"Two heads are better than one" does not hold true when you are torn between which Michelin restaurant to visit in San Sebastian especially when time is not on your side. A coastal city flanked by the Bay of Biscay and undulating hills, San Sebastian is home to three 3-Michelin-Star restaurants. Like the 3 musketeers, it was difficult to make a choice between Arzak, Akelaŕe and Martin Berasategui, so we let our hearts decide. While Martin Berasategui did not receive as many online rave reviews as the other 2 restaurants, we trusted our instincts. After the gastronomical experience, we were glad we went with our gut feelings.
A short 10 to 15 minutes cab ride from La Concha Beach, San Sebastian, we arrived at the footsteps of the nicely manicured lawn of the restaurant which offered amazing views of the mountainous region of Gipuzkoa.
We opted for "The Great Tasting Menu" because you either go big or you go home. And home is a few thousand miles away.
Freshly baked bread rolls with chalk-shaped butter in original, mushroom, spinach and salted beetroot flavours were served promptly. Wine and food pairing were suggested and we took our picks before settling into the serene ambience of the restaurant.
(From left to right), the below was a snapshot of what we enjoyed during the 2.5 hours meal.
1st dish - 2014 Sea Crunch Tempura with Txakoli wine mayonnaise and citrus gel and kumquat, potato firewater, olive and anchovy.
2nd dish - 1995 Mille-feuille of smoked eel, foie-gras, spring onions and green apple.
3rd dish - 2014 Red shrimp Royale and dill with a <Venta del Baron> oil.
4th dish - 2015 Lightly marinated warm oyster with iced cucumber slush and spicy apple.
5th dish - 2016 Sea Urchin curd served with seaweed, anise and Iberian pork emulsion.
6th dish - 2016 Beetroot juice and diced raw horseradish in salad, taramasalata steeped in citrus juices.
7th dish - 2015 "The Truffle" with fermented wild mushrooms and collard greens with <Alma de Jerez> oil.
8th dish - 2011 <Corrotxategi> egg resting on a liquid herb salad and dewlap carpaccio.
9th dish - 2001 Vegetable hearts salad with seafood, cream of lettuce and iodized juice.
10th dish - 2016 Red mullet with edible scale crystals, fennel with saffron and liquid baby squid bonbon.
11th dish - 2016 Young Pigeon, charcoal roasted at low temperature with potato and truffle bites and forgotten vegetables.
12th dish - 2016 Smoked red-fruit tea frozen, liquid and crunchy with sticks of beetroot meringue.
13th dish - 2016 Chocolate rock on salted quinoa, rum slush and hazelnut ice cream.
Each dish was appetising, aesthetically pleasing, carefully planned and introduced throughout the meal stimulating our palate, surprising us with a myraid of texture, taste and scent. Listening to an Orchestra performance will be a close comparison to this degustation experience.
It amazed me how simple ingredients like eggs and everyday vegetables could come alive like works of art under the talented chef. The selection of the best olive oils (Alma de Jerez & Venta del Baron) and the ability to sample seasonal ingredients like red mullet caught in the Mediterranean sea was the cherry on top. This was no doubt one of the best meals I ever had.
Point to note: These Michelin-starred restaurants are usually closed on Sundays and Mondays. Some may close on Tuesdays too. Hence, do check the restaurants websites and do not leave things to fate. Always follow your heart but remember to bring your brain along too.
