Thai Menorca, the island’s only restaurant with the official Thai SELECT seal

Menorca has a restaurant officially recognised by the Thai authorities for the authenticity of its cuisine. Thai Menorca, part of Grupo Moga and located in Cala en Bosc within the Casas del Lago hotel and gastronomic hub, is the only restaurant on the island to hold the Thai SELECT seal, a certification promoted by Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion, under the country’s Ministry of Commerce.

The distinction is much more than a gastronomic label. Thai SELECT was created to identify and certify restaurants outside Thailand that respect the essence of Thai cuisine, work with appropriate ingredients and raw materials, and maintain cooking and presentation techniques that are faithful to the country’s culinary tradition.

The certification also takes into account other aspects that form part of the overall dining experience, such as the training of those responsible for the kitchen, the quality of the service, the décor and the establishment’s ability to convey an atmosphere linked to Thailand. It is therefore a recognition designed to offer guarantees to consumers seeking a rigorous approach to one of Southeast Asia’s most complex and popular cuisines.

According to information published about the distinction, Thai SELECT currently recognises 28 restaurants in Spain, nine in Portugal and one in Andorra. In the Balearic Islands, only two establishments are listed: Mango Thai and Thai Menorca. The latter is therefore Menorca’s only representative in this official selection.

The value of the distinction is even greater because of Thai Menorca’s gastronomic philosophy. Thai cuisine is built on a delicate balance of spicy, sweet, sour and salty flavours, together with fresh herbs and spices, in dishes where each ingredient has a precise role. It is not simply a matter of serving exotic dishes, but of respecting a culinary identity that has made Thailand one of the world’s major gastronomic destinations.

Thai Menorca is also part of the gastronomic project developed by Grupo Moga at Casas del Lago, which has become one of Cala en Bosc’s main concentrations of culinary concepts. The presence of a restaurant officially endorsed by the Thai Government strengthens this international vocation and provides a particularly significant credential.

Thai SELECT also certifies certain Thai food products — from instant curries to condiments and desserts — so that they can be consumed outside the country with guarantees of origin and authenticity.

At a time when international gastronomy is gaining an increasingly prominent place in Menorca, Thai Menorca’s distinction makes an important difference: it is not enough to reproduce faraway flavours; they must be recreated with knowledge, respect and fidelity. In Cala en Bosc, this gastronomic gateway to Thailand also carries the official endorsement of the country it represents.