Jaïs Ibiza

Chef Jaïs Mimoun has been coming to Ibiza to celebrate his birthday every summer since he was 18, once flying in from Mexico just for two days because the idea of missing it was unthinkable. It’s no surprise this highly respected chef of French and Moroccan origins leapt at the chance to open an outpost of his eponymous restaurant on the white isle. Jaïs Ibiza is set in a beautifully restored finca on the road to San José, where a romantic garden provides the backdrop for one of the island’s most exciting new Ibiza fine dining restaurants.

Mimoun grew up in his parents’ legendary Parisian restaurant, Le Tagine, before training under Rodolphe Paquin and then Éric Fréchon at Le Bristol – one of the city’s most exacting kitchens. At just 25, he and his brother and business partner, Yanice, opened Le Petit Célestin in the 4th arrondissement, followed by Jaïs in the 7th, which earned a Gault&Millau rating of 13/20. Both Paris addresses led to a summer outpost in Saint-Tropez and Jaïs Courchevel on the slopes in winter. Jaïs Ibiza is the latest addition to this growing culinary empire, bringing Parisian pedigree to the Ibiza fine dining scene.

Mimoun’s cooking is French at its core, infused with his Moroccan heritage and many travels. The menu at Jaïs Ibiza features dishes created especially for the island alongside the Paris classics: the famous red prawns with kalamata olive oil and lemon zest; hand-cut langoustine tartare with Puglian stracciatella, toasted buckwheat and lime zest; sea bream carpaccio with blood orange and honey vinaigrette; and the cult-classic linguine with lemon zest and trout roe. A carefully chosen wine list and creative cocktail menu complete the Ibiza fine dining experience.

While Jaïs Ibiza sources most of its produce from the Balearics, there are some things Mimoun simply won’t compromise on. Butter and cream are shipped from Normandy – the former best enjoyed slathered over soda bread, the cherished recipe of which Mimoun has entrusted to a local island bakery. Caviar is an off-menu fixture at all of Mimoun’s restaurants, for those who enjoy sharing a tin of the black gold. The salty delicacy also makes a showing across the Ibiza fine dining restaurant’s menu, atop the bluefin tuna carpaccio, scattered over pasta with wagyu cecina and dolloped onto the Ibiza-exclusive paella with wagyu cecina – a dish alone worth the reservation.

Carnivores will be delighted with the aged rib-eye with fries, Roscoff onion purée and jus; the crispy sweetbreads with mash and lobster bisque; or the classic steak frites. Desserts are unabashedly French: profiteroles with 85% Colombian hot chocolate sauce; warm madeleine with vanilla ice cream; and a silky chocolate mousse. The original Jaïs has always moved between food and art, and the same drive is taking shape at his Ibiza fine dining restaurant – foodies and art lovers alike should keep an eye out for upcoming events. Jaïs Ibiza is open for dinner every night from 7.30pm, with the kitchen in action until midnight, and the bar and lounge serving drinks until late – bookings are strongly advised.