Just when we finally started seeing our sidewalks again after the previous storm, we got hit with a much bigger one. 27 inches fell in my neck of the woods. Speaking of necks, that’s halfway to my neck. A good time to reminisce about one of the best food trips we’ve ever done, this past October. If you are planning to go, not only you’ll have some juicy nuggets here, but you can pretty much use this as a “where to eat in Basque Country” guide. Top four are in French Basque.
Kintoa Pork at Choko Ona (Espelette)
I could have listed plenty of other dishes like the onion, but the pork was a standout. The name of the breed comes from back when local farmers had to pay the king a fifth (Kintoa) of their pigs as a tax. Its a rich but still delicate taste thanks to the expert cooks of One Michelin Choko Ona. The meat is perfectly cooked medium-rare, with supreme tenderness and juiciness. Served with leek and some sort of pesto, along with saffron pilaf rice and delicious Jus.
Mushroom Omelette at Pil Pil Enea (Saint-Jean-de-Luz)
I’m a sucker for a good Mushroom omelette and this was a jaw dropping wowzah. A master class in super fluffy, buttery omelette. I wasnt expecting to see so many omelettes in French Basque menus. And perhaps I should have stopped with this one as the next one I ordered in the same town wasnt nearly as good.
Monkfish at Ezkia (Bidart)
We have a love hate relationship with Monkfish these days. When its on its on, but on occasion, it’s less than stellar (I’m looking at you Eunoé in Paris). Some either work with this fish for the fist time or trying to be too innovative. At Ezkia in the tiny village of Bidart, the young chef got it right. Expertly cooked pieces swimming in a complimentary rich seafood bisque. Back to love.
Dessert at Les Frères Ibarboure (Bidart)
As soon as you get to the hotel and taste the cookie waiting for you in the room, you’ll get the sense that dessert here is no joke. After all, half of the brothers Ibarboure, Patrice, a Daniel alum, is a master pastry chef. At their renowned One Michelin, they dazzled us with their sweet creations. Mrs Z proclaimed the chocolate dessert, “best chocolate thingy I ever had”. We usually share but she got all weird in this case. Though I was extremely happy with my fig masterpiece.
The Mika at Bar Gran Sol (Hondarribia)
Bar Gran Sol is a multiple Pintxo award winner, and one of those awards is the sensational Mika. Shrimp and bacon in beer tempura and other goodies on an onion toast. Named after the cook who created it. While the egg mollete gets much of the hype here, the Mika is the one to get, along with the BBQ Rib. Come before they open for a drink and a table, otherwise risk long lines.
Rice paella with duck breast at Artean Barra Abierta (San Sebastián)
Picking a favorite dish from this hidden gem in food heaven San Sebastian is like picking your favorite child. Easy. Whoever calls more. Just like the steak tartare and every dish we had at Artean, this is as close to perfect you’ll ever get. Besides the duck and rice, you got mushrooms, and a terrific aioli tying everything together. Fantastic texture and flavors throughout, especially if you appreciate a good socarrat. Artean is run a by a Peruvian couple with extensive cooking experience. Book your flights before they get a Michelin star.
Besugo (red Seabream) at Xixario (Orio)
Whether its the famous Turbot of Getaria, the outrageous Basque Chuletón, or Besugo in Orio, the culinary richness of this region is too vast to fit into this post. A Besugo experience was on my list this time around. The only question was which of the handful or so Orio institutions to pick. While most tourists head to Joxe Mari, I opted for the more local Xixario, and have zero regrets. The result is meaty, vinegary, yet very light, and simply glorious. And dont sleep on the shrimp either.
Mushrooms with egg at Ganbara (San Sebastian)
The place and the dish are not exactly a secret. In fact in order to have this you’ll most likely need to spend an hour or so on a line. It’s worth it for the entire Ganbara experience. The dish is simple but quite excellent. A mix of Chanterelles and Cepes (Porcini) with egg yolk. Couldn’t get enough of the mushrooms on this trip. But what sets Ganbara apart is the amount of awesomeness besides the signature Mushrooms. One of which is the sensational shrimp in garlic sauce.
Grilled Cremini mushroom at Bar Soriano (Logroño)
While not exactly in Basque Country, it’s close enough and the area shares some of the same culture. The town of Logroño is like San Sebastian light, including in the cost dep’t. A Pintxo crawl here will most likely result in about half of the cost in San Sebastian or Bilbao. Start the crawl at Bar Soriano where they make only one item, a gorgeous skewer of grilled Cremini with olive oil, a small shrimp, and bread to soak all the juices. Walk around town and you’ll see more trying to mimic the same dish. Also try the mini Kobe beef cutlets at Torres Gastrobar
Chuletón at Txakoli Simon (Bilbao)
If you are a meat lover, you havent lived life to the fullest until you tried the marvelous bone-in ribeye steak from any of the Asadors offering it in Basque Country. Bilbao residents make the pilgrimage to the hills for this sprawling institutions, mostly for the glorious steak. It arrives fairly blue but with a grill for you to cook it as long as you wish. Plenty of funk, deep flavors, without much salt required. If you dont have reservations, you are directed to a picnic table and serve yourself. With reservations, you get full service.
Bonus: Any dish followed by a tour of the kitchen at Martín Berasategui
A wow and wower experience. I can pick about a handful of dishes that were spectacular and it would be criminal not to mention this here. If you want to add one three star to your food itinerary in Basque country, make it this one. I’ve done the homework for you with a tasting. You can read about it here.
Eating With Ziggy 