Arzak

San Sebastian has three 3-Michelin Star restaurants. We were there on a Tuesday and only Arzak was open. We made reservations for lunch. You can have the same Menu Degustation whether you have lunch or dinner--€210 per person.

The place setting. Elegant long silverware with kitchen towel as napkin. Reminds me of Ina Garten's philosophy: give people what they don't expect.

Elena Arzak came around to each table and introduced herself and we were given a tour of the very clean kitchen. 

A bottle of Torello Cava--€39.

Lunch started with 5 amuse bouche. This was Citrus & Mussel Sphere.

Marinated Anchovy & Strawberry

Urban Seafood "Talo" (typical food of the Basque Region--similar to tortilla)

This was another amuse bouche but I can't really remember what it was. It may have been Fortunate Fish, Yolk & Peas.

Foie Gras Coated with Maseca Corn with Dry Fruit Crumble.

The 1st course--Atlantic Horse Mackerel with "Patxaran" (a Basque liquor), Garlic Sauce, Chia Seeds and Dusted with Purple Corn. 

Egg with Corn & Tomato Candy--Soft Cooked Egg with Tomato Candy, Pozole Corn and Seasonal Mushrooms.

Arantzazu Teardrop Peas with Sole in the Reeds--Fish Roasted in Hollowed Out Sugar Cane Served with Carrot and White Cacao Juice Infused Lengths of Sugar Cane. You also had a choice of monkfish.

As Caborcas for our meat courses--€70

Lamb Kale--Roasted Lamb with Cabbage Daisies, Lashings of Broccolini, Walnut Miso and Sweetened Holy Basil.

Another of the meat option was "Symbolic Pigeon"--Roasted Pigeon with Blue Potato and Parsnip Over Oranges, Vanilla and Kimchi.

Beef with Green Tea--Slightly Spiced Beef, Toasted Leek's Sponge Cake, Hop Sauce and 

Green Tea Smoke.

Balearic Tonic with Hibiscus--Over a Beetroot Crumble, Hibiscus Ice Cream Served with Melon Juice and Dried Bergamot & Sumac Meringue.

Cacao Debris--Smoked Chocolate, Vanilla Ash and Cacao Shavings.

Skate & Vietnamese Chocolate--wheel of Vietnamese chocolate filled with acai and mango sauce.

Complimentary glass of El Seque Alicante with our desserts

Mignardise of chocolate frogs--avocado, caramel, cinnamon and coconut flavors.

Total bill for four--€1155.45 ($1410). Was it worth it? It was a leisurely 3 hour lunch (not too drawn out) but I wasn't wowed as I was the last time I was there.  Five years ago, I was impressed with the flavor pops and the unique presentation--one dish was laid over a picture. This time, I really couldn't remember any of these tastes after the meal.

On the latest list of top restaurants in the world, Arzak did fall from #8 to #31. To tell you the truth, I'd rather go pintxos hopping.



2018 05 22