Food stories in Platja d’en Bossa: talks with Alberto Bastardo

Platja d’en Bossa, one of the most well-known areas on the island of Ibiza in recent decades due to its large discotheques, beach bars, and luxury hotels. Platja d’en Bossa is part of a larger urban area that extends from Ibiza’s own municipality to the town of Sant Jordi, which is part of the municipality of Sant Josep de sa Talaia. One of Ibiza’s most famous beaches, precisely named Platja d’en Bossa (the beach of Bossa), stretches for about two kilometers. It has unrivaled views of the Torre des Carregador, also known as the Torre de sa Sal Rossa, from its southernmost point. Remember that you can find a list of the best beaches to visit with kids in Ibiza right here.

The Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza is located in this area. One of its selling venues, “The Beach at Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza,” opens its terrace towards Platja d’en Bossa and features a private sand area with sun loungers. The landscape of this stretch of the coast has been heavily influenced by the two vertical-style hotels that were built in 1969 and reached out into Ibiza’s skyline. Both were renovated in 2018 and given the names they have today: Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel and Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza.

Where Ibiza meets the Caribbean and Asia

After a quick tour through the complex, Executive Chef Alberto Bastardo joins me at the terrace with views to Platja d’en Bossa. We grab a cup of coffee and we quickly dive into a discussion about Ibiza and its local producte. The first step is to understand how he perceives gastronomy and how he transfers that motivation to the hotel’s kitchen, especially since his roots are in Venezuela. “Since I have worked in so many places and I’m originary from the Caribbean”, the Chef explains, “I always mix ingredients. I enjoy taking a classic and twisting it into something new. Bring context to the dish. With globalization, it is now almost compulsory for us the cooks.”

“Since I have worked in so many places and I’m originary from the Caribbean, I always mix ingredients. I enjoy taking a classic and twisting it into something new. Bring context to the dish. With globalization, it is now almost compulsory for us the cooks.”

Alberto Bastardo, Executive Chef in Had Rock Hotel Ibiza

The gastronomical proposal of this venue in Ibiza with access to the beach is defined by such fusion and casual vibes, where we are surprised to find Ibizan traditional food and classic Mediterranean dishes with a modern twist. We have views of the sea and Formentera, but instead of a fine dinning experience, here is all about the constitution of a relaxed atmosphere.

The multicultural integration of which Alberto speaks can be found in many of the dishes offered here. “For example, with the octopus, we make a fusion with the panceta (bacon). We use Japanese sauces and yellow ají as a side dish” describes the Chef, explaining how he prepares this typical Spanish dish while catapulting its flavours into the Caribbean and Asian cuisines. Such intercontinental meeting between Ibiza and the rest of the world can be also tasted in the ceviche that they prepare. “We also have ceviche, which is a very popular dish here. We prepare a leche de tigre with yuzu and then we use it with Ibiza local fish,” Alberto says.

A gesture to Ibizan food in Platja d’en Bossa

Nobody ever imagined that a restaurant in Platja d’en Bossa (and within an hotel) could serve traditional Ibizan dishes with a modern touch. “Traditional dishes from Ibiza you say?” asks Alberto with a smile, “let me see, bullit de peix. It sells a lot, and the English customer is really surprised. Of course we serve it with its classic arròs a banda. For those who are unfamiliar with this exquisite dish, it is a paella with a thin layer of rice as a must-have side dish. The arroces in general (for us Spaniards this plural of rice is an umbrella for all styles of paella or brothy rice) are an insignia at the Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza, one of the most important culinary emblems not only in the Pitiusas and the Levante of Spain, but also elsewhere in the country. Another foodies’ favorite are the Formentera-style huevos rotos o huevos estrellados con bogavante (fried eggs with European lobster). Alberto’s cooking has a dedicated Mediterranean flavor. The formula entails treating the product as little as possible and elevating it with Asian and Latin American techniques, colours and flavors.

“The tomato in the gazpacho is from Ibiza, as is the egg that we use, the fruit, and the patata roja (red potato from IBIZA). We make a concerted effort to use 0 km food and support Ibizan production”

Alberto Bastardo, Executive Chef in Had Rock Hotel Ibiza

Other Ibizan options that we find when there is availability are the gamba roja (red local schrimp) and the langosta (lobster). This last one is prepared by using a thick salt base to manipulate the product as little as possible while still achieving the desired flavor. Following that, it is served atop a paella with salted crystal and a garnish of Ibizan lettuces. Another delicious alternative is the “bocados de rotja frita” (fried bites of rotja fish), a resurrection of a traditional Ibizan dish. Instead of cooking it in the oven or simply stir-frying it, the Chef performs transversal cuts to the rotja, coats it with crumbs, and then stir-fries it. These crispy fish pieces are served on a thin bed of paella, accompanied by a variety of sauces, so that the customer may dip the fish using their hands and enjoy a straight bite. Picking up the rotja and interacting with the entire dish: a different experience that invites you to engage eating with all of your senses.

If you wish to learn some more about Ibiza’s customs, you may do so by reading this article about Ibiza’s rural architecture. If you’re looking for local and healthy milenarian products, you should definitely read our article about traditional honey from Ibiza. Would you like to visit Santa Eulalia del Río at the northeast of Ibiza? Check this story then.