Great food tastes even better with your feet in the sand, but in Ibiza that privilege can often come at a price. New arrival Blau Sand by Ohana gets it just right, bringing quality, setting and value to Santa Eulalia's beachfront.
The latest opening from the Ohana Group combines the easy-going spirit of a traditional chiringuito with the standards of a contemporary restaurant.
Passersby stop to enjoy some fleshy, fresh oysters
Our team settled in on the beachfront terrace, directly off the town's elegant promenade, with the sand just metres away and a welcome sea breeze taking the edge off the summer heat.
One thing stood out almost immediately: the service. Discreet, knowledgeable and seemingly always there when needed, the team worked together with an ease that comes from both experience and rigorous training.
As its affable Chef Alfonso Vázquez explained to us, the team is constantly looking for ways to improve the customer's experience, not least by sourcing better produce. Locally caught fish and seafood are used wherever possible, while the same emphasis on quality runs through the other four Ohana Group restaurants on the island.
It didn't take us long to realise we were being thoroughly spoiled. Our lunch was very much a showcase of the kitchen rather than a normal order - one of these generous mains with a side of greens would easily make a meal. But our hosts were determined to treat us royally, and who were we to argue?
Cocktails in hand, we were ready for the culinary show to begin.
Ideal choices for a hot August day: Tropical juice, passionfruit Kaewe mocktail and the rum-based Ohana cocktail
Crisp ham croquettes on a black truffle emulsion. The perfect crunchy texture and creamy centre were a delight and a small taste of things to come.
The scale of Blau Sand's menu could easily result in a kitchen trying to do too much. Instead, what impressed us was how light and unfussy much of the cooking remained.
The garlic shrimps followed, plump and juicy in a fragrant sauce of olive oil, with plenty of garlic and a small kick of chilli heat.
The Ohana Diamond made an impressive entrance: 40 pieces of freshly prepared sushi. Despite its size, the presentation was precise and elegant, something that would become a theme throughout the meal.
Then came the paella, prepared for two with scallops, langoustine and red prawns. Peppers, and ñoras (dried red peppers) and an excellent fish stock brought full flavour to this perfectly executed rice dish.
If there was one plate that summed up Blau Sand's relationship with the sea, however, it was the grilled fish and seafood platter. Rotja (scorpion fish), monkfish and grouper came alongside squid, clams, prawns, scallops and mussels, with scrumptious panaderas potatoes and Padrón peppers completing the spread. It was an impressive lineup, allowing the freshness and variety of the catch to do most of the talking.
The grill has plenty to offer committed carnivores too. Our Fresian Beef Tomahawk arrived and was finished at the table, cooked to medium-rare perfection on the charcoal grill.
Juicy, tender and full of flavour, it showed that seafood doesn't have the monopoly on the kitchen's attention.
Vegetarians and vegans aren't an afterthought either. Options on the 'Green, but not boring menu' range from a vegetarian poke bowl and the Green Ohana Burger to pesto potato gnocchi.
Throughout the meal, the presentation remained exquisite without becoming overworked. That distinction matters. There was plenty of visual appeal, but the food was there to be eaten rather than photographed from six different angles.
Then came dessert. Or rather, three desserts.
The pistachio tiramisu arrived inside a moka coffee pot, still steaming. For a moment, we couldn't work out what was going on until we realised there was dry ice hidden inside. It made us smile - and before long we were digging around the bottom of the pot to scrape out this creamy deliciousness.
The walnut and 70% chocolate soufflé was another highlight. Served with caramel ice cream and Ibiza sea salt, its high-cacao chocolate kept the sweetness firmly in check, while the salt added just enough contrast.
Cheesecake with a smile
A light, creamy Spanish cheesecake with almond crumble and raspberry sorbet completed the trio, the sharpness of the fruit cutting neatly through the richness of the triple-cheese blend.
What makes Blau Sand particularly appealing, though, is the balance it strikes. There's the setting, of course: the beach, the Mediterranean, the sea breeze and the possibility of abandoning the table altogether and having lunch brought to your lounger. But the location isn't being asked to compensate for what arrives on the plate.
The food is fresh and generous, the cooking largely avoids unnecessary fuss and the service has the confidence to remain in the background until it's needed. Most importantly, the bill makes the quality-to-price ratio unusually attractive for a restaurant occupying this kind of beachfront real estate.
Blau Sand proves that enjoying the good life beside the Mediterranean doesn't necessarily mean having to pay over the odds for it. As always, we recommend booking in advance.
With four other venues on Ibiza, check out which one is closest to you:
Ohana Ibiza, at the beginning of Playa d'en Bossa beach
Ohana Sushi Market, all-you-can-eat dining in Playa d'en Bossa, by the Hippie Market
Ohana Santa Eulalia, on the promenade by the Marina in Santa Eulalia
Italian menu but same philosophy, OHM Ibiza, in Santa Eulalia
