Arzak - San Sebastian

Choosing a restaurant in San Sebastian is unfeasibly challenging the choices are so abundant. After all, this is a city that can boast the highest number of Michelin stars per square metre on the planet and that’s before including the more modest yet excellent establishments - the pintxos bars, the cider houses, the restaurants specialising in Basque cuisine………

Nevertheless a decision had to be reached and Arzak presented itself as the natural choice. Its revered chef, Juan Mari Arzak, is regarded as the godfather of Basque nouvelle cuisine and commands the kind of adulation and respect reserved for holy deities. He is credited as having inspired an entire generation of Spanish chefs including Ferran Adria, chef at the controversial and acclaimed restaurant El Bulli.

From recent reports I had assumed that Juan Mari was semi-retired (he must be in his 60’s) and it was now his daughter, Elena, that manned the kitchen. However when we arrive I catch a glimpse of an amiable, father christmas like figure, dressed in his whites which I instantly recognised as the great man himself. Despite being regarded as one of the greatest chefs on the planet he exhibits no air of pretension and this is reflected in the general ambience of his restaurant. Unlike so many Michelin 3 star establishments it does not elicit hushed conversations between diners who are paranoid about their table manners and as a result feel permanently “on edge”. Rather it has a refreshing informality, possibly due to the predominantly local clientele who appear to know the chef personally as opposed to foreign visitors ticking of another restaurant on the holy tour of Michelin eateries.

The dining space with its wood panneling, plush red chairs and spacious tables exudes warmth and is so comfortable and soothing it’s akin to stepping back into the womb. The mainly female wait staff gracefully glide round in grey smocks which resemble creations made by an avant- garde Belgian fashion designer. Initially I detect a hint of surliness about them but my friend Lauren assures me that these traits can be characteristically common among the Spanish, who do not possess the natural effusiveness of other Southern Europeans.

Naturally we all opt for the multi-course tasting menu. Before the dishes even arrive our taste buds are set on fire by a selection of delectable amuse-bouches which are so beautiful they could be miniature art forms.

Despite being a set menu the diner sometimes gets the opportunity to choose from a couple of options. The first course is a toss-up between oysters or foie gras wrapped in zucchini. I opt for the latter which explodes in my mouth and leaves a grin emblazoned across my face. The taste is like a bolt of lightning, completely unexpected due to the sweetness and mousse like consistency of the foie gras, I can detect the grainy-ness of the sugar, not a natural combination with liver but one that is bizarrely harmonious. One of my dinner companions offers me one of his oysters atop a potato truffle mash and whilst visually pleasing it pales into insignificance in comparison. The oyster seems lost in the truffle although I appreciate the briny aftertaste.

A dish of langoustines with a sweet corn sauce adds an air of confident simplicity to proceedings. The combination of flavours work in perfect synergy with each other.

The “flower egg” with truffle oil and mushrooms is one of the signature dishes The mark of any kitchen should be how they cook their eggs (it’s amazing how many mess up). Arzak employs an unusual method by wrapping the egg in plastic wrap, seasoning it with truffle oil and duck fat, letting it rest for 1 day and then poaching it. I appreciate that this sounds like a bit of a kefuffle however I can assure you the results are sheer perfection - the yolk being runny whilst the whites having the perfect firmness.

Monkfish liver according to my pal, Andrew is regarded as a delicacy in Japan and is eaten as sashimi. It has recently crept into European cooking and is quickly gaining reputation as the foie gras of the sea. It was used in our next course - Monkfish with a Monkfish liver sauce. The flesh was uncharacteristically tender which led us to believe that it had been blow torched on the outside The liver sauce added a buttery almost earthy dimension which the robust monkfish could easily withstand.

For my meat dish I opted for the duck which was splendidly rare. It was reminiscent of carpaccio, but game-ier, accompanied with vegetables which had a strange charcoal coating - more blow-torching. The other option was Venison which I also tried and was cooked to perfection.

Desserts rolled out in a perfect procession. There were so many that this review would never end if I listed all of them. The ones however that will remain permanently etched in my memory were; burnt puff pastry with salted raspberries, chocolate hamburgers, and a chocolate tortilla. Each and everyone was fabulous, arriving like living, breathing, surrealist artworks.

Everything about Arzak conspires to create the perfect experience. The food possesses a distinctive character and even though you can detect the french influences (Arzak trained with some of the greatest chefs in France - Paul Bocuse in Lyon, Troisgros in Rhone, Senderens in Paris, and Boyer in Reims) it still retains its Basque roots. It offers surprise and novel elements without comprising taste and overall enjoyment. The flavours are balanced and the techniques flawless. The service relaxed yet efficient.

You can probably decipher from this review that I enjoyed this meal, yet whilst this is correct it wouldn’t be a true reflection of my sentiments. It is difficult to convey my true thoughts as the number of superlatives required would make you feel queasy. So I shall simply say I loved this meal, it is one of the best I have eaten and if I had one last wish before I died it would be to dine at Arzak.

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