Etxebarri, Light

If there's one place in the world I would rather be, it's probably Axpe, Spain.

Why? Because it combines three things that I am an absolute sucker for: Basque-ness, rural life, and incredible food.

It's incredible, to me, that you can find some of the world's best food in the same six-building village that you can find a town bulletin organizing holiday celebrations and announcing marriages.

For these reasons, I am unable to say no to a visit to Etxebarri. Call it crazy, call it smart, call it lack of self control; it's a fact.  Self control, however, does enter the picture when I have to do what I call "Etxebarri Light".  This is what I did recently with a couple friends who were just dying to check out this asado (grill) in the countryside.

As they devoured the tasting menu (and even let me try the goose barnacles, above, which were squirty, sea-flavored fingers), I withstood (imaginary?) looks of skepticism from the wonderful Basque waitresses and ordered a half ración jamón and a half of Etxebarri's housemade chorizo. This chorizo makes frequent appearances in my dreams.

And, to finish my meal, I just had to try Etxebarri's version of txipirones pelayo, a dish of calamari, caramelized onions and squid ink. Theirs was easily the best I've had, made with tiny baby octopus.

And that, my friends, is How To Survive on a Budget in Culinary Paradise.

Etxebarri : The Return (It's Even Better)

If I could only recommend one place for someone to eat here in Basque Country who loves food, Etxebarri would be it.

I said it.

This is my second visit to this temple of deceptively simple Basque product-based cooking.  And. It. Was. Better.

This time, I went with very wise friends who opted for a sampling of menu items instead of a tasting menu. I doubted, secretly, when D. ordered the chorizo and ham.

If you know anything about chorizo, then one look at this stuff and you KNOW there's something special going on. This restaurant, famous for its cutting-edge grilling techniques (why did you think it was called Asador?) has a smoky chorizo that you simply have to order. I will never be the same. The same with the ham. Literally. Who is cutting this stuff?

Let's have a moment of silence.

Okay. Then on to the anchovy, fresh as ever.

Then, an item I'd been curious about ever since my last smoked dairy rendezvous (see goat butter, next photo): the smoked mozzarella. The chef, Victor Arguinzoniz, bought a buffalo just to make this stuff.

 But for me, the goat butter still reigns supreme.

Another food ruined for me by the past two meals at Etxebarri? Shrimp. I can barely call these shrimp.

And the famous octopus. Famous on my blog, I mean.

Please forgive me if I am getting a bit effusive. I try to retain partiality, I really do. But when you get your taste memory turned upside down dish after dish, it's hard to stay calm.

Sweet spring peas. Yeah, those chive blossoms are my food styling skillz, thanks for noticing. Grabbed some during my repeated breaks from the table, where I would stare off into the distance with my cava in hand, pretending to be in my own backyard.

Then, the steak. The steak to end all steaks, really.

Desserts, tastefully kept to a few delicious ice creams, garnished with smoked fruits.

The best: strawberries, grilled, with fir tree ice cream.

And as if the food, the bubbly, the company weren't enough? I'll leave you with the view from our table.

the octopus of etxebarri (sneak peek)

Okay, so I'm preparing a post for you tomorrow about one of the world's most underrated restaurants.

But I'm getting too excited by a certain set of photos.

So here's a sneak peek of some cephalopod deliciousness. First, what I call the "neutral" shot:

Then, we get straight to the bottom of things:

And a closeup of that cute little baby brain. Which one of my friends swears works better than ours. Ñom ñom.

And, the money shot. A centro, adentro.

I feel kinda dirty. And hungry.

The World's 50 Best

Once again, the time has come to announce The World's 50 Best restaurants, a list that may or may not have any basis in reality but that definitely has some heft in the world of cooking.

And once again, Spain and the Basque Country sort of rule.

In at number 2, right behind NOMA, is Celler de Can Roca in Girona. I find this wonderful, great, and also kind of funny, considering that this year in Gastronomika the chefs presented a Bloody Mary creation that suspiciously resembled a bloody feminine product. SICK.

Can Roca hold strong in the same position as last year, as is the case with all the top three. And of course, coming in at number three is a personal favorite of mine, Mugaritz. Truly deserving of that spot.  Arzak also holds strong, at number 8, with Elena Arzak winning an additional accolade of Best Female Chef.

Etxebarri, in leaps and bounds that can be attributed to word of mouth as well as alignment with current gastronomic trends such as using amazing product and  leaving well enough alone, comes in this year at number 31.  Martín Berasategui, on the other hand, drops to 67 in what could be attributed to alignment with now out-of-fashion gastronomic ideals.

Finally, Quique Dacosta and Carme Ruscalleda's Sant Pau round out the list at 40 and 65 respectively.

¡Viva España eta Gora Euskadi! On egin!

Etxebarri : The Best Asador. Ever.

So, you know about Basque Country. That's good: most people just know Spain.

So, you know what a pintxo is...wow!  And what's that? One day you want to eat at Arzak? Bonus point! Mugaritz? Two bonus points.

Then, there's another inner ring...the folks who have their fingers on the pulse of the food world, their ears to the ground, and their eyes to either the magazines or Anthony Bourdain's show. You people might just know what I mean when I say:

Etxebarri: The Best Asador. Ever. Also perhaps the Best Landscape Surrounding A Restaurant Ever.

With an appropriately cheesy website (whose tagline reads: Quality and know-how | Probably one of the best kitchens in Basque Country), hopes are high when one heads out into the Bikaian hills in search of this isolated steakhouse.

It's a small building in the center of a tiny quasi-village. The bottom level is a taberna, which could be confused for a run of the mill, country Basque tabern if it wasn't for the obviously artisan bread holding up these pintxos, the expertly chopped parsley garnishing the anchovies, and a fine wine selection. It is anything but typical. Example? How about some smoked goat butter? One of the best things, ever.

We went, thanks to a wonderful friend with a birthday to celebrate.  And at this place, at least for your first time, there's nothing to do but order the tasting menu.  12 courses, showcasing the best product, each carefully grilled according to its characteristics.

So we set off on our adventure, starting with a creamy soup of smoked red beans.

Divine anchovies, butter and smelling of fire. Oyster, served in its shell.

Some shrimp just barely grilled, soft, tender, more perfectly cooked than any I've ever had.

A parade of dishes, each one with a distinct character.  Sea cucumber with white beans, porcinis, and truffles with egg.

The asador par excellence's take on the local darling, bacalao. Some ugly plates here but if you can look past appearances....

STOP.

The meat.

There has never been a steak this good. You would typically be hard pressed to convince me to down more than a few bites of steak, but this one disappeared, plate licked clean. Perfectly rare. I have no problem with declaring it one of the best steaks in the world. Next time I, Marti the Almost Vegetarian go to Etxebarri, I will order the steak only (60 euros).

Dessert, roasted apple, cheese ice cream, smoked berry compote.

This restaurant needs to be on everyone's list. It's the sort of place I would take idiots, food lovers, and chefs alike. And EVERYONE leaves happy.

Asador Etxebarri

Plaza San Juan, 1 48291 Atxondo, Spain

946 58 30 42 www.asadoretxebarri.com