253 replies to this topic

[cabrales]

I asked a person at Arzak about baby eels. I think the product's season is Dec/1Q of the year or so (I forget the exact response). I don't know if it would be around when you visit, but, if it is in season, it can presumably be had at Arzak.

[lizziee]

Cabrales,

I know you plan on revisiting San Sebastian. You might consider this option: TGV to Bordeaux (3 hours), rental car, a brief stay in Bordeaux, short drive to Puymirol (Trama's restaurant is definitely worth a visit), another short drive to Eugenie (another worth it and a true 3 star), and then to San Sebastian. Obviously, those are our plans.

Of the restaurants, I mentioned which one would you cross off for a second meal at Arzak?

Both Charles and Cabrales, thanks so much for your suggestions.

[cabrales]

I'm not sure, re: restaurants to remove for Arzak. I did not sample Akelarre or Mugaritz. Zuberoa had appealing food, with very capable service.

On your route in France, it's ideal from my perspective too. I have not done that route myself, but considered (without executing) the following possible route: a Paris to Montpellier TGV (Jardin des Sens), then a 3-hour drive to Bras, then the Trama-Guerard portions of the trip you described.

I don't know when I'll revisit San Sebastian, although I am eager to revisit Arzak. I am in the process of delving into the cuisine of M Troisgros, among other cuisiniers, and have almost at the top of my priority list a sampling of the chicken in pig's bladder dish at Bocuse (which happens to be close to Troisgros, as you know). (I'd like to sample the fish in the pastry crust, and the red mullet with potato scale dish too.) Also in the vicinity is Pyramide, at which I was precluded from sampling Henrioux's version of chicken in a pig's bladder dish (named after F Point) on my prior visit due to my not having called in advance to make the request. Those represent my immediate set of gastronomic goals.

On Bordeaux, do you have any plans re: restaurants? I wonder what Amat's former place is now like. What places are relatively appealing, apart from La Tupina?

[lizziee]

I apologize in advance that some of this discussion belongs on the French board, but it seems to fit in here.

"Also in the vicinity is Pyramide, at which I was precluded from sampling Henrioux's version of chicken in a pig's bladder dish (named after F Point) on my prior visit due to my not having called in advance to make the request. Those represent my immediate set of gastronomic goals."

Cabrales, unfortunately we had two mediocre meals at Pyramide two years ago. Our general feeling was that this was a two star on the way down in contrast to Regis Marcon and Michel Trama which are two stars trying hard to get that third star.

"On Bordeaux, do you have any plans re: restaurants? I wonder what Amat's former place is now like. What places are relatively appealing, apart from La Tupina?"

We plan on eating at La Tupina where we had a wonderful meal a number of years ago. Other than that, Bordeaux is serving as a quick stop before Puymirol.

"Montpellier TGV (Jardin des Sens)" - As you know Jardin des Sens is not a favorite of mine and I don't mind skipping this.

[cabrales]

"Montpellier TGV (Jardin des Sens)" - As you know Jardin des Sens is not a favorite of mine and I don't mind skipping this.

lizziee -- As you might recall, I dislike Jardin des Sens as well.

Thanks for the input re: Pyramides. Due to my interest in taking in chicken dishes and the mention of F Point in the name of the dish, I am going to go to Pyramides this year (hopefully). My only meal there was fairly good. I'll report back.

[Lord Michael Lewis]

Don't forego Mugaritz or Zuberoa; I'd sooner drop Berasategui, which has been a bit flat since the third star.

Edited by Lord Michael Lewis, 16 January 2003 - 03:12 PM.

[Lord Michael Lewis]

You sould try this in Bilbao:

GORROTXA
Calle Alameda Urquijo, 30
Bilbao 48008
Telephone: 944 434 937
Fax: 944 220 535

It's a masterclass in traditional Basque cuisine, and helpful in understanding the restaurants you'll be visiting in Donostia. Besides, Bilbao really doesn't have anything on Donostia's level so, although I don't know the restaurant, I fear that Zortziko may turn out to be quite second rate.

[cabrales]

Are members aware of any public transportation or private bus companies linking San Sebastian and Bilboa?

LML -- As you know, I am new to the dining landscape in Spain. Is there anything I indicated above with which you disagree?

Edited by cabrales, 16 January 2003 - 03:47 PM.

[lizziee]

The hotel concierge was a very effective way to make reservations in the case of Arzak.
Charles

As our hotel has no concierge, I sent faxes to San Sebastian restaurants yesterday. This morning I had confirmed reservations at Arzak, Akelare and Mugaritz. I am still waiting to hear from Zuberoa and Berasategui, but I think turn-around confirmations, in less than 24 hours, is amazing.

Thanks to all for your help.

LML - According to Michelin, Gorrotxa lost their only star. Did you go after they lost their star?

[peterpumkino]

I would not find ordering a la carte necessarily better than the tasting menu.  At Berasategui in particular, the tasting menu appears attractive and comprehensive. At Zuberoa too.

In fact, based on what I would do in the States, I find the opposite is true in France and Spain. I always try the tasting menu as I find myself eating dishes I would never order myself and loving every minute of it! (anyone for oysters cooked in custard? Marvellous!).

Actually I'm off to Bilbao/San Sebastian on the 6th Feb. Anyone have any further suggestions for me (or warnings...eg I know that Akelare is closed unfortunately)?

[lizziee]

My Spanish is nil and I gather that the restaurants want me to reconfirm, but when?

From Mugaritz: "En espera de que reconfirmin la reserva durante la misma semana le saludo atentament."

From Arzak: "Le agradeceremos confirmen su reserva mediante una llamada al restaurante algunos dias antes."

[Nippy_Sweetie]

From Mugaritz: Awaiting a confirmation of booking during the same week you have made your reservation, we wish you well.

From Arzak: We would be grateful for you to confirm your reservation by calling the restaurant a few days before.

People have recommended that you try Riojas from the basque country. I would also recommend you have a look at Ribera Del Duero's or Priorats (especially Scala Dei) as these wines can be quite difficult to find outside of Spain (Scala Dei nigh on impossible)

[lizziee]

Nippy Sweetie,

Thank you so much for the translation. I greatly appreciate it.

[Bux]

I haven't been to Arzak in over five years. Juan Mari was still in charge of the kitchens. I found the food very light and contemporary--inventive without being in your face creative. We had a one c'clock lunch reservation, but had a little trouble finding the place and arrived at 1:30 to find one other couple in the place. If memory serves, they were speaking English. I believe we finished eating sometime after four. My recollection is that the room filled up around three but that a large party arrived and were sat in the upstairs dining room well after three o'clock.

In May 2000 we arrived late for a two o'clock lunch at Berasategui and not many parties arrived after us. To a small extent, I think things are changing. To a greater extent it may depend on whether the crowd is local or foreign. Inbetween those two meals we had dinner at Goizeko Kabi in Bilbao. I think we arrived at nine. The tapas bar we passed along the way seemed to be jumping as a large group of smartly dressed twenty somethings were entering. Goizeki Kabi was all but deserted. The few diners were clearly tourists. Within the hour it began to fill up. Gozeiki Kabi had an extensive menu and seemed prepared to serve lots of dishes that weren't on the menu. The English menus were not direct translations of the Spanish menu. The food ranged considerably from so-so to great.

At the two and three star level, there's an international sense at play in the restaurants, at least in the Basque region and Catalonia. Below that, it really takes some time to decipher the menus and understand Spanish food if it's new to you. At Berasategui we had the tasting menu. At Arzak we couldn't decide whether to take the tasting menu or not and the hostess suggested we both order our individual choices and have the kitchen split the dishes thereby composing our own tasting menu of three seafood dishes and a pigeon split between us. After that we only had room for a split dessert. We have some advantage in Spain as Spanish is Mrs. B's first language. Even then, we had trouble with Basque names and dishes. I'm a fan of trying local wines when I travel, especially for thefirst time in an area. In any event I suggest you try the txocoli sometime while you're in the area of San Sebastian. It's a nice white wine with seafood, but not one of the world's great wines.

[Nippy_Sweetie]

Txacoli definitely isn't one of the world best wines, but the red wine of the same standard is even worse! Basque teenagers and students make calimocho quite a lot, which is red wine and coca-cola. An appalling thought until you taste the red wine on it's own, then you realise why. . .
Liz, txacoli would be best tried as a glass with some tapas in the Old Part of San Sebastian or Irun or Bilbao as opposed to ordering a whole bottle in a restaurant. The reason that the tapas bars are full before the restauarants is because you have some tapas and THEN you have your sit down meal. The Basques can really eat , I mean they eat in Spain in general, but in the north they EAT.

[vmilor]

Lizziee,
I hope you have a great time in San Sebastien. Besides the restaurant, it is a jewel of a city. Before you go I recommend you read Kurlansky's "the Basque History of the World". Quite a fascinating book on Basque history.
If you call Arzak you may ask to speak to senora Izar. She speaks fluent English and takes good care of foreign visitors. They will also respond to your fax in English.
Since I seem to disagree with many commentators on Arzak though let me expound on previous remarks. I checked my notes. We have dined there 7 times. The first 2 were in the winter of 97. My notes star 12 out of 13 items 3 stars. Wild duck, woodcock, whole truffle in a potato crust, fish and shellfish, etc. all prepared without losing focus of the main ingredients and adding just the right touch of creative contrasts.
We could not wait but changed vacation plans to experience more of Arzak in the summer of 98. We had great weather and 3 remarkable dinners on August 29, September 1 and September 5. Memories held. My notes also mention complimentary glasses of champagne +Armagnac and a Riscal Riserva 1961 which was remarkable for $60.
We had one disappointing dinner on december 30,1999. The wine we had ordered(Artadi grandes anades 94) has not arrived till we were well into the second cigalas(langoustines) appetizer. There was tremendous resistance to accepting our order of " chuleta de buey a la brasa". This turned out one of the best grilled ribs I have tasted, accompanied by ethereal espelette peppers and scalloped potatoes. Otherwise desserts were as good as in the past(quince canneloni and the rice pudding with mango) but somehow the kitchen appeared to be having a lucklusted day.(But this was the day before the millenium and they were inundated with the French across the border.)
Our last and unfortunately disappointing meal at Arzak was on November 30 of 2002. We found the cuisine tilting towards the deconstructivist school, but somehow wondered how well thought out and researched new creations were. Certainly the presentations are as artistic as in the past, if not more so. Small pieces of shrimp, pistachio powder and potato crumbs look interesting on the plate and can be arranged like a flower. You can of course recompose what is decomposed and perhaps enjoy the dish. I doubt though you will enjoy reasonably fresh rouget with lamb brain encrusted in poppy seeds. Perhaps an interesting experiment in texture and a "cerebral" dish, but not one that gives the pleasure rouget is capable of giving. Similarly desserts are also moving in the "cerebral" direction. Paprika infused chocolate sorbet with a tart tomato coulis was interesting but, believe me, nothing like Arpege's notorious tomato dessert.(But why should it be? After all the chef is "creating" not copying.)

Fortunately, we had again good and friendly service and both food and wine prices are still fair. Maybe the new chef at Arzak will eventually settle in a hgher equilibrium. In the meantime, Zuberoa is still very good and in my opinion, Berasatequi is delivering what we expect 3 stars to deliver(but they rarely do) at very fair prices. It may not be a bad idea to try all 3 and then repeat the one that appeals most to you.

Also a short note on tapa bars. Some of them(such as Gambara which is one of our favorites) have downstair rooms where you can eat tapas as well as whole portions. In the winter season we enjoyed truffle omelette, turbot roasted on the bone, angulas, etc.

Niza hotel is not luxurious but close to the old part of the town and will not break the budget. They are welcoming too and they have a garage. It is very easy to drive both to Arzak and Berasatequi from Niza, but ask Berasatequi for directions.

I hope this helps. Please let us know of your impressions.

[cabrales]

"Our last and unfortunately disappointing meal at Arzak was on November 30 of 2002. We found the cuisine tilting towards the deconstructivist school, but somehow wondered how well thought out and researched new creations were. Certainly the presentations are as artistic as in the past, if not more so. Small pieces of shrimp, pistachio powder and potato crumbs look interesting on the plate and can be arranged like a flower."

Are you referring to te "Idiazabal with prawns and prunes"? This dish was on the Arzak menu in November 2002. This dish was indeed average, but the ingredients sound a bit different from your reference to pistachio powder.

The prawns were not memorable. The prune manifested itself in a mild, tapenade mode (not sweet). There was a "column" on the plate of organish dried small breadcrumbs -- these had Idiazabal cheese integrated into the breadcrumb (i.e., there was no moisture; non-smoked version of Idiazabal was utilized). There was also a little bit of Guindillas (peppers that looked a bit like pale green beans).

[lizziee]

vmilor,

Too many restaurants to try and not enough time. We have decided to try all 5 recommended restaurants - Zubero, Akelare, Arzak, Berasategui and Mugaritz. This is not exactly my favorite way to eat as I prefer going to a "new" restaurant for a couple of meals to really get a feel for the place. Somehow, we will have to find time to put in some tapas places --- how early and how late are they open?

By the way, Arzak made a typing mistake re our reservation by typing the wrong date. In perfect English, they re-faxed the confirmation and apologized for the typing error.

[vmilor]

Cabrales: we are talking about the same dish at Arzak. In the past I used to collect all menus and/or write lenghty descriptions with wine and food. Nowdays I am just enjoying things but sometimes my wife or I are taking notes after the fact(sometimes one week after) for future reference. Her notes on this dish reads: " 3 small juicy shrimp. A decomposed dish which you recompose yourself. It had potato crumbs, pistacio(sic) powder. A very little sauce of beet and a little sauce of boudin and prune. You dip the shrimp in the sauce and roll it in the powder".

Lizzie: Tapa bars typically open at 2 till 3:30 and then from 9 till well past midnight. For a first time visitor what you have decided is interesting and despite my qualms about new Arzak and Akelare they too are worth trying. The only danger is that ( I have not been at Mugaritz) traditional Basque cuisine is not well represented. However, tapa bars may fill this gap. Dishes like "chipirones en su tinta", all shellfish a la plancha, bacalao pil pil etc., are not likely to be tasted in the starred restaurants and they go well with the fizzy txakolin. We used to go to tapa bars around 2 in the afternoon. Then we went to dinner around 11 PM or so and (following a stroll at the concha) slept around 3 AM and did not wake up till noon. Actually this is our preferred lifestyle and we are doing our best to corrupt our 10 months old baby girl to adapt!

Please (in Spring) do not miss the roasted suckling lamb at Zuberoa.

PS: Zortziko in Bilbao stands in no man's land between silly and traditional.

[cabrales]

In the past I used to collect all menus and/or write lenghty descriptions with wine and food.

vmilor -- If you are comfortable discussing it, what were the factors that modified your practices?

[peterpumkino]

As I mentioned I am off to Bilbao/San Sebastian on Feb 06 and all the suggestions have been very helpful so a big Thank You to everybody (you know who you are!).

One last question: when I was in Strasbourg in November I discovered a fabulous restaurant that specialised in cheese. They had a selection of well over 100 but their 'cheese plate' had a selection of twenty (albeit small) cheeses and was really memorable. As I love cheese is there a similar restaurant in the Bilbao/San Sebastian/Biarritz area?

[Fat Guy]

In his "San Sebastian Dining: Akelare to Zuberoa," Robert Brown chronicles his meals and observations at the five "must" restaurants -- Akelare, Arzak, Martin Berasetegui, Mugaritz, and Zuberoa -- in what has become, as he puts it, "the latest Mecca for traveling gastronomes."

+++

Be sure to check The Daily Gullet home page daily for new articles (most every weekday), hot topics, site announcements, and more.

[docsconz]

Robert, Great article! What a delight to read and dream of being there. I was particularly intrigued by the assador with impecable grilled seafood. It reminded me of my experience at the Bar Universal in the Boqueria Maerket of Barcelona - Yum! Honest, straightforward and delicious.

[The Viking]

Grrreat!

Also provides me with a great foundation for my upcoming trip in November for the Lo Mejor De La Gastronomia although Arzak at that time is closed..

[vserna]

Very good report, I think. Each restaurant's soul was very well captured by Robert; in Martin's case, I think it may have been a particularly bad day, however.

PS One minor correction: Joselito, which cures the best ham in the world, is not in Extremadura, but in Guijuelo, near Salamanca - northwest of Madrid on the road to Portugal, and one of Europe's most beautiful cities.

[Bux]

Robert, thanks for that. It's an excellent read and far more than just a useful guide for those wanting advice on where to eat, what to eat or even how to order in these places, although it should be food for thought for people who want those suggestions. Sometimes a meal is more than the sum of it's parts and sometimes it's less. I think you make that clear and while I'm decidedly focused on what comes out of the kitchen (as I think you and Susan are too) there are intangibles that can seriously affect even how we appreciate the food. For me, the way you handle that is a highlght of the article which should make for intersting reading even for those who do not have Donostia in their plans at the moment.

Victor suggested you might very well have visited Martin on a bad day. I very much sense an appreciation on your part that these are reflections on a meal and not an attempt to classify, rank or totally explain the individual restaurants, but to add to the store of understanding we each may have about the area and its top restaurants. The article comes off as a report from sophisticated diners who have just discovered the area. What if does for me, whose dining card for a short week next month in the area is already pretty fixed, is not make me question so much if I've made the right choices, but to make me even more excited to be there and try most of the same places. I will of course, be re-reading your article several times gleaming advice.

I've mentioned that my now long ago visit to Arzak is what's fired my interest in dining in Spain. That meal was a side trip to an itinerary in the outhwest of France that became the unexpected highlight of the trip. Who knew at the time that three stars was harder to get in Spain than in France. I had assumed the opposite. A later meal at Berasategui reinforced our interest in Donostia as a destination. It was marred only by the lack of half bottles on the wine list and when deciding between a glass of red for each of us and a bottle, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs, livers and brains. Martin himself was not there that day, or not there when we finished lunch. We had hoped to meet him as he had been such a gracious host to our daughter before. The lunch however was thrillling. For us it was one of those where we were on the edge of our seat in anticipation of each course.

[robert brown]

Viking, Docscons, Victor and Bux, thank you very much for liking my report. I am also indebted to Fat Guy for making it look like something an innocent person might think I got paid for!!!! To be serious, though, it is nice that even a relatively few people will factor it in when they go to Donostia, and I hope that they will also share their experiences and opinions after their visits.

It looks like I struck a nerve with my less-than-enthusiastic view of our meal at Martin Berasatequi. I'm not sure if calling it an off-night is the operative phenomenon here. My reading of it was as a restaurant going through what seemed like a bad stretch. This was my opinion even before other reports concerning what was happening in the kitchen were posted. The telling part was having to wait 30 minutes for any food whatsoever (and we were not the first to arrive) as this suggested a kitchen having trouble being in synch. As I think I made clear in the piece, I don't dine with just my taste buds. Going to a restaurant of the highest echelon is for me an exercise in connoisseurship, and I found Berasategui to be rather "brut" in this regard. (What I didn't mention in the article was that somehow we ended up with two of these "moelleuses" desserts; one chocolate, the other coffee or caramel (if memory still serves me correctly) which is not what I would expect on a short dessert menu in a three-star restaurant.)

With each of the five restaurants, I freely admit I had only one kick at the cat. At Akelare, which was my fourth favorite visit, I left with the possibility that had I ordered diffferently (though exactly what, I have no idea) I may have eaten better. Thus, I hope to return again. At Berasategui, it was more the feeling that there were deep-seated aspects that would prevent me from having a really memorable time no matter how often I went, (although this does not preclude ever returning. It is just that I don't think it will be soon.) Now it wasn't as if the dishes were not prepared right. Indeed they were executed as intended. It is just that when I compare being there to being at the only other three-star restaurant in the region, Restaurante Arzak, I see the difference between dining as a near-chore and dining as a affirmation of enjoying life.

[Bux]

If Berasategui is having problems, it wouldn't be the first restaurant to succumb to the pressures of becoming a three star or to its chef having many interests in the area. I will also maintain that there's far more subjectivity to the appreciation of food than most people are willing to admit. I have known reasonable and sophisticated diners to disagree about a meal they had together. In any event, Martin has almost a month to get his act together before we're there.

There are things a restaurant can do that will prevent me from enjoying my meal and then there are times when my opinion is completely changed again by the time I finish the meal. The longest period of time I ever spent with nothing to do but read the menu was at Roellinger in Cancale. By the time they came to take our order, I was convinced I was on French candid camera or the butt of someone's joke, but the meal was so good and the service so attentive from there on, that I've argued they deserved another star.

[fresh_a]

Arriba arriba!

[Marina Chang]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your report on the Big Five of the San Sebastian vicinity, especially some of the detailed descriptions of the dishes.

After reading of your food experiences at these famed dining rooms and comparing them with mine, it seems to me that each visit to these establishments can only be a snapshot of the ever growing and changing life of a living organism that is each restaurant.

Whatever is going on at Martin Berasategui is unfortunate. I had a wonderful food and service experience there, tasting several deliciously fresh and exciting dishes, some of which were served for the first time that day. I know this is being overly simplistic, but perhaps some of your bad luck was to eat there on a day that their new attempts were not so successful and old staff was recently replaced by new?! During a visit to Zuberoa last year, although we enjoyed our meal, I thought the dishes were executed or crafted with less inspiration than your Zuberoa experience. During our first visit to Akelare, several years ago, I thought it sparkled with freshness, imagination and wit, and enjoyed it far more than Arzak. However, after my experience during our most recent visit this past spring, I would agree with you on the inconsistency of the fare. I ordered the Gin and Tonic on a plate dessert that you described and while finding it to be a novel and attractive deconstruction of the classic beverage, it wasn't my idea of a wonderful dessert, especially in such a large dinner plate serving. At El Bulli such studies in flavor are judiciously administered in small doses.

I was pleased to see that you met Craig from Reno at Akelare. We also had the pleasure of chatting with Craig, who provided enlightening tidbits about the various ingredients and dishes before us. In April, he was a waiter and a stern, matronly, head waitress shooed him away from our table several times. We had feared that our furtive food chats with Craig may have gotten him in trouble, but I see we did him no permanent harm if he is now a sommelier.

Somehow Mugaritz has continued to elude us due to scheduling issues.