Our lucky number
Ocho Brasserie, Ibiza, Spain
After enjoying seven years of success on Ibiza’s little sister Formentera, with the fantastic beachside B&B Las Banderas, vibrant couple Leah Tilbury and John Broekman have returned to the White Isle to recreate that same magic with their new restaurant Ocho.
Ocho (8) means both eternity and luck, ideals that inspired Leah and John when creating their new venture. Housed in an old (yet completely renovated) finca-style building along the picturesque route to the north’s San Juan, it is a cornucopia of colour - lamps scattered around the garden change from bright blues to soft orange and pink. You can feel the love that has gone into this enchanted garden setting, with personality shining from every corner.
Sip signature cocktails - Leahpatra or the 8 Summer Punch – in the brasserie bar overlooking the tiled garden terrace. Relax among a mountain of cushions in the corner ‘love lounge’, dine on the pink curtain draped terrace or at a table inside the restaurant – the mood is romantically chilled.
Ibicenco chef Miguel Llabres (of La Ventana fame) has devised a Mediterranean menu to tempt any taste bud, complemented by fresh herbs from the brasserie garden and local seasonal vegetables.
Try grilled asparagus sprinkled with parmesan shavings or beetroot gazpacho to start, followed by tender rack of lamb with a black olive crust and authentic local olive tapenade. Desserts are heaven sent – sweet offerings include strawberries with meringued milk cream or a peanut brownie with red wine stewed pear and homemade raspberry sorbet.
To complement such a mouth-watering menu our expert hosts offer a selection of wonderful wines from Ibiza’s shores, some from neighbouring Mallorca and mainland Spain, to France and even as far as Australia.
Open all year round, and with so much to offer, it’s a place for everyone to enjoy. So, despite the name, this isn’t an ocho, it’s a perfect ten.
This story was published on June 19, 2008