October 12, 2026 |
Jaïs Mimoun, the renowned Parisian chef, brought the spirit of French gastronomy to the White Isle earlier this year, marking the restaurant’s first opening in Spain.
The restaurant’s cuisine blends Mimoun’s heritage with Mediterranean influences and classic French dishes, resulting in a menu that shifts week to week. The aim is to continue curating new dishes and experiences using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. For those in the know, there’s also a secret menu at Jaïs, featuring everything from crispy rice topped with raw tuna to a decadent wagyu and caviar pasta, to name just a couple of dishes.
Situated near the town of Sant Josep, Jaïs radiates good energy from the moment you arrive. From stepping inside the Spanish-style finca to being shown to our table, nearly every member of staff stopped to greet us with a warm smile, their heads bopping along to the ’80s funk and soul playing overhead. It was hard to sit still, with classics ranging from Young Hearts Run Free by Candi Staton to Forget Me Nots by Patrice Rushen.
The tables were dressed in white linen, with sturdy silver cutlery on top, each piece engraved with the Jaïs logo. The wicker chairs were topped with cushions edged in royal blue and white piping, matching the menu placed on the logo-etched plates – all in the signature blue Jaïs is known for.
Seated outside on a September evening in the finca’s courtyard, we were surrounded by weeping trees, their branches dotted with warm orange light bulbs, while flickering candles cast a soft glow over the tables. We began with a limoncello spritz, served in a tall-stemmed glass packed with ice and filled with a refreshing, tart lemonade. Alongside it came a basket of warm, crunchy bread and a plate of diced radish with a slice of unsalted butter – radis au beurre. A classic French appetiser, it can be eaten by spreading the butter on a piece of bread and topping it with radish, or simply using the butter as a dip.
First to arrive was the crispy rice topped with tuna – a secret-menu choice and one worth sharing. Two substantial cubes of rice, with a honey-golden crust all over, were finished with a dollop of finely diced, cherry-red raw tuna and a sprinkle of black sesame seeds. The dish was light: the rice was crunchy, while the tuna melted away almost instantly. It was the kind of dish that lingers in the memory long after the plate is cleared.
My partner and I then shared the creamy linguine, topped with a fiery-orange scattering of trout roe and gratings of lime zest. The al dente pasta came coated in a buttery white sheen, while pops of glistening roe brought a mildly briny, slightly nutty note to each bite. Next, the 30-day dry-aged “Noire de Baltique” rib-eye arrived, sliced precisely and cooked medium-rare, alongside a glossy, espresso-hued jus reduced from bones and vegetables.
To finish, no trip to Jaïs would feel complete without the chocolate mousse, drizzled with green Kalamata olive oil and finished with a dusting of sea salt flakes. Simple in concept, it was moreish in every mouthful.
With private tables and seating both inside and out, the real showpiece is the wine cellar, built around the kitchen itself and stocked with bottles from across the world. Jaïs is not only a restaurant but also a curated wine bar. The sommelier is always on hand throughout the evening, guiding you seamlessly through the menu with expert knowledge and well-judged pairings. To close out the evening, we raised a toast with a light, fruity glass of champagne brought over by the team.
What stayed with us most was the team itself. At Jaïs, service felt less like a transaction and more like being welcomed into a family. Between a menu that rewards curiosity and the quiet theatre of the wine list and cellar, this is somewhere we’re already longing to return to next summer.
Photography courtesy of Jaïs.
