Tom takes refuge from the Balearic heat at Ibiza’s coolest new beachfront restaurant

Eating out 

It’s just past three, on the northeast coast of Ibiza, and it’s hot, damn hot, hot enough to make a camel curse. The sea swelters, the rocks bake, even the sand seems to sweat. 

But here at Nudo, perched a few metres above Es Figueral beach, there’s blessed shade, a light breeze and the soft whirr of overhead fans. Not exactly cool, but a respite from the inferno below.

I’m on the island for a few days, to celebrate the life of an old friend and raise a drink or five in his honour. His memorial is as moving as it is merry, and the great man gets the sendoff he deserves. 

But before all that, lunch. Usually, I’d be at Es Xarcu, as good now in its new location as it ever was.

Or Sa Caleta, or Casa Jondal, expensive but exquisite. However, Serena, one of the true queens of the White Isle, rates this newcomer highly. A little more modern, perhaps, than the classics. But most certainly worth a try.

As ever, Serena is right. We meet and get stuck into the rosé, as much pale pink first aid as it is wine. An exceptional fried finger of battered white fish comes with lime, spicy remoulade and pickled onion, sitting on a nasturtium leaf ‘taco’: two bites of crisp, clean joy. 

Then raw tuna, cut from different parts of the fish, the loin draped in a gossamer slice of lardo, the most subtle of surf and turf. Fatty belly is dressed with a whisper of soy. Influences may range from Mexico to Japan, but the main ingredients are assuredly local.

 Homemade pasta, soft and silken, is tossed with langoustines

There are raw red prawns, mesmerisingly sweet, the heads sucked dry with delight. And a thin open omelette, still soft in the centre, scattered with prawns and trout roe, like glittering orange gems. 

Clams, both palourde and razor, along with mussels, are steamed in a delicate kimchi broth. Homemade pasta, soft and silken, is tossed with langoustines. 

To finish, ventresca (more tuna belly), marinated in koji (fermented rice or soya beans) and grilled. It’s astonishingly, astoundingly rich, heavy on the umami, like the very best wagyu steak. 

And proof, just like the rest of lunch (and, indeed, all those other wonderful restaurants), that there’s so much more to Ibiza than cut-price shots and repetitive beats.

• About €60 per head. Nudo, Carretera Club Figueral 48, Es Figueral, Ibiza; nudoibiza.com

DRINKS: Picpoul pleasers 

Picpoul de Pinet white wines are mouthwateringly refreshing and superb value. They pair exquisitely with shellfish and garlic prawns. 

Most are identifiable in slim, long-necked green ‘Neptune’ bottles that feature three key symbols: a column motif at the base, honouring the region’s Ancient Roman road (the Via Domitia); the Languedoc cross on the neck; and crashing waves near the top, representing their coastal home. 

ORMARINE PICPOUL DE PINET 2022 (12.5%), £10.50, Sainsbury’s. Made by one of the region’s leading producers, this vibrant Picpoul recalls freshly squeezed lemon juice with notes of crushed shells. 

TESCO FINEST PICPOUL DE PINET 2022 (13%), £9, Tesco. Lip-smackingly zesty and vivacious, this crowd-pleasing example evokes the region’s coastal terroir. Serve as an appetising apéritif. 

CHOSEN BY MAJESTIC PICPOUL DE PINET 2022 (12%), £9.99, majestic.co.uk. From Majestic’s recently launched Chosen collection, offering classic wines under £10, this refreshing Picpoul hits the spot. 

PICPOUL DE PINET BLANC SEC 2022 (13%), £8, Asda. Capturing the salty sea air with a saline freshness, this light, crisp and citrussy white is best paired with a pint of prawns on a sunny afternoon. 

KATIE JONES ALL GOOD THINGS PICPOUL DE PINET SUR LIE 2021 (13.5%), £17.99, nakedwines.com. Something special and different: a richer, textured style of Picpoul from British winemaker Katie Jones