Restaurant Cèntric — Restaurant in Pollença

I went to Centric with my parents yesterday evening expecting a relaxed dinner, but instead left feeling stunned and disappointed — not because of the food itself, but because of the shockingly aggressive response we received when offering polite feedback.

Things started well: we were greeted warmly by a lovely waitress who made us feel welcome, and the atmosphere was lovely. My mum ordered the pork medallions with goat’s cheese and tomato chutney (which she really enjoyed), my dad had the restaurant burger (also a hit), and I ordered the spaghetti bolognese.

As soon as my dish arrived, we were hit by a strong, overpowering smell of cumin, which immediately seemed unusual for a spaghetti bolognese. One mouthful confirmed it – the dish was heavily spiced and, to me, tasted much more like a chilli con carne, just served on spaghetti.

I politely called over the woman who seemed to be front-of-house and, in Spanish, said apologetically: “I'm really sorry, but this doesn't taste like a spaghetti bolognese to me…” She immediately cut me off and launched into a defensive outburst, insisting no one had ever complained, that everyone loves it, and that I was wrong. I calmly explained that, to me, it tasted more like chilli con carne. Whether or not others have enjoyed it, this simply wasn’t what I expected or thought I was ordering. I was hoping to request a different dish — but I wasn’t even allowed to get that far before she interrupted again, saying: “No, no! It’s not chilli con carne! It might not be your idea of a traditional bolognese, but I know what it is because I made it. I’m the chef!"

At this point, my dad calmly said, “Well, it’s a matter of opinion — we just don’t think this tastes like a bolognese,” and reasonably suggested the dish be taken away.

With that she slammed her fist on our table, and shouted, “No, I will not take this away, I’m the owner of this restaurant! I will not permit you talking to me like this!” — all in front of the entire restaurant.

I’ve worked in hospitality for years, and what could have been a simple, professional exchange — listening to a bit of feedback, offering a courteous response, and suggesting an alternative — turned into one of the most unnecessarily hostile and uncomfortable dining experiences we’ve ever had.

It wasn’t about the taste — I fully appreciate that food is subjective. It was about the refusal to even have a calm conversation, and the shockingly disproportionate reaction to a polite and reasonable comment.

We paid our bill (minus my dish), gave the waitress — who had been lovely from the beginning — a good tip, and left.

P.S. Centric has always been one of our favourites, so we thought we’d give it a try under the new ownership… but we left feeling completely taken aback and very...

​A Welcome Return, but at a Cost ​★★★☆☆ ​My wife, Sara, my son, George, and I decided to revisit Centric last week for the first time in a few years. It has always been a reliable spot in Port de Pollença, and we were looking forward to seeing if it was still as good as we remembered. ​The good news is that in many ways, it is. The food we had was absolutely delicious, with every dish being well-prepared and full of flavour. We also couldn't fault the service; the staff were attentive, friendly, and efficient throughout our meal, which really added to the positive atmosphere. ​However, the experience was tempered when the bill arrived. While we appreciate that prices have increased generally, some of the costs felt particularly steep. For example, €9.00 for a bowl of garlic mushrooms seemed excessive for what it was, and at €5.80 for a pint of local beer, the drinks are certainly priced at the very top end for the area. ​In summary, Centric still delivers on delicious food and great service. To be clear, I don't mind paying for quality, but the overall feeling was that it has become overpriced. I know I can get food and drink of a similar standard elsewhere in the port for a more reasonable cost. A lovely meal, but unfortunately, the price left a bit of...

Three of us spent a most enjoyable lunchtime here eating the most delicious food. Can’t say how much we love this place. We sat outside looking into the square and people watching. We shared Frito Mallorquín as a starter which is a delicious mix of liver, onions, potatoes and vegetables. I then had cod gratin with allioli which is a layer of sumptuous mashed potato under a mix of beautifully cooked julienne veg, topped with a generous portion of cod dripping in allioli then grilled - it’s so delicious I have it most times I go there. My husband can’t resist prawns so he ordered some bread to go with the prawns in a creamy.chilli sauce which looked gorgeous and tasted divine. The rich tomato sauce was irresistible which is why he needed the bread to soak it up. Our friend had the prawn risotto which he absolutely loved. Puddings were crème brûlée with a luscious crunchy top and apple pie which was devoured with gusto. We shall be back again and again as Julie (the owner) the chef and her team work wonders. Well done the team especially...