, Istanbul, London and beyond. “I wanted to make it as authentic as possible,” Lana says.

Naturally, her approach extended to the creation of the Yalla Ibiza menu. “It plays with the flavours of the origin, but I didn’t want to overcomplicate things so it’s a small menu, but executed very well,” she adds. Designed for sharing, the Middle Eastern fusion menu uses the finest quality local ingredients (much of which are sourced from the nearby La Choza and Can Caus farms) to create rich, intense flavours that conjure the tastes of far-flung lands. Start the meal with classic ‘salatim’ – hummus served with bread and a selection of nine mezze and dips – then cherry-pick from cold mezze including smoky babaganoush, roasted cherry tomatoes with thyme and salty feta, and lamb kibbeh.

With her new venture Yalla Ibiza, where flavours overflowing with flavour have enraptured the island’s foodies, Lana’s vision is all coming to life.

Alternatively, skip straight to the tempting hot mezze, ranging from wholesome falafel and warm beetroot, labneh and hazelnuts to mouth-watering prawns in garlic, lemon, sumac and butter sauce, or tasty fish kofta and labneh. Meanwhile, the Yalla Ibiza grill-masters weave magic on top-level cuts of meat sourced locally, producing plates that are succulent and sumptuous in equal measure. Sizzling entrecôte, lamb kofta and chicken shish tawook are best accompanied by innovative sides like cauliflower with tahini, salsa verde and dukkah, roasted potatoes with mint yoghurt, and homemade zaatar fries, and the mixed grill is perfect for those who want a taste of it all.

“The concept is ideal if you want to come in a big group,” Lana explains. “Every dish is delivered to the table as soon as it’s ready and can be shared. And you can have a decadent dinner or a really nice balanced dinner, too – so many of the dishes are healthy, plant-based and vegetarian.” It’s not just the cuisine that’s peppered with exotic flavours at Yalla Ibiza – there’s also a tantalising cocktails menu including concoctions like the halva martini and a cinnamon dream to sip on too, alongside a hand curated (Lana’s hand, of course) list of Lebanese and Croatian wines among others.

After dinner – whether a light bite or a celebration feast – guests often linger over the extravagant Yalla Ibiza desserts, including delectable halva tahini brownies; amazing medjool date and pistachio balls; and Muhallabieh, a vegan pudding made from coconut milk, rosewater and pistachio. Don’t leave without a taste of the in-demand Persian ice cream, plus hot Turkish coffee, fresh Moroccan mint tea or a zesty orange blossom latte. Lana’s love for these flavours is apparent across every element of the menu – and judging by the reception the restaurant has received since opening just a few short weeks ago, it’s a love shared by everyone who has passed through its doors.

Opening every evening at 7.30pm, Yalla Ibiza is as perfect to pop into for an after-work cocktail and snack as it is to host a birthday or late night get together. Every guest is welcomed at the door by host Victor, who honed his skills at a slew of famous restaurants in Andorra, while the kitchen is proudly presided over by Lana herself, who ensures every plate is perfect before being delivered to the table. For Lana, this is a moment that’s been a long time coming, but the Yalla Ibiza team are ready. “In Arabic, yallah is the equivalent of vamos in Spanish,” she explains of her inspiration for the name. “It means let’s go, let’s do this!” Take heed and just do it – make a reservation now so you don’t miss out during its first season!

Totally RAW-some

White Ibiza’s blogger and self-confessed fussy eater and junk food lover Miss W embarks on the 5-day raw food cleanse from Passion Café.

Day 1
Being a fussy eater, I decided to take a chew now, ask questions later approach during this detox, rather than let preconceived food preferences cloud my judgment. So when I arrived at Passion Café in Marina Botafoch for breakfast numero uno (the option to dine-in for breakfast is a nice, motivational touch), the bowl of gooey goodness and green smoothie that was set down in front of me seemed a far cry from my regular toast and tea! I was intrigued…

A shot of vibrant green detoxifying chlorella came first – aka, a shot of seaweed. As scary as it looked, I enjoyed the taste and especially the experience… it’s pretty rock and roll to have a shot before breakfast!

Breakfast was raw coconut porridge – creamy, slightly nutty and with a sweet splash of mango on top. De-lish! I felt extraordinarily full afterwards, but rather than needing to roll back into bed, I definitely had the energy to get on with the day.

Ooooh what excitement I felt as I loaded my jam-packed wooden detox box, filled with pre-made raw meals into my car, and a sense of smugness as I carried it through Dalt Vila to my house. “That’s right everyone – I’m one of those girls. Pure, healthy and conscious of where my food comes from. Basically a saint.”

Raw cleanse guru Lana Love’s one rule for each day was that I had to finish the 1.5 litre bottle of pink, salted natural lemonade before I could tuck into my next meal. But of course, minute I arrived home, I couldn’t help myself and had to take a teensy little bite of each meal. They just looked… so inviting!

A massaged kale salad (Massaged? That piece of green leaf has a better lifestyle than me!) for lunch, quinoa tabouleh and raw hummus for dinner, plus a green detox juice (which I really struggled with, so strong was the celery taste!) and a sweet bite sized cake for dessert – I couldn’t even finish it all, took myself to bed early and slept like a baby!

Day 2
My, oh my, I can’t remember having a headache this intense since the night I drank about half a bottle of tequila followed by half a bottle of Jagermeister. But that’s another story! I was quite surprised to be honest – I thought that amount of health food would ensure I woke up glowing, and basically floating on air! Lana assures me this is normal, and more than likely to do with the lack of sugar from my regular diet combined with the detoxifying properties of many of the raw ingredients.

But… was that a chocolate pancake I spied, being served up for breakfast? Not quite so lucky… but it was a raw flax crepe with cashew cream and caramelised cinnamon apple. Surely, something this yummy can’t be healthy? (I am assured that it is so I scoff it down swiftly.)

Today’s detox box looks even more exciting – a Thai green salad (totally amazing with yummy chunks of pineapple, curried cashews and avocado!), coconut water, a deep red juice, and a noodle box with a raw pad Thai for dinner, which included strips of delicious raw coconut. Again, I found I couldn’t finish it all!

Turns out I really enjoy the salty lemonade, and have no problem finishing it before lunchtime – and you can really tell it’s flushing away toxins, since it makes you need to pee about once every 15 minutes! Luckily for me, I work from home…

Day 3
Today, no headache, and as I dashed out of the house to collect my day’s meals in the morning, my boyfriend looked at me quizzically and said, “You look… healthy!” (Yikes – how bad did I look before?). But I could see it too – my eyes were bright, white and clear and my skin glowing.

I felt like an LA it girl with my lush looking purple smoothie in the cup holder of my car, and coconut water poking out of my handbag. Yes, I’m that shallow – but if that’s what it takes to make me ditch the red bull and Snickers bars, I’m not going to complain!

My stomach was making weird (loud!) noises all day, and once again, I was grateful for the fact I worked at home. I could really feel a difference in my energy levels, and particularly my concentration… I had no desire to sneak off for a siesta (another perk of working from home!) and ploughed through my day’s tasks like a girl on a mission!

Lana’s raw lasagna was like a revelation (a raw-velation? Sorry, couldn’t help it) for me. I found it difficult to believe this mouth-wateringly good creation – that looked and tasted just like good old-fashioned lasagna – could be good for me. Taste sensational! As was the soba noodle ‘stir fry’ for dinner – if this is vegetarianism… I could be tempted to become a convert.

Day 4
I jump out of bed early, wide eyed and excited to start the day. Except it’s Saturday, and I’ve got absolutely nothing to do. I’m not normally a morning person, so I know this is the detox at work. Hmmm. I should be annoyed at not getting my weekly lie-in, but instead I’m perky, chirpy and cheerful. Lana Love, you’ve got a lot to answer for.

As the day went on however, I found it REALLY difficult to stick to the detox, no matter how good the food was. Perhaps it was because I didn’t have work to focus on and keep me from opening and closing the fridge repeatedly. Maybe it was because I was watching TV and the food advertisements were driving me crazy. My advice, for those wanting to try this at home: keep yourself busy folks!

In the end, this was the hardest day for me, and Lana assures me this is normal – she says it’s your body fighting against you, and trying to get to go back to its bad habits after the novelty of the first few days of the detox wear off. Damn you body. As the day went on, I felt my energy levels waning. I complained about just wanting to eat something HOT! In the end, I wallowed on the sofa all day and night. Again, Lana says this is completely normal – effects of my blood and organs detoxing. I started to feel bloated… and irritable – shouldn’t be rake thin and glowing by now?

Day 5
The girl that greeted me in the mirror today was sporting a giant spot on her chin! Que horror! But I was determined to get through the final day… surely tomorrow I will emerge like a butterfly?

Today’s breakfast was my favourite meal from the entire detox and managed to snap my out of my gloomy mood  – a sweet, sticky amazing chia porridge, topped with honey, raspberries and blueberries… like nothing I’ve ever tasted before, and something I am going to incorporate into my diet from now on. YUM! Raw zucchini pasta was on also today’s menu, along with a superfood chocolate mousse and a macrobiotic salad.

Beats anything I could have knocked up in the kitchen at home. In fact, I could get used to eating like this… does the detox really have to finish today?

THE VERDICT
If you’re anything like me, where biscuits, crisps and sugary soft drinks are a staple part of your diet, this raw food cleanse is the perfect way to kick-start new healthy eating habits. I found 90 percent of the meals to be totally delicious (and the remaining 10 percent were made from ingredients that I am just not a fan of – everyone else on the program loved them!) and each and every morsel was high-end, restaurant quality. After all, they were prepared fresh daily in one of Ibiza’s best restaurants!

I haven’t become a complete raw food devotee – I do love a hot meal when all is said and done – however it did open my eyes to the benefits of a predominantly vegetarian diet. Usually, I insist on meat with every dish, however after a week without it, I could really feel a difference in the way my body was digesting food, and I felt much healthier, lighter, more alert and generally more positive.

I have been inspired to start making my own healthy smoothies, juices and breakfasts… and for everything else, I have Passion Café just around the corner in the Marina… and in Santa Eulalia, Playa d’en Bossa and BFit!