A Taste of Mallorca: Two Unique Experiences, One Culinary Story

While Shima and Llum i Sal at Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor offer markedly different dining experiences, they share a common foundation: a reverence for the ingredients bestowed by Mallorca’s sea and countryside.

Shima

• Technique: Nikkei Cuisine and Local Produce
• Cuisine: Nikkei cuisine that brings together Japanese technique, Peruvian flavours and the finest local produce from Mallorca 
  

Shima invites guests on a gastronomic journey through Nikkei cuisine, a vibrant fusion of Japanese and Peruvian culinary traditions reinterpreted through the lens of Mallorca’s exceptional local ingredients. A visually striking, colorful and nuanced dining experience where freshness, citrus notes, subtle heat and umami coexist in perfect harmony.

The grill, wok cooking and Japanese techniques bring depth and character to a dynamic and contemporary culinary offering, where each creation is designed to surprise not only through its flavor but also its presentation. It is also Javier Hoebeeck’s most gastronomically ambitious concept within the group, a distinctive experience with a strong identity of its own, where the produce of Mallorca serves as the common thread running through its narrative.

To immerse guests in this culinary universe, Shima presents an omakase menu comprising eight courses, thirteen dishes and fifteen bites, thoughtfully designed to offer a comprehensive expression of the restaurant’s essence. The journey begins with an aperitif and a selection of snacks, before moving into a series of raw preparations and a nigiri course. It then progresses through fish and meat dishes, culminating in a range of refined sweet creations.

Among the most representative creations are the parihuela, prepared with a blue crab stock from S’Albufera and Mallorca red prawns, a nod to the traditional Peruvian stew reinterpreted through a Mediterranean lens; and Shima’s distinctive take on the classic Mediterranean caldereta, translated into the language of Nikkei cuisine.

This dialogue between two culinary cultures is also reflected in dishes such as spider fish nigiri with sobrasada, tuna with tapioca and a seafood carbonara, or scallop served with a green jalapeño sauce. Together, they exemplify a style of cooking that connects Mallorca and the Pacific through a contemporary culinary language uniquely its own.

Llum i Sal

• Product: Sea and Grill
• Cuisine: A Mallorcan beachside restaurant celebrates Mediterranean and local cuisine, centered on seasonal ingredients, fresh seafood, rice dishes, and locally sourced produce. As the sun sets, the dining experience evolves into a more elevated and refined culinary offering.

Located directly on the beachfront, Llum i Sal features independent access from the hotel and enjoys a privileged setting that invites guests to experience the Mediterranean and the natural beauty of Formentor through an honest, simple, and deeply territory-driven gastronomic proposal.

In this open-air setting, conceived as a terrace dining experience, Javier Hoebeeck, together with Executive Chef Francesco Mannelli, presents a cuisine rooted in local produce, with fresh fish from the island taking center stage. Ingredients are handled with minimal intervention and cooked predominantly over the grill, resulting in a concept defined by simplicity, exceptional raw materials and a strong Mallorcan identity.

The menu created by Hoebeeck and Mannelli pays tribute to Mallorca’s seafaring heritage through dishes that celebrate the purity of the ingredients and a deep respect for the island’s culinary traditions. The offering is complemented by a selection of light rice dishes, prepared with carefully sourced grains and meticulously crafted stocks, allowing the flavours of the Mediterranean to shine through with balance and authenticity. Seasonal, produce-driven and deeply connected to its surroundings, this is a cuisine in which every dish is designed to highlight the true essence of its ingredients.

Open continuously for both lunch and dinner service, Llum I Sal evolves as evening falls, offering a more relaxed experience with a curated selection of dishes and a laid-back atmosphere complemented by music. The result is a space that transforms at sunset into one of Formentor’s most distinctive terraces.

Reflecting its strong commitment to fresh, locally sourced ingredients, the restaurant features a display counter showcasing around twenty carefully selected fish and seafood specimens each day, according to the catches delivered by local fishermen.

Among the menu’s most representative dishes are the XL Gilda, lobster croquettes, lobster with fried eggs and caviar, a selection of charcoal-grilled fish, and specialties such as fried John Dory with onions. Together, these dishes embody a culinary philosophy that places exceptional produce and authentic flavour at the heart of the dining experience.

For reservations, visit the website.