Gastroplod

Call me weird but I just don’t like it when my waitress takes such obvious offence at any punters daring to invade her erstwhile empty restaurant.  I understand her feelings; years of food service taught me there’s nothing so intrusive as a damn customer when you’ve just gotten used to a bit of solitude.  But those same years – and basic economics – also taught me to stand up & snap out of it, smile brightly and serve politely: as they say, it’s not rocket science – the pay’s better.

Our handy AA Twinpack guide recommended this place for its atmosphere but I doubt it intended the ambiance generated by a blasé bint who was too patently, petulantly cool to be bloody bothered by bloody customers and at lunch-time, at that: 1.45pm, 1345 hours.

In what way was it our fault there was no chilled cava?  ¡¿¡¿No chilled cava!?!?  And was this girl cronies with the (frozen) calamari?  Planning a painting of the (tinned) pimentóns piquillos?  Dating the (possibly pre-packaged) tortilla española?  We felt obliged that despite her simmering resentment our waitress brought anything at all, for not one thing was removed on her return to bar stool, tabletop disappearing beneath debris the while.

Whatever the truth, I got the distinct impression we stood between herself and her happiness, although judging by the expressions of the only other punters – who stayed for just a quick coffee – it was nothing personal.

This is my tip for our sulky server at Baixamar: be nice; if you can’t manage that, at least be polite.  I guess some people just can’t take the strain.

Moll de Ponent 17, Mahon
Tel. 971 36 58 96

Indifferent tapas between €4 and €10; can’t remember how much the wine was but it wasn’t particularly cheap and (surprise surprise) there was no cooler provided. Wish we’d gone somewhere else.