Reincarnation of Bambuddha Restaurant

For many reasons, it was my absolute delight to be invited to the "Reincarnation of Bambuddha" (formerly Bambuddha Grove) recently, not least of which was the fact that, after almost seven years of living on Ibiza, I had simply never been to this famous restaurant…considered by many to be a true Ibiza institution…in this, or any of its previous incarnations.

My determination not to be swayed by the hype, however, started to waver with the valet parking, and the first hint of the impeccable service that awaited us.

The car taken care of, my companion and I arrived a little sheepishly at the reception desk, confessing that we were "unfashionably early" - in fact, we are the very first to arrive - but the welcome we received was warm and genuine as our names were checked on the guest list and we were shown through to the restaurant.

Now, what was I saying about not being swayed? To paraphrase owner, John Moon, Bambuddha is a temple that just happens to be a restaurant too, and the bamboo canopy, standing stones, Buddhas and erotic artefacts certainly all contribute to that very exotic and unique combination. I had heard it said many times that stepping into Bambuddha gives more a feeling of being in Goa than Ibiza...and now I knew exactly what that meant.

The bar was not yet open but as we sat in the lush surroundings, wafts of incense in the air, we watched the staff preparing for the night ahead. They were clearly busy, but all had time for a friendly hello, and there was a relaxed and cheerful energy about the place…the feeling was that the staff were quietly confident…they had done this before!

As the other guests began to arrive, flutes of champagne were offered and before long, we were escorted to our table.

The word that best sums up the service at Bambuddha has to be "faultless" with excellent communication between the staff meaning that we never once had to repeat who we were, or wait awkwardly to be seated…everything was effortless, professional and friendly.

It is worth noting that one of the guests on our table had a special dietary requirement that Bambuddha was not aware of until her arrival, and which meant that one of the dishes from the menu of MediterrAsian cuisine was unsuitable for her. Absolutely no problem! The kitchen was swiftly informed, and the Chef personally came to the table with the alternative he had prepared especially for her, explaining what was in it, how it had been cooked, and checking she was one hundred percent happy. Now that's what I call good service!

In all honesty, the only thing that can be said about the food is that it was thoroughly divine…and a quick glance around the restaurant at the expressions on the other guests' faces was enough to affirm that all the diners felt the same. We were treated to tasters of several of Bambuddha's favourite dishes from the new menu, each of which was accompanied by the perfect wine chosen by the sommelier.

Cocktails followed, and even the tunes that the DJs were playing were perfectly suited to the ambient, yet buzzing atmosphere.

The end of the night saw me a fully-fledged Bambuddha convert. Everything from the beautiful surroundings, to the top-quality service and food, to the wonderful atmosphere...Bambuddha has got it just right and in its new incarnation, it will certainly continue to maintain its well-deserved reputation of being one of the best restaurants on Ibiza.