Ca's Brau — Restaurant in Santanyí

The Tapas Experience:

Devil’s Chorizo: The presentation of this dish, flamed at the table, set the stage for something exciting. However, the reality fell flat. Only the exterior was charred while the inside remained cold, almost as if it had just been taken from the fridge. With such a dramatic presentation, the lack of proper cooking is hard to overlook. Aubergine filled with meat and cheese: A dish that was neither spectacular nor disappointing. It was served at an appropriate temperature, but the flavors were nothing memorable. It was decent but lacked the depth of seasoning or texture that could elevate it from average to enjoyable. Meatballs: Here, the meal began to unravel. Upon noticing they were cold in the center, we politely asked the waitress to correct the issue. Her solution? A quick blast in the microwave. The flavors were acceptable, but the microwave fix left the texture uneven and uninspired. In a restaurant, this kind of ‘correction’ is a sign of corners being cut. Zorza: This dish arrived cold as well, and after being microwaved for a second time, the meat became tough and chewy. The once promising texture of the meat was entirely lost, turning what should have been a flavorful and tender dish into something bordering on inedible. Paella: Paella, the hallmark of Spanish cuisine, should be vibrant with flavors. Sadly, the version at Ca’s Brau was both cold and underwhelming in taste. The rice lacked the comforting warmth and depth that a properly made paella delivers. It’s concerning to see such a beloved dish fall short. Fish Empanadas: These were the only tapas that arrived hot, but there was a catch—they were clearly made from frozen, processed food. While the deep-frying ensured they were served at the right temperature, the lack of freshness was evident. Patatas Bravas: An unfortunate ending to the tapas section, this dish arrived soggy and covered in an overly generous helping of mayonnaise. Traditional bravas should come with a light, spicy sauce that enhances the crispy potatoes. What we received lacked any distinct flavor and seemed poorly executed.

Service and Atmosphere: This is where Ca’s Brau truly disappointed. While the two waiters did their best under pressure, the inattentive behavior of the owners was disheartening. They spent most of the night watching TV in the corner, only occasionally stepping in to pour drinks, creating a sense that the guests were an afterthought.

When two of our dishes were sent back due to temperature issues, we overheard the owner shouting in disbelief from the kitchen. Instead of addressing the problem professionally, the owner approached our table in a visibly aggravated manner, loudly defending the quality of the food. His aggressive tone, paired with dismissive comments like “If you don’t know how food is supposed to taste, you shouldn’t be making comments,” was entirely inappropriate, especially when the issue was the basic temperature of the food. The fact that we were met with hostility over a simple request to replace a €5 dish left a bitter taste.

Final Thoughts: Ca’s Brau’s claim to cook “good food as fast as possible” doesn’t hold up when the majority of dishes seem to come out of a microwave or a freezer. The final bill of €60 felt exorbitant for the subpar quality of the food and the unpleasant experience with the owner. It’s disappointing to see such potential wasted on careless execution and unprofessional customer service.

Recommendations for the Future:

• Focus on quality control. Serving food at the correct temperature is non-negotiable. If a dish is sent back, it should be properly recooked, not microwaved. • Train staff, including the owners, in basic customer service. If an issue arises, addressing it with grace and professionalism would improve the dining experience significantly. • Reevaluate the reliance on frozen items like the fish empanadas. Fresh, well-prepared dishes would align better with the message at the front of...

We decided to have dinner here as the place had good review and was recommended in a blog. When we ordered the food (tapas), the waitress started putting pressure on us and “warning” us that the food we ordered wasn’t going to be enough, that we wouldn’t be able to order more later on and that this weird “rule” wasn’t her fault, it was the kitchen that gave the orders. We felt treated like children who are misbehaving. Needless to say that spoilt our mood and made us feel very uncomfortable. She was clearly overwhelmed and probably overworked, but this doesn’t excuse the poor treatment. We decided to stick to our order: when the food arrived, it was enough, however the quality was really low, the paella, the potatoes and the eggplant even tasted like they were old and re-heated. While we were eating, we heard the waitress arguing repeatedly and loudly with the man inside the restaurant (the owner?) and some plates falling and breaking. All in all a very weird experience and one of the worst dinner...

The service we received at this restaurant was terrible. We asked for butter to go with the bread rolls we had ordered and were told you could only have it with crepes or toast but not bread rolls! When it came to payment the waitress would not allow us to split the bill into two payments on two cards. We were two family groups. This didn't seem an unreasonable request...but the reaction we got was aggressive. The waitress said they close tomorrow for the season and she wasn't bothered and didn't care! They threatened to call the police saying we were refusing to pay! This is absolutely not the case. We simply wanted to put the bill on two cards! This was not a language issue either as the waitress spoke good English. She was simply being nasty. We spent €127 in total and got treated in an...