Arzak - Not food, Nirvana!
I think the idea to write a blog started with Arzak for me. My husband and I, two gastromaniacs, went to San Sebastián for honeymoon. The city is renown to hold the highest number of Michelin stars per square meter in the world. I started taking notes and pictures in all the restaurants while I was there and continued this habit until today. However Arzak has been the inevitable starting point. All of the dishes were prepared in such an artful manner that I couldn't hold myself from eternalising every moment.
Another particularity that makes Arzak special for me is that it is the first Michelin restaurant I have ever been to. I was pretty amazed with the quality and the creativity that is expected from Michelin star restaurants.
I guess I started from the top, because Arzak is listed as one of the best 10 restaurants in the world and according to some other lists it is one of the best 50 (on number 21). The restaurant preserves its 3 Michelin stars since 1989, which is a huge success in itself.
Firstly, I recommend that you make a reservation at least 1 month before visiting the place. In fact, do it 2-3 months before in touristic seasons. Considering some restaurants accept reservations 1 year in advance (such as El Bulli restaurant which is now closed), it is not that bad. I went there in September 2013 and could find a place for lunch with a reservation one and a half months ahead of time.
The location of the restaurant is very close to the city center, it is easy to reach by taxi. The restaurant itself is two stories, quite small. The dining hall is indoors, elegant and modern with its concrete walls stamped with forks and spoons. They even used frosted glass as windows to block the view to the outside. Everyone talks silently as if they worship the food, thus you can experience every dish in a restful way without being distracted.
We started with a glass of cava (Spanish sparkling wine) as aperitif and requested tasting menu with wine pairings. As we were about to finish our cavas, they started bringing the amuse-bouches.
The 5 appetizers composed of raspberry juice with a cork of bacon wrapped melon, chorizo served on top of a crushed can, scorpion fish pudding with kataifi, white tuna with marinated strawberries and red cod fish were exquisite. We particularly loved the harmony of tuna with strawberries. And the "Bitter Raspberry" was very impressive with its presentation and combination of flavours.
The crispy manioc and huitlacoche stuffed with a preparation of onion, green tea and foie-gras was incredible. I still dream about it...
By the way, they say that you will not understand half the things you eat when you visit a fusion cuisine restaurant. It is true. I researched the ingredient "huitlacoche" in this dish after I returned to Turkey, oh my God, it seems gross! I advise you not to google it. It is basically a plant disease on corn species and a delicacy in Mexico. =)
Then an egg dish came to our table. It has a name: "Ovo-lacto". You wouldn't understand that it is an egg if they didn't say it. I understood later on in the other places that I visited that only Turkish people eat egg only for breakfast. In most of the luxerous restaurants abroad, it is a main dish. Although I eat it like a hungry wolf whenever they put it in front of me, I think I still am not used to the idea. The egg is cooked in low temperatures for a very long period; and basically this changes its chemistry. I don't think there is any other food that you can change the taste and the shape of this much based on how you cook it. Hmm, eggs got me thinking... =)
The lobster was very good as it is always expected from it. The pigeon served with infused citrus and pine sauce was also delicious. I wouldn't have thought I would love pigeon as a meal. As far as I see, Spanish people are quite fond of pigeons. I don't know if it is a coincidence, there were no pigeons in the streets...
The lamb accomanied with fried grapes and longan was not only yummy but also served ingeniously. They put an electronic tablet with the visual and the sound of fire and serve the lamb on a transparent plate they place upon that tablet. Therefore you feel like you eat the lamb right from the fire.
We adored the white tuna adorned with colorful garlic petals and served with a plate of strawberries. The most important thing we learned from this restaurant: tuna and strawberries, that's the game.
Close to the end of our meals, Juan Mari Arzak started visiting all the tables asking if everyone was content with their food and the service. We expressed our admiration to him. If I didn't feel ashamed, I would have asked him to sign my t-shirt.
When we started the desserts, the picture that wouldn't leave my mind is the picturesque plate at the top of this post. I think it is the most visual thing that I ever ate in my life. It is caramelized fruits served with black sesame bread, pepper and licorice ladybird filled with yogurt and olive oil cristal. And the presentation of the "Super truffle" was very good as well. They bring it as a huge ball and the beloved truffle collapses on itself when they pour hot chocolate on it.
They created contrast flavours in harmony with each other with enriched melon, wrinkled tomatoes, sumac, lime and crunchy chia in the "Sweet fruits and vegetables" plate. I think I lost myself with "Playing marbles with chocolate" and the complimentary chocolate plate, I may have gone into diabetic coma.
In brief, yes, we ate too much. But in a good way. It was an incredible experience from the beginning until the end. We paid like 250 Euro per person at that time and I believe it deserved every dime. I am sure there would be some people who may say "How could you pay so much money for one meal?!". Or "How could you eat so much food at lunch!?" =) They are right on the second question. However I think that no one can regard this as a simple meal. Just as some people spare a certain budget to pass some time in an amusement park or in a concert, you can evaluate this as the entrance ticket of a grand show. Because they present a visual and gustatorial show for 3,5 hours. These chefs experiment on the chemistry of food and combine incredible flavours in fusion cuisine. There is a serious effort in here.
I discovered that cooking is a form of art after visiting Arzak. Both the presentation and the way they cook it is a product of creativity. So, yes, some restaurants and chefs deserve this much praise. I hope that I would get a second chance to visit Arzak another time in this life...
Arzak Restaurant Avenida del Alcalde José Elósegui, 273, 20015 Donostia - San Sebastián, İspanya
T: +34 943 278 465
T: +34 943 285 593
E: informacion@arzak.es
W: www.arzak.info