If your ideal menu consists of meat, meat and more meat – we have found your little piece of heaven. A carnivores dream, Cas Pages is a typical Ibicencan restaurant with a reputation unrivalled on the island. Situated on the main road between Santa Eulalia and San Carlos, this family owned restaurant has been serving the people of Ibiza for decades.
From the outside, this unassuming building could be easily missed as you drive by, but as we walk down the steps into the main restaurant area, we are instantly transported back to an age of Ibiza gone by. The indoor dining area is traditionally decorated and is dominated by a huge open fire in the centre. Old artefacts and huge ancient wine casks decorate the area and there is a great view of the kitchen where you can see the chefs hard at work.
We choose to sit in the garden as it is a balmy Spring evening, and our first impression is in regard to the sheer size of the terraced area. With seating for over 150 people, the garden is a real oasis, with an idyllic canopy of trees creating a jungle style ambience. With the smells from the grill wafting towards us, we are instantly starving and quickly settle down to the important task of deciding what to order. We are helped by Lucy, one of the two sisters who own and run the establishment. Her infectious laugh and super friendly attitude is part of the Cas Pages legend.
On her recommendation we plump for a starting bowl of Arroz Matanza, a very typical dish which is somewhere between a soup and a stew of rice, pork, chicken and mushrooms. We order a portion for one person, but when it arrives we gulp as it could easily serve three in our opinion! The flavours of the broth and the melt in the mouth meat are quite remarkable, and we struggle onto our next course! The lamb chops to share is a bigger portion than you may expect, with 8 large chops. We ordered a selection of side dishes, including salad roasted peppers, tomatoes and onions, and hand cut chips, which we both agree are some of the best we have ever had.
The wine list is extensive and offers a great selection of Spanish and international wines at very reasonable prices. Cas Page is not famed for its desserts, perhaps because most clients are too full from their main courses, but there is a selection of ice creams and cakes for those with a bigger appetite than us! The menu here has not changed in nearly 15 years, and the place is full almost every night of the week, winter or summer. People have been known to come back time after time to taste the delicious solomillo (fillet steak) and indeed it is the stuff of island legends.
You cannot make an advance booking so we advise to arrive early, and they do not accept credit cards, so a trip to the cashpoint beforehand is necessary. We are sure that any self respecting meat eater could not fail to leave here without a big smile and a very full belly. Cas Pages is quite simply an Ibizan institution.