Wow.... amazing write ups and photos. This is a man who knows how to travel!! I have family in Galicia and visit every 2 or 3 years. My wife and I always make it a point to visit other parts of Spain when we go. For example, last year after spending time with the family in A Coruna, we visited Leon and Salamanca. Well...... now I know where we will be going next time.

Bacalao al Pil Pil

Bacalao al pil pil is arguably the quintessential Basque dish. They say that this dish is a “triumph” of Basque cuisine and culture, but it was apparently one that was also the result of defeat. As the story goes, a salt cod merchant put in an order for bacalao via telegram with the request for “100 o 120 bacaladas” which was Spanish for “100 or 120 salt cods”. The telegram was mistaken for “1,000,120 bacaladas”, which apparently the poor sap had a check for, since his order was unfortunately non-refundable due to the fact that Bilbao was on lock-down by the First Carlist War. Eventually supplies in Bilbao diminished, and they had to make the most with whatever they had, and what they had was a crap-load of cod.

There are different theories behind the etymology of the name, pil pil, and Kurlansky takes a good stab at it in The Basque History of the World:

“…The tendency is to assume that this odd-looking term means something in Euskera. Disappointingly, it has no more meaning in that ancient language than it does in Spanish or English. As with the origins of Basques themselves, explanations abound, ranging from a reference to pelota to the sound of sizzling olive oil. As with many Basque words, the orthography became almost a question of personal preference. Pil-pil with a hyphen was often used, and a 1912 book called it pirpir, one in 1919 said pin pin, and one in 1930 wrote of pirpil. The 1892 General Dictionary of Cuisine published in Madrid defined “pil pill” as the name of a new red sauce the Bilbaino gastronomes have invented now to eat with their famous chipirones or squid.” The only explanation for this definition is that it was neither the first nor the last time a Madrid publication got its Basque facts wrong.

All of these variations on the name lend credence to the theory that the word is an onomatopoeia attempting to capture the sound of sizzling olive oil. An 1896 book, Lexicon Bilbaino by Emiliano Arriaga, stated that the dish while cooking made the sound “bil bil” but that, since there is a tendency to transpose ps and bs, which he also states is the origin of Bilbao, the sauce became known as “pil-pil”. The only problem then is that pil pil doesn’t go “pil pil” anymore.”

I’m not sure I buy it, but it’ll have to do. Bacalao al pil pil is one of those great examples of magicalchemy. A few simple ingredients combined in a manner that magically results in something far beyond the sum of its parts. There are many other examples of similar genius, just off the top of my head, spaghetti alla carbonara comes to mind as one. Bacalao al pil pil consists of, amazingly, only 3 simple ingredients: bacalao, olive oil, and garlic. Garnished with sliced guindilla peppers and sliced golden garlic. Basic method: salt cod is first rinsed of its salt in several exchanges of water, and then placed in a earthen casserole with olive oil and sliced garlic over a very low flame, and moved around in a circular fashion until the fat from the (skin-on) fish combines with the liquid to emulsify into a luscious, creamy, off-white sauce that is tinged with garlic and the richness of bacalao. It’s really quite amazing.

I had been searching for the best rendition of this dish my entire trip, and now that I was back at my arrival/departure point, Bilbao, I was starting to get a little stressed out that I hadn’t found the right one and I only had a day left in my trip. Fortunately, I was in the right town for it. And fortunately, PIGMON and Rafa were able to get back to my SOS note in time with a few suggestions. One of them was a famous Bilbao restaurant known for their bacalao, Guria, and which I had read about particularly for their pil pil. The chef/owner, Jenaro Pildain, is widely considered to be one of the few remaining masters of this dish … only problem was, as Rafa had cautioned, that he no longer remains. He died a few years ago.

Guria is widely considered a shrine for traditional Basque cuisine, and Pildain is often called the “King of Cod”. The place has been around for 60 years, with about 15 in their present location in the sleek downtown area. The restaurant is divided into two spaces – a bistro-like front room for more affordable fare, and then the formal dining room in back which has limited seating (reservations are essential – and actually, the other place Rafa recommended, Bola Viga, was booked up too -- so plan accordingly).

Dining room:


Amuse of white asparragus terrine:


Mix of sauteed vegetables with foie gras:


I came for the pil pil, so let’s cut to the chase.

I’d read Pildain’s recipe, but with the old man gone, I had to see it with my own two eyes to be sure the new guys weren’t taking any shortcuts. The recipe comes from his mother and is apparently true to the original, in that the bacalao is cooked directly in olive oil (as opposed to water first, then olive oil). The use of an earthen casserole is also critical, and the Pildain recipe calls for cooking it beginning to end in this vessel.

After having been desalinated, the cod is placed in a good amount of olive oil that had previously been infused with sliced garlic cooked to a golden brown. I was a bit concerned that they did not start in the earthen pot.



A short while later, 5 or so minutes, you can already see the nectar coming out of the fish.



The published recipe then instructs to remove the olive oil from the pot and move the pot around in a circular fashion so that the fish slides around in a circle, adding back the olive oil a little at a time until the sauce comes together and thickens to the right consistency.

At Guria, however, they first strained the oil in which the fish was immersed, to filter the bigger bits out, but leaving behind sufficient fat to create the sauce.



The fish is then transferred to the earthen pot (off the flame), with the strained oil added in a little at a time, sliding the dish around all the while.



The swirl. It’s all in the hips:



Starting to come together:



Once it has come together, they remove the fish to a plate, and then strain the sauce one final time, into a small saucepan to warm it up:



I’d heard about other secret tricks that vary from kitchen to kitchen. As I mentioned previously, one kitchen liked to add some of the juice from a tin of white asparragus, well at Guria they swirl in a tiny drizzle of guindilla pepper oil.





Pour sauce on fish. Garnish. Done.



I took about a hundred photos and none of them were really able to capture the texture and consistency of this sauce. Nonetheless ….





While there were departures from the original protocol, I could forgive them since they were mostly adjustments for a restaurant kitchen and, well, it was a pretty stupendous plate of pil pil, the best one I had, and I now felt as though I could go home with some closure.

Oh, dessert wasn’t too shabby either – I walked out of there with the best cuajada of the trip too.

Cuajada




--

Well that about wraps up my report, thanks everybody for reading and for the kind words. For those who have already been to this area, I know you’ll be back, and for those who haven’t been, I hope you’ll go. The people are incredible, the culture rich, the food grand.

I’ll close with my last bite which comes full circle from my first:




-Nab

Thanks again for sharing your photos and knowledge of the area. Very informative. If I did not have a big trip to Vietnam booked for the end of the year, I'd be trying to sell my wife on going the Basque region.

Glad to see you had a good time, in general. Also, I was worried about you "pil pil" search. Did Guria meet all of your expectations?
How were you able to get in the kitchen and take pictures? Normally, they don´t like it too much.

Rafa wrote:Glad to see you had a good time, in general.

Rafa,

I had an incredible time. When you read about a place and fantasize about it for a while, and then see it with your own two eyes, it doesn't always match up with your imagination. This actually exceeded what my imagination cooked up. I didn't really touch upon the non-food highlights (tried to keep it relevant, I'm conditioned that way from the concentration camps of Lefflandia ), but they were just as spectacular.

Rafa wrote: Also, I was worried about you "pil pil" search. Did Guria meet all of your expectations?

I was able to try "pil pil" 6 times on this trip -- some good, some not so good, and Guria's was great. It certainly met my expectations, however, my only regret in this regard was not having enough time to be able to compare it to the other places you had recommended. I was finally able to experience a great "pil pil", but I won't know if it was the best until I go back for head-to-head comparisons.

Rafa wrote:How were you able to get in the kitchen and take pictures? Normally, they don´t like it too much.

I had been asking my waiter some very specific questions about the preparation, and he was only able to answer the first one or two before he realized he wasn't going to get too far with me. He came back and told me that the kitchen would be happy to have me watch them and they would notify me when a good time for that would be. As it turned out, the cook was very friendly and answered my questions and seemed quite passionate about what he was doing. I did make a point to stay way the heck out of the way of anybody in the kitchen. The waiter, while initially a bit annoyed with me I think, eventually was quite appreciative of my curiosity and interest (although he came around to this only after the cooks and I hit it off).

-Nab

After spending 3 days in Barcelona, we made the drive to San Sebastian. Our primary mission was to eat well. When you spend much of your life thinking about/reading about/talking about food, few places stand out like Donostia-San Sebastian. It was a beacon that had been summoning me for years. I don't really have a bucket list but if I did, a visit to this region would surely be on it. However, as glorious as our visit was, 3 days was almost nothing more than a tease. We enjoyed some phenomenal food but we were barely able to scratch the surface. As such, one big result of our visit to the region is that I now feel compelled to make another one.

We set out at about 20:00 to the Old Town section of San Sebastian, where pintxos bars line the narrow streets in all directions. We weren't exactly sure where to go but it became clear almost immediately after we stepped outside the hotel, as everyone on the street seemed to be heading in the same direction. We followed and as we turned the corner, we found exactly what we were looking for . . .


Calle del Treinta y Uno de Agosto - Pintxos Heaven
This was the "main drag" in the Old Town section but places were hardly limited to this stretch. Many of our favorite bites were found in places on the adjacent streets.

What follows are pictures from a couple of different pintxos runs through the Old Town. In neither case is my coverage that great. The evening run (mentioned above) was definitely an elbow-to-elbow, butt-to-nut experience. The crowds were thick and the scene wasn't conducive for picture-taking or even comfortable eating. Amongst all the bites, I managed to snap a few shots but most of what we ate isn't documented. At some point, I just had to put the camera away and go with the flow. The second trip through, lunch a couple of days later, was much mellower. The downside is that not as many places were open during the day. Still, there was no lack of great food and even though the pictures aren't comprehensive, I think they do a decent job of depicting the overall scene.



Bar La Viña
This was one of our favorites. I'm pretty sure that the next 4 shots are of bites we enjoyed at La Viña . . .














Bar Martinez
We really enjoyed the food here and stopped in for bites on both of our trips through.



The evening spread at Bar Martinez



A small sampling



Bere Basque Cider
I've recently gotten into these ciders and it was great to be able to drink them in their home arena. For me, their dry, sour funkiness is extremely food-friendly.



Lunch bites at Bar Martinez
My son and I split this plate during our second visit.









The daytime spread at Bar Martinez

A few more shots from other places . . .


Octopus
I can't remember where we got this but we didn't love it. It seemed like it had been around a while.



Bar Zaguan
The assortment here was fairly different than at a lot of the other spots we hit. As far as how we liked it, it was a mixed bag.



The daytime spread at Bar Zaguan



Jamon Iberico






Our plate from Zaguan



Sangria
This was a watery version that I should never have bothered ordering. Later, I had a much better one but I didn't get a picture of it.



Nothing like a lunchtime serenade



Hams hanging from the ceiling
This is the kind of interior design I'd like to have in my home.



Vinos Martinez



Ciders
It was great to see (and try) some that I've never seen here in the U.S.



Confectionery Viagra?



Bar Etxaniz



Bacon-Wrapped Sausage from Etxaniz
One of the best bites I had on either run.



Morcilla

As far as I can recall, this is the greatest area of concentrated, high-quality eating and drinking that I've ever experienced. It was nearly overwhelming but in the best possible way. As I mentioned up top, a few hours here is just not enough to really absorb it all. I could easily spend several days here just walking from door to door sampling pintxos at each and every place. We had some great food and feel like we gained a solid, introductory understanding of what it's all about. Next time, I'll set aside a lot more time to really immerse myself in it.

=R=

Bar La Viña
Calle 31 de Agosto, 3
20003 San Sebastián, Spain
943 42 74 95

Bar Martinez
Calle 31 de Agosto, 13
20003 San Sebastián, Spain
943 42 49 65

Bar Etxaniz
Calle de Fermín Calbetón, 24
20003 San Sebastián, Spain
943 42 62 59

Bar Zaguan
Calle 31 de Agosto, 28
20003 San Sebastián, Spain
943 42 48 44

Vinos Martinez
Calle de Narrica, 29
20003 San Sebastián, Spain
943 42 08 70

Bar La Cepa
Calle 31 de Agosto, 7
20003, San Sebastián, Spain
943 42 63 94

Those pictures make me want to go back to San Sebastian ASAP. For anyone planning a pintxo crawl, I found Todos Pintxos to be a very helpful resources in addition to threads like this one.

beng wrote:Those pictures make me want to go back to San Sebastian ASAP. For anyone planning a pintxo crawl, I found Todos Pintxos to be a very helpful resources in addition to threads like this one.

That's a very useful site, which LTHer deesher had recommended to me. Also, Rafa, who posted above, was very helpful in providing us with some pre-travel guidance . . . not just for San Sebastian but also for Barcelona, and the areas in between. A big thanks, to both of those guys.

The next time I go to Spain, it'll have to be for at least a month.

=R=

Thanks, Ron. This family trip is high on my list as the in-laws have roots there and, tragically, we've never been. Really hard to take it all in.

ronnie_suburban wrote:As far as I can recall, this is the greatest area of concentrated, high-quality eating and drinking that I've ever experienced. It was nearly overwhelming but in the best possible way. As I mentioned up top, a few hours here is just not enough to really absorb it all. I could easily spend several days here just walking from door to door sampling pintxos at each and every place. We had some great food and feel like we gained a solid, introductory understanding of what it's all about. Next time, I'll set aside a lot more time to really immerse myself in it.

Did you mainly visit places in Parte Vieja?

We also found the pintxos places to be less crowded and more spread out, but just as delicious in the neighborhood of Gros, across the water.

kathryn wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:As far as I can recall, this is the greatest area of concentrated, high-quality eating and drinking that I've ever experienced. It was nearly overwhelming but in the best possible way. As I mentioned up top, a few hours here is just not enough to really absorb it all. I could easily spend several days here just walking from door to door sampling pintxos at each and every place. We had some great food and feel like we gained a solid, introductory understanding of what it's all about. Next time, I'll set aside a lot more time to really immerse myself in it.

Did you mainly visit places in Parte Vieja?

We also found the pintxos places to be less crowded and more spread out, but just as delicious in the neighborhood of Gros, across the water.

Because we were on a fairly tight schedule and since there was more in the Old Town than we could cover, that's where we stayed.

Thinking about it, this did remind me of one other place I'd been: the Mala Strana in Prague. The scene in San Sebastian was definitely more lively but in the Czech Republic, especially in this section of town, there are all sorts of food shops selling little ornate, open-face sandwiches known as klebicke. They often have a base of thinly-spread potato salad and are topped with cured meats, intricately cut pickles, hard-boiled egg slices, etc. I remember going absolutely bonkers there running around trying to sample the wares from each and every shop. In the end, I failed but not without great delight.

=R=

Sometimes it's funny how you end up at certain places. Asador Etxebarri has acheived 'legend' status over the past few years. I know this . . . now. But until the day we set out to have lunch there, it had been enthusiastically recommended by a couple of friends and that was all I knew of it. In fact, it wasn't until the morning of our lunch that I (re)discovered this thread and Nab's awesome post about it. After reading his tremendous post, googling for an address returned the result 'Etxebarri Bourdain' and I started to get a sense that we were headed somewhere that was far more well-known than we initially understood.

The hour-long drive from San Sebastian to Etxebarri is a truly beautiful trek that winds through some breathtaking, lushly-green, mountainous terrain. Throughout the drive, we were struck by Man's subtantial ability to tame nature in a way that preserved and showcased its beauty. The ballsiness of building roads here -- and the way they integrate seamlessly with the nature around them -- testify to our very best attributes. This aesthetic is a harmonious match for the rustic cooking methods used at Etxebarri, where nearly everything is cooked, at least in part, over wood fire.

Unlike Nab's stellar post above, I don't have many details and my pictures are pretty weak. The meal was spectacular from end to end but we didn't tour the kitchen and we didn't ask a lot of questions. We opted for the daily Tasting Menu and just let the experience wash over us . . .


The picturesque view at Etxebarri
So beautiful, it almost looks fake.



The view from the front door at Etxebarri



Etxebarri - Plaza de San Juan, 1, 24549 Atxondo, Carracedelo, León, España



Menu



The menu of chef Victor Arguinzoniz



Bread
Hearthy with a heavy, pronounced crust and soft, uneven crumb.



Carrot Juice
We thought this might be made from wood-roasted carrots but one sip made it clear that it had gone almost immediately from ground to glass.



House-made Chorizo
I'm certainly no expert but I thought this was one of better renditions we had during our trip to Spain. I loved the balance between the fat, the tanginess and the pimenton. I also thought the coarse but tender grind was perfect.



Goat Butter with Volcanic Salt
I could have made a meal out of the bread, the chorizo and this terrific butter but obviously, there was a lot more to come.



Salt-cured Anchovy
I loved the way the flavors of the briney fish and the wood-grilled bread matched up.



Mussels
This was one of my very favorites. The meaty little mussels were indescribably tender and the smokey pimenton accented them perfectly.



Oyster
A very large oyster, the provenance of which I do not know.



Oyster
I'm not sure exactly what was in there with the oyster but the prep reminded me a lot of the rotating hama hama oyster preparation served at Yusho.



Palamós Prawns
These local prawns were among the best I've ever had. They were certainly unlike any others I've ever had, and tasted like a food I'd never experienced before. The heads possessed an especially meaty richness. The light wood flavor accented them perfectly.



Baby Squid
Immaculately tender squid and I loved the inclusion of the intense ink on the plate.



White Tuna and Local Tomato
This was a great piece of fish, ever so simply prepared over a wood that enhanced without obscuring. The tomatoes and olive oil were great accompaniments.



Beef Chop
As Nab described above, this old and aged Galician beef is a singular experience. The flavor is intense and again, the deftly applied accent of smoke was perfect.



Beef Chop
A closer look.



Iceberg Lettuce & Onion Salad
This salad was a very nice side with the beef but I had to laugh just a bit because with its light vinegar dressing, it was such an American seeming type of salad.



Reduced Milk Ice Cream
This was ultra-intense and I'm guessing -- though I don't have confimation -- that it was made with goat milk.



Blueberry Coronet
I'm pretty sure these were actually bilberries, based on their spectacular, distinctive flavor.



Mignardise
Nothing like a bit of chocolate to end an epic meal. As I found so often during our visit, Spanish chocolate is remarkably delicious. Time and time again, it hit that perfect mark between sweet and bitter. This was a great representation of that dynamic.

After lunch, we strolled out to the back patio, where folks were smoking and chatting. It was a little too hot for us to eat out there (which is why we'd sat inside) but the views were spectacular.



View through the foliage from the Patio



Another view from the Patio

This was a meal that had a profound emotional effect on all of us. It was soulful, distinctive, masterfully prepared and delicious. I cannot think of another place I've ever eaten where such stellar local ingredients were prepared in a manner that showcased them so well. While this was a major theme across our travels in Spain, at no place was it more perfectly executed than at Etxebarri. I'm so glad we ended up here because we almost didn't. It's a place to which I will definitely return on my next trip to Spain. When I do, I'll probably try to bring a few friends and order from the a la carte side of the menu. I'm really sorry I didn't try the ember-cooking vegetables, the bellota pork loin and several other dishes. We actually considered ordering them in addition to our tasting menu but we had reservations for a much anticipated dinner just 6 hours after lunch and we wanted to be ready . . .

=R=

Etxebarri
Plaza de San Juan, 1
24549 Atxondo, Carracedelo, León, España
34 946 583 042

Ronnie - your posts are killing me! Unbelievable stuff.

One of the main things that drew me to this part of Spain was the promise of some serious high-end dining. Near the very top of my wishlist was Mugaritz, located in the low hills of Errenteria, just outside of San Sebastian. I'd heard and read so much about it, I almost felt like a meal there was necessary to consummating our trip. Luckily, we were working far enough in advance that getting a reservation wasn't an issue. In fact, the biggest issue was cramming all the eating we wanted to do into a relatively small window of time. On this day, for example, we'd already lunched at Etxebarri. Fortunately, that meal was fairly restrained in quantity and also took place several hours before our dinner at Mugaritz.

The setting is pristine. It's essentially a cluster of small buildings nestled together comfortably behind tall hedges and other lush foliage. When we arrived, we were asked if we'd like to begin our meal outside on the patio. It was a beautiful evening, so we decided to do just that . . .


Mugaritz - Otzazulueta Baserria Aldura Aldea 20, 20100, Errenteria, Spain



Mugaritz



The Patio
The main restaurant is on the right. Straight ahead in the background is another building, where we saw some diners congregating. I'm not sure if this space is just for one party or several.



Txakolina | Mendraka 10, Bizkaiko Txakolina, Elizalde
We were offered an aperitif and opted for the locally made Txakolina. It was bright and crisp, and it paired very nicely with the early courses we enjoyed on the patio.



Edible Stones
Though these look like stones, they were not. We were instructed to pick them up, dip them in the sauce pictured below and eat them. Picking them up, they even felt like stones. But, we knew they were potaotes and they were really nicely prepared. The skins were slightly crispy and the flesh was fluffy and tender. Dipped in the garlic aioli, they were delicious but they would have been great even on their own.



Roasted Garlic Aioli

Next, a series of small courses were brought out to us in fairly rapid succession . . .


Grilled Toast of Bone Marrow with herbs and horseradish ash
Perfectly jiggly marrow here, paired with some very tasty herbs.



"Fishbones" with nuances of lemon, garlic and cayenne pepper
I think this was my favorite of these early courses. Not only was it delicious but I loved the crunch and the heat from the cayenne.



Marine Chords of a crispy woodwind



Marine Chords of a crispy woodwind
Sea anemone is the featured ingredient in these tubes.



Flax and Wheat "Kraft" Paper with marine accents
My notes say "spider crab," which is what I believe is atop the edible paper.



A mouthful of flowers, dried fruits and salt grains
These gorgeous flowers, we were told, were picked from the restaurant's garden. They were inside a clear, edible envelope and adorned with unknown (to us) sauces. We were instructed to pick up the entire pouch, fold it over and eat it all at once.

As darkness began to fall, parties were escorted inside one by one. As we finished up our early courses, we were brought inside and seated.


The Dining Room
This was actually a shot from much later in the evening but I figured this was the best place in my post for a shot of the room. It's a very comfortable space that resembles an old lodge but there's no wear here.



Tablesetting
From what I could tell, each table had some sort of deconstructed plate atop it and most appeared to be unique.

Not long after we sat down, we were summoned to the kitchen, where chef told us a bit about the restaurant and its philosophy.


Ramón Perisé
Chef Perisé passionately tells us about Mugaritz.



Ramón Perisé
Chef explained to us that during the normal course of experimentation in the kitchen, the crew came to discover that pork blood had many of the same physical properties as egg whites. The idea then came to them to create a savory macaron from that blood and fill it with a creamy cheese. Here, chef Perisé serves us each one of these delectable units.



Not quite the Griswolds but close



Menu Board
Before going back to our table, I took a shot of this board, which I believe was our menu.

Back at the table, our meal continued. At Mugaritz, it's strictly tasting menus. We had no idea what was in store and were looking forward to being surprised. We also opted for wine pairings, and they're in italics, below the dish descriptions, which I took directly from our translated menu (except in a couple of cases, where descriptions were not given).


Grapes of Melon and spiced seeds
Les Galets 11, Jurancon, Clos Bengueres
This felt like a wine soup to me, with the "grapes" providing a sweet counterpoint to the "broth."



Stew of lemon rinds and grilled squid
Parvus 11, Alella, Bodegas Alta Alella
I just loved this dish and the perfectly tender squid.



Portion of house-made cheese, cured in its own rind, mushrooms and fleshy leaves
Mandolas 10, Tokaji, Oremus
This wasn't exactly cheese. It was nearly cheese -- and was made from milk -- but instead of being fermented, it had been helped along via the use of some oil (flaxseed, if I understood our server correctly), which coagulates it. It was tasty but I think I liked the mushrooms better.



Portion of house-made cheese, cured in its own rind, mushrooms and fleshy leaves
It resembled cheese in many ways but didn't really run, even though it was warm.



Ravioli of aromatic vegetables
Bual 10 anos, Madeiera, Henriques & Henriques
A beautiful and tasty bite.



Coastal Fish with crunchy trimmings of aged sourdough and sweet pickled onion
Tokubetsu Junmaishu Sake, Gipu, Nakashima Jozo Kozaemon
This dish was delicious but it cracked me up a little bit because with the addition of bread and sweet pickle, it actually tasted like a deconstructed filet o' fish.

The next course was interactive and a bit loud. I thought it was interesting that no matter where a party was in its meal, all the parties received this course at the same time. Given how much noise it created, that was a great idea. Instead of banging being heard throughout the service, it all happened at the same time. In our case, the timing was pretty good, as the course occured between 2 other fish courses.


"Bonding" - Toasted seeds and spices served in a mortar, and vegetable broth
Lurraren Hatsa, Hasparen, Etxeko Bob's Beer
We were served the bowl of seeds and instructed to mash them up into a powder in our mortars. This could only be done by pounding them, which is why it was so loud.



"Bonding" - Toasted seeds and spices served in a mortar, and vegetable broth
Our server commended my work.



"Bonding" - Toasted seeds and spices served in a mortar, and vegetable broth
I do not know what kind of fish this is but it ended up atop the bed of powdered sesame seeds and peppercorns in my mortar.



"Bonding" - Toasted seeds and spices served in a mortar, and vegetable broth
Here, the vegetable broth is added, after which we ate it all up.



Daily catch with acidic sprouts of amaranth and vanilla
Naiades 06, Rueda, Bodegas Naia
Another perfectly cooked and enjoyable piece of fish. In this case, it was red mullet.



Bread
This is actually the moment in the meal when the bread was served. That made a lot of sense because there was a lot of food but now is when one would probably want some bread for sopping up sauces.



Crispy sweetbread with house-made capers, bitter leaves and artisan praline
12 Volts 09, Mallorca, Bodega 4kilos Vinicola
A killer dish. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, these sweetbreads were excellent.



A crust from the grill. Loin of milk fed lamb in a ragout of its brains.
12 Volts 09, Mallorca, Bodega 4kilos Vinicola
Unquestionably my favorite dish of the meal. I loved the crispy loin and the brains were delectable, too.



Selection of Local Cheeses
Josefina Piñol 10, Terra Alta, Celler Piñol
I liked the cheeses quite a bit but was disappointed that no one in the restaurant could tell us what they were. We asked several people but no one knew. They only thing they could tell us was to eat them from right to left, in the order from mildest to strongest.



Red Fruits on crushed ice. "Moungo" pepper and eucalyptus pectin
This was extremely refreshing and the fruit was stellar.



Vanilla - Fern | faux vanilla beans with vanilla sugar and chocolate ganache
Harmonie 09, Gaillac, René Rieux
Because my wife cannot eat eucalyptus, she was served this dessert instead of the one pictured above. It was another interactive course and she was instructed to dip the faux vanilla beans into the ganache and eat them. Stupidly, I forgot to get a taste of it.



A taste of subtlety. Folded linen with toasted crème fraiche and crème caramel.
It's hard to see but the crème fraiche and crème caramel were on the knives in the background. The edible "linen" is the folded element on the right in front.



"Traditional" almond Fairy cake
Reminiscent of a Good Humor toasted almond bar but infinitely better.



"Forgotten memory from childhood." Small bite of milky wafer with lemon ice cream.
One more bite . . . it's wafer thin.



Rising hand wipes
This was fun. The compressed towels were 'erected' via the addition of the warm hand-cleaning liquid that was dispensed at the table.



Cocoa-dusted, roasted hazelnuts
A last little send-off . . . and the magical moist towelettes came in very handy after eating a few of these dusty gems.



Mugaritz box
I really wanted to make off with the box, which contained the bill, but I knew I could never pull it off.

I really enjoyed the experience, and thought the skill and creativity of the kitchen were remarkable. As avant garde as the meal was, it was plenty soulful, too. The FOH staff could not have been friendlier or more pleasant. In the end, I didn't love everything I ate, though, I'm not sure that really matters. It was a truly memorable meal with my family in an absolutely gorgeous setting. Some might compare Mugaritz to Alinea and I think it would be a fair comparison because they seem to be cut from very similar cloths. I'd be very surprised if someone who loved Mugaritz didn't love Alinea as much or even more.

=R=

Mugaritz
Otzazulueta Baserria Aldura Aldea 20
20100, Errenteria, Spain
943 52 24 55

Love the posts and pictures Ronnie - scenery looks spectacular (and food at Mugaritz doesn't look too bad either). But I too have to laugh at that Salad. If you told me you had photographed that at Ihop, I would have believed you.

First, thanks for describing your meal with so much detail, both in word and picture. Laughed out loud about the Griswold comment--very funny

Mostly, I have to know--did Lucas eat everything? Even this?? "A crust from the grill. Loin of milk fed lamb in a ragout of its brains" That he would even sit through this kind of meal makes me so jealous but if you tell me he ate the brains, you and Julie get parent-of-the-year honors from me.

In all seriousness, how wonderful that you could all enjoy such a special trip together!

rmtraut wrote:Ronnie - your posts are killing me! Unbelievable stuff.

Hell, it's killing me to be back but thanks, for the kind comments.

BR wrote:But I too have to laugh at that Salad. If you told me you had photographed that at Ihop, I would have believed you.

I know, right?

boudreaulicious wrote:Mostly, I have to know--did Lucas eat everything? Even this?? "A crust from the grill. Loin of milk fed lamb in a ragout of its brains" That he would even sit through this kind of meal makes me so jealous but if you tell me he ate the brains, you and Julie get parent-of-the-year honors from me.

In all seriousness, how wonderful that you could all enjoy such a special trip together!

We had a phenomenal trip and I as I said above, it's hard to be back. Putting the posts together is a great way to rekindle some of the memories. I have a few more posts yet to come, which I'll be working through in the next week or so (hopefully).

In answer to your question, yes. Lucas did eat everything, including the brain ragout. He loved that dish and ate it without hesitation. The kid loves to eat. I can't take any credit for it, though. All we ever did when he was younger was require him to at least try everything. If he liked it, great. If he didn't like it, he didn't have to finish it. I'm sure plenty of other parents have taken the same approach and gotten different results. In our case, we ended up with a fairly adventurous eater who has a great attitude. As for his palate, let's just say it's still in development. Earlier today he enthusiastically snarfed down 2 burritos from Chipotle in one sitting. So while he may be adventurous, no one would ever describe him as discriminating.

=R=

Ronnie, incredible reports both here on this thread and the other. I'm kinda left speechless, but the pix transport me right back to the scene of the crimes. The Basques are professional eaters and drinkers of the highest order. And the region is full of specialists which makes each town unique for one thing or another. I'm glad to see that Etxebarri remains the same post-Bourdain - that guy is just dancing with the seasons' finest offerings and he's got a highly-respectable idiosyncratic philosophy about it all. Like you, I had a few incredibly mind-bending experiences there that totally rewired the brain - the Palamos prawns were transcendental, and that Galician beef deserves a spot in the pantheon of steaks alongside kobe and the best steers of Argentina. Etxebarri's seasonal menus don't change much, and they don't need to. The place will be great forever. Just like Basque country. Like it always has been.

tatterdemalion wrote:Ronnie, incredible reports both here on this thread and the other. I'm kinda left speechless, but the pix transport me right back to the scene of the crimes. The Basques are professional eaters and drinkers of the highest order. And the region is full of specialists which makes each town unique for one thing or another. I'm glad to see that Etxebarri remains the same post-Bourdain - that guy is just dancing with the seasons' finest offerings and he's got a highly-respectable idiosyncratic philosophy about it all. Like you, I had a few incredibly mind-bending experiences there that totally rewired the brain - the Palamos prawns were transcendental, and that Galician beef deserves a spot in the pantheon of steaks alongside kobe and the best steers of Argentina. Etxebarri's seasonal menus don't change much, and they don't need to. The place will be great forever. Just like Basque country. Like it always has been.

Nab, you're so right about the region, and what makes it and the people who live there so special. I've been back for just about a month but it's hard to believe because I have thought about this trip each and every day since we came home. I've was totally charmed by Spain in a way that I seriously doubt will ever fade away. And, as much as we saw, experienced and ate, I know that we barely scratched the surface.

Maybe it's not ironic at all that the meal I enjoyed the most in Sen Sebastian is the one about which I remember the fewest details. Dinner at Arzak was a truly illuminating, transformative experience. And the fact that it connected with me on a completely emotional level is probably the reason it's hard to be analytical about it. At its core, Arzak's food is classical Basque but there's also a strong contemporary aesthetic that sets it apart from any other fine-dining meal I've ever had. For me, it was a perfect blend of old and new world dynamics. First and foremost, each and every dish was delicious. Beyond that, the creativity behind the compositions -- and the beauty with which they were presented -- connected with my psche in a way that very few meals ever have. It seemed that every choice had been made with great consideration and that what ended up on the plates had as much to do with honoring the core cuisine as it did with artistic expression. Both elements were blended together masterfully in a meal that will resonate with me for a long, long time. Even the service had a warm and unique vibe. What follows are images from our dinner and some very brief commentary. I'm not sure I'm capable of coming up with words that can accurately describe or do justice to the individual dishes we ate, so I've mostly relayed the course descriptions from the tasting menu and that's about it . . .


Arzak - Avenida del Alcalde José Elosegi, San Sebastián



Cava
We started out with a glass of local bubbly.



Kabraroka Pudding with Kataifi



Kabraroka Pudding with Kataifi



Gooseberry with Coconut



Gooseberry with Coconut



Goat Cheese with Turmeric



Marinated Sardines with Strawberry
An astonishing combination that worked in a way I never could have imagined.



Corn, Figs and Black Pudding



Breads, Olive Oil



Cromlech with Onions, Coffee and Tea
We were instructed to pick these up with our hands and eat them. They were phenomenal with ethereal shells and rich fillings that were entirely addictive.



2005 Pazo de Señorans Albariño Rías Baixas



Hemp's Mustard and Lobster
Even the little clothespins were sensational.



Tapioca Salad with Citrus



"Fufu" Balls and Fish of the Day
I don't remember what the fish was.



Dusted Egg and Mussel
A remarkably synergistic combination.



Dusted Egg and Mussel



Dusted Egg and Mussel



Service
In a nod to tradition, several of the courses were sauced tableside.



Sole with Curd and Wine Bread



Wine Bread with Vegetables



White Tuna, Prickly Pear and Figs
Luscious.



Juan Mari Arzak
Chef working the room. From what I understand, he's no longer in charge of the cooking, having handed the responsibilities off to his daughter Elena (pictured below).



Service



2008 Chateau Villefranche, Sauternes, France
A hint about what's coming next.



Duck Liver with Green Sauce
Even more delicious than it was beautiful, this was the most delicious foie gras preparation I've ever eaten.



Pigeon with Anthocyanin



Pigeon Leg and Hibiscus Pudding
Sorry for the lousy image. The pigeon leg here was served separately.



Lamb with Corks



Unidentified Side

The desserts at Arzak were visual adventures even more so than the savory portion of the menu. However, just with the savory dishes, they delivered phenomenal and distinctive flavors. Not pictured are several delectable ice cream 'side dishes' that were served with many of the dessert courses . . .


Mead and Fractal Fluid
This was 'created' at the table when the red liquid was spooned into the tray containing the clear liquid.



Paprika-Infused White Chocolate Shell
Filled with a lemon curd-like substance. The fractal fluid pictured above was spooned over this dessert at the table.



The Cocoa Forest



Playing Marbles with Chocolate
The marbles were filled with a delicious liquid that burst out when they bitten into.



Castles On The Sand



Pistachio and Beetroot Stone



Golden Footprint and Ladybird



"Hardware"
These selections are actually chocolates in varying degrees of cocoa solids. A brilliant send-off!



Menu



The Suburbans and Chef Elena Arzak
As we were leaving, we mentioned that a friend of ours who once cooked at Arzak asked us to say hello to Chef Elena. At that point, she came out to say goodnight to us, and I asked her if we could take a picture together. I wanted to send it to my friend.

I should mention that Arzak is strictly tasting menus. However, within that framework, there are a lot of options, so it's still a fairly customizable experience. At our meal, we each opted for different fish and meat courses, which is why so many are shown. Desserts were served by the house without our input but I'm pretty sure we ended up having all that were offered on the menu.

Again, I just cannot say enough about this meal (and yet, I've probably said too much). It was a real game-changer for me and when I'm someday back in San Sebastian, there's no question I'll plan to return. As well as we ate througout Spain, dinner at Arzak is one of the meals that stands out as a major highlight of our trip.

=R=

Arzak
Avenida del Alcalde José Elosegi, 273
20017 San Sebastián, Spain
943 27 84 65

p.s. This is the final installment from San Sebastian on this trip. I have a few more Barcelona posts, which I hope to put up on this thread in the next few days.

Really stunning pictures of some stunning food Ronnie. I'm particularly amazed by those last two dessert presentations. I'm a big fan of chefs who not only create delicious food, but understand that we also eat with our eyes. I've never been to San Sebastian, but I'm aching to go, more and more every day. As for Arzak, I think that's also a terrific and heartwarming story: highly talented chef, trains his daughter, she takes over for him and continues the tradition.

Switching topics a bit, would it be safe to say that Ferran Adria started all this, molecular gastronomy that is? I'll admit to being really clueless on the subject but I'm curious how this little area of Spain became what appears to be the molecular gastronomy capital of the world. And just how many restaurants in this area offer this type of progressive cuisine?

And thanks for sharing the trip with us. Quite the journey!

BR wrote:Really stunning pictures of some stunning food Ronnie. I'm particularly amazed by those last two dessert presentations. I'm a big fan of chefs who not only create delicious food, but understand that we also eat with our eyes. I've never been to San Sebastian, but I'm aching to go, more and more every day. As for Arzak, I think that's also a terrific and heartwarming story: highly talented chef, trains his daughter, she takes over for him and continues the tradition.

Switching topics a bit, would it be safe to say that Ferran Adria started all this, molecular gastronomy that is? I'll admit to being really clueless on the subject but I'm curious how this little area of Spain became what appears to be the molecular gastronomy capital of the world. And just how many restaurants in this area offer this type of progressive cuisine?

And thanks for sharing the trip with us. Quite the journey!

Thanks, Brad, for the kind comments. Those desserts were so visually stunning and they were such literal interpretations, which I think is what made them so emotionally impressive. They also tasted great.

It would only be an assumption for me to say that Adria "started" this -- I just don't know enough about it -- but he is certainly a huge influencer. From what I can glean, Elena Arzak is actually the 4th generation of the Arzak family to cook in this restaurant. She cooked under Adria at el Bulli -- and also for several other serious heavy hitters before returning to Arzak -- so clearly there's some direct influence there.

As for other restaurants in the area that serve modern takes on classical Basque cuisine, Akelarre is often mentioned with Arzak and Mugaritz. I'd love to go there but we didn't have time on this trip.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

BR wrote:Switching topics a bit, would it be safe to say that Ferran Adria started all this, molecular gastronomy that is? I'll admit to being really clueless on the subject but I'm curious how this little area of Spain became what appears to be the molecular gastronomy capital of the world. And just how many restaurants in this area offer this type of progressive cuisine?

It would only be an assumption for me to say that Adria "started" this -- I just don't know enough about it -- but he is certainly a huge influencer. From what I can glean, Elena Arzak is actually the 4th generation of the Arzak family to cook in this restaurant. She cooked under Adria at el Bulli -- and also for several other serious heavy hitters before returning to Arzak -- so clearly there's some direct influence there.

To fully credit Adria for Arzak would be to greatly diminish the achievements of Juan Mari Arzak, known as the godfather of modern Basque cuisine. I would assert that Adria owes much to Juan Arzak, and not the other way around. Having said that, there has clearly been modernization afoot at Arzak -- the people who dined with me at Arzak earlier this month were floored by the modern decor and plating, as compared to how it was 10 years ago. But they recollected that the food, while more experimental, didn't vary that drastically from their prior visit a decade ago. So, I do think Elena (who is only 43 years old) has been influenced somewhat by modern pan-Spanish gastronomy. (The service was still firmly grounded in tradition, almost too much so.)

As compared to Mugaritz, which to me feels contemporary in the same vein as Alinea, Arzak seemed far more Basque, and grounded in tradition, even if the preparations and plating were whimsical and modern.

Ron,
I'll just add my thanks to those of all the others. Arzak has been on my radar for a very long time but, in a way that nothing else has done, you managed to bring home not only the food and the experience as well. Even better, the reports on all the places, taken together, illuminate not only your trip but the area and the state of cuisine in this highly select group of places. I have no doubt that there are many small, mom and pop places well worth the visit, but that's a wholly different trip. The pics are professional, and I look forward to the day when the best of them (and so many others) is collected and published. This is what LTH is about, in part; I can't imagine a more perfect illustration (pun intended).

From Cuisines of Spain:

Once Franco’s repressive government was removed, Spain began its race to catch up with more developed countries on the continent. Communities across the country began to reaffirm their cultural and regional distinctions and traditions, sparking a cultural renaissance in Spain that continues today.

During the 1960s and 1970s in France, a group of chefs led by Paul Bocuse, the Troisgros brothers, and Michel Guérard, among others, started the nouvelle cuisine movement, which emphasized fresh, clean flavors in cooking. Their innovations inspired new Spanish chefs emerging from the period of austerity. Luis Irízar, regarded as the father of Basque nueva cocina, joined the stream in the early 1970s, and many others soon followed, among them Juan Mari Arzak. Still on top of the wave today, Arzak, along with his Basque countryman Martin Berasategui and two Catalan chefs, Ferran Adrià and Santi Santamaría, has been awarded three stars in the Michelin Guide, and he continues to awaken and inspire new generations of chefs. In fact, the race to excellence has been joined by so many talented chefs from every corner of the country that today Spain can proudly claim that its top restaurants are among the best in the world.

THE HORROR! THE HORROR!

On our drive to San Sebastián we stopped in the charming walled medieval town of Olite. During lunch at Asador Pizzeria Lana wasn't feeling well, fainted and threw up. Our Akelare reservation was last night. She never felt very good after that and couldn't eat, insisting I go to Akelare myself. 1/2 the pleasure of a meal like that is sharing so I called the restaurant, and explained my situation and asked if I could be accommodated either of the next 2 nights. They were fully booked but would call if there's a cancellation. And pigs fly!

Dejected, but understanding(I didn't beat my wife too badly) I dined alone at Gandarias, which was typical Basque recommended by the concierge. I had a simple plate of sautéed mushrooms and roast baby lamb, which is served as the whole rack, including backbone. It was crispy and delicious and stronger than our lamb which now tastes like beef. Cuajada was the finale. With the food I drank a 1/2 bottle of Rioja and finished with a port to drown the sorrow.

Today was miserable-cold and rainy with no letup but Lana is 100%. We walked around a bit, had some pinxtos in the old town, and headed back to the hotel cold and wet. As I started to write this the phone rang. Look out your windows as there may be a flock of pigs flying by. Akelare has an opening tonight at 9:30. Maybe the rain kept some people away.

By the way, Ronnie didn't mention that it was almost $100 in tolls from Barcelona to San Sebastián. Along with $8 a gallon gasoline I should've flown.

RevrendAndy wrote:By the way, Ronnie didn't mention that it was almost $100 in tolls from Barcelona to San Sebastián. Along with $8 a gallon gasoline I should've flown.

Corporate credit card . . . never really thought about it.

=R=

THE HORROR! Part 2

Those pigs you saw flying past the window crashed and burned and after my 2nd course at Akalere, so did I! I was so excited when the phone rang and Akelare had a cancellation for 2 people last night. I regretted beating Lana and gladly accepted. As the hours to dinner drew nearer I was feeling less hungry.

Akelare is beautiful restaurant with a grand view, located on a hill in a rural area on the outskirts of the city. The staff couldn't be more gracious after we had cancelled the night before. We each ordered a different 8 course degustation menu. The amuse was a beautiful dish of surf and sand, the sand being powdered prawn. There was an oyster leaf, which tasted just like a briny mollusk. A tiny sea sponge was crispy on the outside filled with uni. A stone was actually a mussel with a dark, crispy coating. Lastly was coral branch of tempura cod. I was starting to get a queasy full feeling while Lana happily enjoyed her course. By our next seafood course I was feeling deathly and Lana was eating my leftovers. After 1 more course I asked for the check and Lana drove me back to the hotel, although she threatened to make me run behind the car. Again the server was very understanding and remarked how pale I looked.

While the food was great at this 3 star restaurant we will never be invited back. I guess it just was nevwe meant to be.

Having risen from the dead we took a day trip to Bilbao on Sunday and was finally feeling good enough in the afternoon for some pinxtos. Back in San Sebastián we had dinner at Bar Nestor, which seems to only serve Chuleta Asador, Flintstone cuts of ribeye. The steak was perfect, served on a sizzling platter. Headed to Rioja tomorrow.

I wanted to see what a European McDonalds McCafe offered. Imagine my surprise to see this pretty nice offering. I didn't try any of the macarons but they looked good. Too bad these aren't offered in the States.



Since Akelare didn't work out too well, the only worthy food pictures I have are from Bar Nestor. They are famous for their Chuleta, a big ass ribeye cooked rare. It was a great steak. A side of truffle fries would've been perfect.

Rioja isn’t Napa Valley. The area hasn’t made wine tasting any easier or spontaneous since the visit by tatterdemalion 5 years ago. Fortunately, I was prepared and booked a bunch of wineries before the trip. We stayed 2 nights in Alvara, 10 minutes from LaGuardia at a very cool, modern place called Hotel Viura. It was moderately priced. We stopped along the way to Rioja from San Sebastian in Logrono for lunch and did a tapas crawl of a few places in their old town. Everything was good.

It was cool and rainy for our stay but that doesn’t affect wine tasting. The area is beautiful, with seemingly every hillside topped with a charming, medieval town. We visited Remelluri, Marquis de Riscal, Bodega Ysios which has a spectacular Calatrava designed winery, Fabulista, down in the cellars of LaGuardia, and Muga, which had the only walk in tasting room.

We dined both nights in LaGuardia, although our hotel restaurant looked very good. Our 1st night was at Hospederia Los Parajes. They have delicious suckling pig and roast lamb. Our 2nd night was a pinxtos crawl in LaGuardia and not very memorable.

Oh boy, I am getting pretty stoked to be spending five days in Basque country next month!
We will be staying in a "case rural" in Astigarraga, a town known for its cider production within striking distance of San Sebastian (7 km or so). We'll be renting a car, as well, so we plan on touring as much of the region as we can.
In my mind, we won't be eating a bad bite, grazing through the pinxto bars on a nightly basis.
It seems a shame to miss a higher end meal, though, this being an area with "the densest concentration of Michelin stars". Not that I totally give a crap about that, but…
The thing is that my wife and I are traveling on a modest budget (not backpacker modest), but we for sure can't afford Arzak or Mugaritz. As much as I'd love to check out Etxebarri, I think that might be a bit steep for us as well.
Does anyone have recommendations for a spot in San Sebastian (or anywhere within a three hour drive from that area) where we can enjoy a great meal for around 80-100€ for two with drinks and gratuity?
Thanks! Look forward to reporting our adventures in full when we return!
Lots to work from in this thread, but any suggestions welcome.