Words by Anna Myers
For my first time on the island of Ibiza, I had imagined extravagant outfits and nights spent partying on the beach until the early hours of the morning – instead, I was pleasantly surprised to be welcomed in grand style at the historic villa that homes 1742, at the top of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Dalt Vila, where elegance is the name of the game and seafood is of the essence. New kid on the block, chef Edwin Vinke, prepares each dish himself in what sets out to be a truly unique celebration of gastronomic craft.
And he might be new to Ibiza, but he’s no stranger to the magic of seafood. Hailing from Zeeland, a remote coastal province in The Netherlands, whose name translates quite literally to ‘sealand,’ Vinke’s first foray into the food world was 27 years ago, when he opened the specialist seafood restaurant De Kromme Watergang in the small Dutch seaside town of Hoofdplaat. After attracting visitors from all over the world and cementing Vinke’s reputation, De Kromme Watergang earnt two Michelin stars and a spot in the prestigious French restaurant guide Gault Millau, setting the stage for his latest adventure in Ibiza.
What matters most to Vinke is flavour, and what needs to complement it best is an elaborate presentation. In order to achieve the perfect balance of the two, Vinke’s kitchen is meditative and focused, with the kind of dedicated harmony he embraced from a long-lasting yoga practice put to use to craft each dish in an almost silent kitchen.
His aim is almost a holistic one: he connects ‘mind, body, and palate’ in an ornate, but never too fussy, fashion, befitting the prestigious crowd visiting the restaurant and the island and their creative expectations. “Creativity is our motivation. The island will tell us what to do with it,” chef Vinke says, articulating the strong connection he feels towards Ibiza itself, and how that influences what goes down at 1742.
“There are experiences that are impossible to explain in words,” he continues. “You have to come and experience it yourself with all five senses.”
Here’s what happened when I did.
On the night
As I made my way into the heart of Ibiza town, past partygoers and locals walking the bustling streets circling the Castell d’Eivissa, I met the valet service that would take me all the way up to Dalt Vila and 1742. With stunning night views overlooking the island, Dalt Vila is a fortified old town perched atop a small mountain whose history spans over 2,500 years and whose beauty makes it a UNESCO World Heritage site.
“My inspiration is the island, but also the power of the Palacio, the old town and the sea,” Vinke says, and it’s easy to see why. With historical details all authentically restored, such as handmade sandstone pillars, Phoenician cisterns, and a 2,000-year-old well, the Palacio was built in 1742 and restored to its former glory only recently. It’s located at the height of Dalt Vila, offering sweeping views from its vast open terrace, which is the highest one in all of Ibiza. This was my personal favourite part of the generous tour given by the general manager Cristobal, as you won’t get better panoramic views anywhere else on the island.
The kitchen ‘artists,’ as 1742 calls them, have a creatively boisterous relationship with the chef, and share his credo of ‘movement, rebellion, friendship’ which inspires both the atmosphere and the dishes themselves. The menu, which changes each season, is a tasting experience with seven courses served over a few hours and the possibility to upgrade and add three more courses.
The amuse bouche was a chupito of lemongrass, lemon, ginger, pearl and gin accompanied by a ‘rooted rebels hot dog,’ which is to stay a smoked carrot that Vinke managed to transform into a literal mini hot dog –how a carrot can taste so closely like meat, I’ll never understand, but it was such a funny gimmick to start the evening with, and it tasted incredible. Then we had fruits de mer from Zeeland, shellfish found along the coastline of Vinke’s homeland, served in different ways and accompanied by pepper herbs and spices reminiscent of spicy Thai flavours.
The next dish, the Royal Belgium, was a sturgeon served on a brioche bed and with a finish of Oscietra caviar. It’s processed ‘head to tail’ so as to not waste any part of it, so that bacon can be made from the belly, dashi stock from the head and bones, and the back can be smoked. A truly gorgeous dish. Then, we had three variations of local island fish, freshy caught and prepared with quick imagination and creativity, as it changes every time. A saffron, herbs, and artichoke concoction to die for.
The Blue Lobster was the star of the show, served with broad beans, beach crab, cuttlefish, and a bed of sweet tomato sauce. It more than made up for the next dish, the summer deer with pumpkin, mole, and sweet potato, which was the only meat outlier and not my favourite, as the thought of eating deer is too much for me to bear. The dessert was inspired by ‘the age-old beach poles that protect us from the currents of the raging sea,’ and it consisted of a dark chocolate, salted caramel, strawberry, rhubarb, sesame, elderflower and sweet bedstraw mix made into the shape of a log, or, as Vinke says, a beach pole.
1742 offers an exquisite, elaborate, and thoroughly international wine list, counting local Spanish wines, the finest champagnes, wines from Italy, France, and the Napa Valley; on the night, we had a gorgeous selection of light wines which perfectly accompanied and harmonised with the fresh seafood. The leather bound wine list is the work of one of Ibiza’s most renowned craftsmen, leatherwork specialist Pedro Planells, who collaborated with Jean Paul Gaultier and, Cristobal tells us, created business cards for Queen Elizabeth II. Who knew the Queen had business cards!
In a nutshell
As for the continued creativity taking shape at 1742, and how the project is going to evolve, Vinke says: “I’m inspired by the freedom and energy the island brings, all its beautiful people, too. We’re all excited about the first months and full of inspiration and new ideas for next year. It’s gonna be more and more exciting.”
All that’s left is for you to open all your five senses wide, and make your way to 1742 next season for another iteration of seafood heaven, with many creative twists, for a unique experience to mark your holiday in Eivissa.
Factbox
Address: Carrer Major, 3, 07800 Eivissa, Illes Balears, Spain
Phone: +34 971 30 44 52
Website: 1742ibiza.com
Instagram: instagram.com/1742ibiza
All imagery supplied by 1742 Ibiza
