Asador Etxebarri

Located in Atxondo and considered by many to be the premier destination for wood grilled cuisine in the world, Victor Arguinzoniz’s Asador Etxebarri sits high in the Spanish hills outside of Bilbao and seducing diners for over a decade through the pairing of fire to peerless ingredients the experience takes «barbeque» to new heights, each bite a reminder that skill plus passion can be transformative in even the oldest style of cooked food.
Starred by Michelin and a difficult reservation in part thanks to its place on San Pellegrino’s annual list, it is perhaps a bit surprising that both the Chef and his restaurant remain humble without much adornment, the only indication of the later a sign above the front door and a lot full of rental cars while Arguinzoniz himself spends the both lunch and dinner over smoking wood in a T-​shirt, the days and hours off committed to family, farming, and sourcing, even going so far as to bake his own bread, churn his own butter, and make his own cheese.
Starting out in the tavern, a full house present for 13h00 seating as wind and rain rattled windows from outside, it was with brief greetings from the chef that an all-​female staff led each party up the stairs, and with one small room complimenting a larger main chamber it was not long before linens were unfolded and menus presented, the € 125 Chef’s Tasting selected by all in attendance while a la carte options were added by myself and several tables surrounding.
Opting for a single glass of dry Spanish white to pair with the menu, crusty bread offered in two varieties featuring a springy chew, it was but a few moments before a creamy cup of beans imbued with smoke was presented to the table, an adjacent woven plate featuring housemade chorizo on a tiny toasted baguette bold yet elegant in its spice profile and a good sign of things to come.
No doubt proud of Victor’s commitment, the staff sharing stories of the animals and process involved in making both butter and cheese, suffice it to say that it is perhaps best that the former is served as a single thin slab because otherwise far too much bed would be ingested, though I must admit I did consider a second order of the honey kissed grassy cheese.
Not particularly a fan of sardines, though the wood’s essence and light brushing of herbs served this particular fillet well, a charred rectangle of pumpkin topped with local flowers was a perfect palate cleanser accented by mint essence, the two prawns to follow absolutely breath taking in their sweetness of their tails while sucking the head brought forth familiar flavors of the sea with low notes of smoke.
Turning squid meltingly tender yet snappy by the fire, spring onions and ink nice for dipping both the body and bread, course nine saw earthy mushrooms transition the palate much like the pumpkin, the best item of the meal following with spicy chorizo the texture of velvet atop a faintly sweet corn crêpe.
Portioned and coursed appropriately, no dish overwhelming as dynamic flavors were left to linger just long enough, those familiar with the aroma of white truffles could undoubtedly smell the ingredient immediately after it was served to the first table, the simple egg pudding a perfect delivery mechanism with a luxurious smoothness not dissimilar to crème fraiche.
Preceding the finale with a lightly warmed cut of tuna that would make even the most impassioned sushi fan call to mind the best slices of o-​toro served raw, the savory part of the tasting menu was concluded by Arguinzoniz’s famous beef chop, the flavor as rich as any in the region while the texture was a bit more firm that found elsewhere, not the most memorable bite of the afternoon but certainly not bad at all.
Sated but not stuffed, the a la carte goose liver I’d considered adding admittedly still a regret, there was simply no way to pass up a grilled Woodcock described as being «Shot down the road just yesterday,» every bit but the feathers and entrails served atop risotto and red fruit that offered an admirable foil to the bird’s rich and gamey funk.
Ending with desserts, the tasting menu providing rich ice cream that ate more like yogurt chilled just below 0ºC in a broth of juiced beets alongside a trio of treats highlighted by sipping chocolate and a small pumpkin cake, it was on a hunch that I opted to additionally request a slice of the Gâteau Basque and with chilled cow’s milk infused with smoke alongside butter, sugar, and apples the flavor was as elegant as it was decadent, every bit as wonderful as anything else during the meal.

The meal, simply put, was amazing.
I do have to confess though, that I wasnt feeling 100% (in fact, I was barely feeling 60% thanks to my wine hangover from Arzak the night before). So the fact that I think our lunch was amazing and my stomach was uneasy and my head was pounding? That says something.
THE SERVICE: Was lovely. Not quite as attentive as the evening before, but our server was very nice and our courses were perfectly timed. There were not many lulls between dishes, but at the same time, we weren’t rushed through the meal either. We were able to slowly savor each course and when finished, the plates were removed, and before you knew it, the next course arrived. Our server described what each course was, in detail, and then left us alone to taste, enjoy (and photograph) it.
THE ENVIRONMENT: Was like a fairy tale. We were in a rustic, cabin– like building, in a tiny valley surrounded by mountains that were all covered in snow. There was a fresh blanket of snow on the ground around the tiny village, the dining room was warm with an occasional chill coming from the large windows, and our meal was prepared on a grill which left the entire building smelling like a warm, comforting fire. The tables were spaced out enough that each party seemed to be in their own world talking, eating, and taking in the scenery. It all felt like a dream.
THE FOOD: Was impressive. Each course was so meticulously thought-​out and the preparation was truly one of a kind. The way Victor is able to create such delicious flavors and textures while preparing everything on a grill is pretty amazing. About half-​way through our meal the three of us were talking about the food and realized that each course had a stronger smokiness than the course before it. So, throughout the whole meal, the smokiness kept getting more and more intense and powerful. You would think the desserts would lack the smoky flavor that the other courses had, but in fact, the Reduced Milk Ice Cream with Beetroot Juice was one of the smokiest dishes in our tasting. The Ice Cream was loaded with the perfect balance of smokiness from the grill and delicate creaminess from the milk. And the addition of the Beetroot Juice? Incredible. It made it lightly sweet (but only lightly) and the perfect way to transition from the savory dishes to the sweet ones.
When I think back to our incredible 4-​hour lunch at Etxebarri, a few courses stand out to me at truly impressive:
the Butter of Goat’s Milk & Shaved Black Truffle
the Fresh Chorizo of Acorn-​Fed Pork
the Prawns of Palamos
the Scrambled Eggs with White Truffle
the Reduced Milk Ice Cream with Beetroot Juice (my favorite dish of the entire meal)
and, the Flan of Cheese
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: We had an incredible lunch. Without a doubt worth the trip from San Sebastian. I can only imagine what my thoughts would be on Etxebarri had I been feeling my typical self (and not hungover).
Come here. Enjoy an incredible meal in an incredible little village by an incredible chef.
You wont be disappointed. (Just dont do the full Arzak wine tasting the night before!).
you can read a more lengthy review here:

KenScale: 9.75÷10
I recently made a week-​long trip to Spain in order to expand my culinary experience. In Europe, probably the only country that matches France in terms of quality and depth of restaurants is Spain, which boasts countless Michelin stars and numerous accolades for its restaurants. One of the areas in the country where outstanding restaurants are particularly concentrated is the Basque region, and one restaurant has long been on my list is Asador Etxebarri, an institution from chef Victor Arguinzoniz who has showcased the beauty of grilled food at an in-​the-​middle-​of-​nowhere dining space 30 minutes from Bilbao. The discovery of fire has greatly enhanced the quality of human diet, and I was looking forward to explore how the grilling technique is employed to give further delight to fresh meat, seafood and vegetable ingredients. I didn’t expect this restaurant, however, to be the ALL-​TIME BEST restaurant on my KenScale list thus far. Almost everything at this restaurant just screamed perfection, from impeccable texture to modest flavor that further enhances rather than overwhelms the texture.
The restaurant offers only one tasting menu at 125 euros, which feels more like a unprecedented bargain than a splurge once the meal is over. Contrary to our popular preconception of equating grilled food with every single meat, the there is only one large meat dish, with the rest consisting of vegetables and seafood. When the bread came with goat’s milk cheese and fresh cheese of buffalo honey and hazelnut, I already knew something was up. The cheese was one of the best ever I had had, and butter was not far behind. Next came an array of vegetable dishes that were so fresh that you could think they were plucked straight from the garden, from the silky smooth tomato to pumpkin stick. The grilling at Extebarri is so subtle yet so elegant that the balance of flavor and texture is just heavenly. Seafood is not heavily grilled yet retains all the delicate, chewy feel that blew my mind. I don’t even know what sort of magic was put on the prawn but it was definitely the best I had ever tasted. Baby squid with caramelized onion and its ink looks deceptively simple, but yet so sophisticated. All the ingredients together were creating a beautiful harmony that shows you don’t even need to play any tricks to have perfect squid. King bolete mushroom with aubergine was just as fantastic; again, lightly touched yet fully displaying the textural excellence. Horse mackerel and red pepper was another revelation that kept me dreaming about it to this day. Ironically, the only slight (but not that much) letdown was the beef chop. It was just perfectly cooked, but unlike the previous dishes the seasoning was somewhat on the stronger side, wondering what the dish would’ve been like with a tad less salt. In any event, it is still one of the best beef dishes I’ve tasted my whole life. After a series of savory courses came desserts, which were just as splendid. My dining companion couldn’t stop raving about the reduced milk ice cream with beetroot juice that was so rich yet so fresh (and I couldn’t agree more). The final fig dessert was also subtle yet elegant as well, not overly sweet to my liking.
What really made the dining experience even more special was the wine/​beer pairing, which you can get at 38 euros. The selection of Spain’s wine and homemade beer hit all the right notes and worked so well with the dishes (perfect timing as well) that what was already an outstanding meal became an all-​time best quickly. The restaurant is located on the hill and getting there may not be easy unless you have an GPS. When I was driving there, my GPS directed me to unpaved roads for like 30 minutes that I was wondering whether I would ever get to this restaurant (fortunately I did and it was totally worth it!). Getting a reservation at this restaurant can be quite challenging, so I suggest booking way in advance. I was very lucky to get off the waitlist, and I had been generally lucky with eating at restaurants in high demand, that was the best luck of my culinary experience. I liked the modest yet charming dining space inside a cozy townhouse that further enhanced my experience here. If you’re in the Basque region for a trip to Spain, Asador Etxebarri is a must-​go. Trust me, you’ll not regret it!

Get the Goose Barnacles. They are amazing. And don’t be afraid to ask the staff how to eat things– they are really sweet.
This is an absolutely wonderful restaurant set in the most beautiful countryside of Spain. A must for the traveler looking for a real dining experience. But make sure to make your reservations well in advance and be open to trying anything! If you are going to eat sea anemone for the first time, or barnacles, or anything else that seems weirdly intriguing and outside of your comfort zone, this is the place to do it. It will be delicious.

I felt like we were driving into the countryside, and then we pulled up to the restaurant, which looked like a small castle. The setting was really special, but getting there from San Sebastián was a bit challenging (winding roads, lots of random exits and traffic circles).
We were seated in the corner with a nice view of the Mountainside. I assumed everyone in Spain would speak English at the Michelin starred restaurants, but I guess because they’re farther out from the city, no one really spoke English. I’m glad my Spanish came in handy!
1. Chorizo sandwich: well seasoned chorizo in crusty bread, very simple
2. Buffalo queso fresco with honey and hazelnuts: they have their own buffalo there?! This was very very creamy (more so than Burrata). The honey and hazelnuts were a nice balance
3. Goat Butter: with volcanic ash and salt
4. Cracker with mushrooms
5. Anchovies: made in house, salt cured, on toast: probably the only anchovy i’ve ever enjoyed
6. Palamos Prawns: smoky, perfectly cooked, salted. They’re head on, super plump and sweet. This was my favorite dish
7. Baby squid: probably my second favorite. This was cooked perfectly in texture but also smoky, and the sweet caramelized onions salty squid ink went well together
8. Scrambled eggs with mushrooms: we replaced the sea cucumber with this. The eggs were super rich and thick (predominantly yolk, likely with some animal fat mixed in), and the mushrooms were well seasoned. I loved this dish, but it was definitely on the heavy side, even in a small portion
9. King Bolete mushrooms: a bowl of mushrooms and aubergines. I needed the vegetables. They said it would be umami, but it wasn’t a stand out mushroom dish
10. Green peas: I love these «little little peas» as they call them. They’re super sweet and pop in your mouth. This was a much better vegetable dish
11. Arugula and anchovy: this time we got 4 anchovies, and I was anchovied out for the meal. It was quite oily, and I made it through maybe 1 ½ of them before I had to stop
12. Red tuna belly: lightly seared, very very fatty, super rich, with a vizcaina sauce. It was hard to cut but tender once you bite into it. By this point in the meal, I had a hard time finishing this
13. Beef chuleta and salad: usually, I would say the salad was over-​dressed, but the acid helped a lot with he fattiness of the beef. The favor and char were excellent, but it was a large portion at the end of an already heavy meal
14. Reduced milk ice cream: I like beets, but this was a lot of beet root juice. The milk ice cream was a good texture and went well with it, but for those who don’t like beets, they avoided the juice
15. Instead of the cheese flan, they gave us a birthday «cake,» which was a puff pastry sandwich with vanilla ice cream and cream in the center and a chocolate drizzle on top. The top was nice and caramelized, but this was a pretty big birthday surprise for the 4 of us to share. The birthday candle for my friend was a nice touch. I’m still curious about the cheese flan
15. Mignardaise: like a mini muffin top with a good texture on top
I still can’t believe the wine pairings were only € 34 for 7 full glasses of wine. That part was an amazing deal. The tasting was € 125.
Etxebarri is definitely a more rustic experience than the other Michelin starred places we went to in San Sebastián. It’s basically like a family run farm, which is pretty awesome. I appreciate a good smoke and char on my food, but I wouldn’t say that it’s worth the journey if you’re not already on Basque.

It takes quite a bit of effort to come to Extebarri, but it was well worth it. The preparations were almost unimaginably austere (most dishes only had some salt), but with exact timing and pristine ingredients comes perfection. The prawns were as good as expected (as trust me my expectations were quite high after traveling half way around the globe). The beef was properly grilled and rested, resulting in an extremely complex flavor. The baby octopus could be put against any top restaurant in Japan. If you are anywhere close to the Basque Country, you should seriously consider coming here.

Dined here two years ago and was almost brought to tears by the perfection of such honest cooking that could feed angels. Best oyster I ever had. Best butter. Best steak.
Etxebarri is worthy of a trip half-​way around the world. I’m leaving in 3 weeks to return to Spain — just to dine here again. Off the charts. So «simple.» So profound.

We had the tasting menu, it was pretty incredible. We drove through a crazy snow storm to get there and pretty much had the place to ourselves (two other tables showed up eventually).
The tasting menu is big… Really big it was a bit too much for us actually and we didn’t finish some dishes despite them being excellent.
Everything was amazing but the thing that stood out to me were the dairy dishes. The butter and cheese tasted of grass and earth and smoke. The ice cream was creamy, not very sweet but so fantastic. The queso fresco flan was also dynamite.
Oh, and the baby octopus was delicious.

Der Asador (Grill) Etxebarri befindet sich im winzigen, pittoresken baskischen Bergdorf Axpe bei Atxondo (ca. 45 km bis Bilbao). Ohne Navigation hätte ich Schwierigkeiten gehabt mein Ziel zu finden.
Was verschlägt einen nun genau hier hin? Es ist die Küche von Victor Arguinzoniz, der sich mit seiner ‘Grill-​Küche’ einen Namen gemacht hat. Das Etxebarri ist im Guide Michelin mit einem Stern ausgezeichnet und wird auf einer renommierten englischsprachigen Restaurantliste der 50 besten Restaurants der Welt geführt.
Doch was macht die Küche von Victor Arguinzoniz so einzigartig und was ist der sogenannte signature-​dish, also das Gericht welches die besondere Kreativität zeigt? Einen solchen gibt es im Prinzip nicht, vielmehr ist es die Hingabe zum lokalen Produkt. Hier gibt es keine Schäume, Emulsionen oder dergleichen, sondern vielmehr lokale, zum Teil eigenproduzierte Produkte und die Zubereitung auf dem Grill.
Die Rösterei auf dem Grill ist der ordnende Themenbogen des Etxebarri. Jedes Produkt hat irgendwie mit dem Grill und dessen Aroma zu tun. Hinzu kommt, dass jedes Produkt mit seinem korrespondierenden Holz gegrillt wird, zusätzlich hat der Grillmeister die Grillutensilien seiner Küche weitestgehend selbst konstruiert.
Ohne auf jedes Gericht eingehen zu wollen, hier ein paar Blitzlichter, die mir in Erinnerung geblieben sind:
Bei den Appetizern würde eine Chorizo mit Schweinefleisch aus Salamanca, selbstproduziert nach Art der Grossmutter von Victor Arguinzoniz gereicht. Eine selbstgemachte Ziegenbutter hatte schon eher die Konsistenz eines Stücks Käse mit Raucharoma. Waldpilze aus dem Axpe-​Tal mit über Holzkohle geröstetem Paprika.
Eigenproduzierter Büffelmozzarella (von eigenen Büffeln täglich frisch von Viktor gemacht) mit Raucharoma. Wie geht das? Ein Topf mit Büffelmilch simmert in der Küche nahe der Holzkohlerngrills und absorbiert das Grillaroma.
Gegrillte saftige Riesengambas, Auster auf Blattspinat in der Schale gegrillt und verschiedener Atlantikfisch (Weißling und Messerfisch) kamen jeweils auch vom Grill. Das Rührei mit weißem Trüffel war eine wahre Geschmacksexplosion.
Der Fleischgang war ein Chuleton (Rib-​eye am Knochen gegrillt) und wurde aufgeschnitten in Tranchen gereicht. Keine Diskussion um Garstufen, diese Fleischqualität verlangt ‘poco hecho’ also ‘rare’,
Zweierlei Desserts folgtem dem Fleischgang. Ungewöhnlich: Feigen mit einem Granizado (Halbgefrorenes) aus Bier, eine Kombination aus süß und bitter. Reduzierte süße Milch als Eis mit Sauce aus roter Beete, süß und erdig.
Das Tasting-​Menü im Etxebarri wird zu 125 € angeboten, eine korrespondierende Wein und Bier (!hausgemacht!)-Begleitung wurde mit 30 € berechnet. Dies ist ebenso fair wie die Flasche Tischwasser für nur 4 €,
Für mich jederzeit eine Empfehlung für einen Erst-​oder Wiederholungsbesuch.

WOW, roughly an hour drive from our new favorite town, San Sebastian Spain. We hired a driver, Very smart move, this place is in the hills of Spain and Well worth the drive. Everything was done over an open fire, Smoked Milk for the desserts, from local cows, Meats dry aged from Local farmers. We asked for a tour after our meal, spotless kitchen staff tending roaring fires. Wonderful!

The best meal I had in Basque Country was at this restaurant. This included all of the amazing dishes I had at 3 Michelin star Arzak and the delicious Pintxos in the old town. A beautiful drive from San Sebastián, located in a gorgeous setting, we did the tasting menu on the outdoor deck with views of rolling hills, mountains, and the picturesque Basque countryside. The tasting menu included seafood, pork, and quite possibly the best steak I’ve ever had. No trip to Basque Country should skip this restaurant and I recommend renting a car from San Sebastián for a leisurely lunch (3+ hours) on the way to Bilbao.
The service is nowhere near the level of Arzak, but the food makes that irrelevant.

There is nothing that I can write that would do justice to this place — I don’t have that gift. I will say that this meal was one of the best gastronomical experiences I have ever had, and the service matched. Simply put, a world class dining experience from beginning to end. .. Gracias, Victor!!!
Cheers!
RL

I was in France for a work trip and wanted (as usual) to extend my stay for personal time to explore region.
Instead of staying in France I opted to make a foodie pilgrimage to San Sebastian — considered by some to be one of the best places to eat in the world!
I did some research and discovered that San Sebastian had the most Michelin-​rated restaurants in any place in the world.
This was a foodies dream come true. The options were endless on the Michelin-​starred restaurants you can try while in San Sebastian!
As I explored the different dining options in the area, I stumbled upon Asador Etxebarri while watching «Made in Spain» featuring Jose Andres, «On the Road Again» featuring Mario Batali, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Bittman, and Claudia Basols.
Doing more research on restaurants, I read that Anthony Bourdain said in an interview that he would even die at this restaurant!
I also consulted LA Times Food Critic, Jonathan Gold, before my trip and he told me that Etxebarri is the right choice if I had to choose between the more famous Arzak and Extebarri.
A Michelin-​starred restaurant, Extebarri, is also ranked #44 in the 2013 San Pellegrino list of the «World’s Best Restaurants.»
Expectations were going to be high of course arriving at Etxebarri.
I even decided to rent a car to take me to the picturesque Basque Countryside to dine here.
Once you arrive, you might want to pinch yourself because you might feel as if you’re in a dream with the beauty of its surreal landscape.
You will see a mystical looking backdrop of a mountain wrapped in clouds above lush green pastures. The Basque Countryside is blessed with so much rainfall. It reminded me of Portland, Oregon a bit as Portland is a foodie town as well, along with it been so green as well.
So of course, new to driving through Spain, I was one hour late for my 1:30 pm reservation. The staff were all very kind about my tardiness, new me by name, and seated me promptly at my table for one.
I decided to go with the tasting menu to get a sense of the chef’s cooking style.
Chef Victor is self-​taught and was previously a timber worker with a passion for grilling. The chef has built customized grilling contraptions and also selects his own wood for grilling.
Everything on the menu is either grilled or smoked to impart the flavors of the charcoal — he even grills caviar, butter, and ice cream!
You must bring your appetite if you will choose to do the tasting menu. It was plenty of food, that I found my asking myself, should I eat my entire plate of food/​? I decided to eat everything off my place thinking that I may never return again.
The tasting menu is definitely not for those who are not adventurous eaters. I ate everything that was brought to me and told them to prepare the food however the chef would like to prepare it.
If you’re not the type to eat baby eels, baby octopus, sea cucumber, oyster, or chorizo tartare, I’d recommend sticking to the a la carte side of the menu.
Tasting Menu:
broth of chicken
butter of goat’s milk with black salt
burrata of buffalo
salted anchovy with toasted bread
oyster with spinach
sea cucumber with green beans
baby octopus caramelized onion and its ink
scrambled eggs with black truffle
tartar of fresh cilantro
green peas in their juice
throat of hake and daikon
baby eels
beef chop
reduced milk ice cream with red fruit infusion
soufflé of chocolate
mignardise
menu degustacion
copa de txakoli
2 san pelligrino
2 café
total = 157.85 euros ($ 219.21)
This is cooking at its purest form — fresh, local and seasonal ingredients cooked with passion and love by a gifted, self-​taught chef, Victor Arguinzoniz. Chef Victor connects with the ingredients, the grill, and his environment.
At the end of the tasting, I thought that this is the best meal I have ever had. Extebarri definitely deserves its place as the pinnacle of barbecue in the world and worthy of a pilgrimage for food enthusiasts around the world.
Definitely a dining experience I will never forget. Now, would I die here as Bourdain said that he would, probably not even though the Basque Countryside is surreal and one of the most stunning places I’ve seen in my life.

Etxebarri represents the art of grilling at its highest level. My partner and I visited for a most memorable luncheon.
Our visit to this restaurant was a day trip in itself. We boarded a slow but rather inexpensive, comfortable and convenient commuter train in downtown San Sebastian, to take us to the countryside. The train ride afforded lovely hilly views, with glimpses here and there of the Bay of Biscay. This journey took over an hour to reach the central train station in the city of Durango, where we then ordered a taxi to take us directly to Etxebarri (I recommend this, so, you don’t have to worry about drinking and driving).
The location of this restaurant really sets the stage for the gastronomy one experiences once inside. There are large impressive mountains surrounding the old village square where this restaurant is located, surrounded by wind swept plains, and the sea just moments away.
Anything they can grill, they will, and it is done so perfectly, inventively, and gastronomically well. Simplicity is literally served ‘as is’ without need for garnishes, sauces, and so forth. Nothing that I tasted coming from that kitchen got in the way of the ingredients and the natural flavours and scents from the grill cookery. Favourite dishes included grilled butter with breads, caviar, baby eels and octopus, juicy barnacles and shrimps, to a shared main dish of aged steak on the bone.
Service was O.K., a little provincial, but, this restaurant is in the middle of nowhere. Wine list had many bottles to choose from, especially, some affordable Spanish gems. The hacienda-​like décor fit the location, nothing too fancy, country chic.
If you are going to San Sebastian, or, Bilbao, an excursion just to dine here should be on your agenda.

As others have said, the restaurant is nestled in a small town in the beautiful Basque countryside and is a little hard to find, so give yourself some time for wrong turns (and use GPS).
We visited for lunch on a Friday and had the tasting menu, which was:
— To start: chorizo elaborated from acorn-​fed pork; butter of goat’s milk with black salt; salted anchovy with toasted bread; cracker
— Tomato and white tuna
— Oyster seaweed
— Prawns from Palamos
— Bean clams
— Baby squid caramelized onion and its ink
— Mushrooms egg plant
— Red bream vegetables
— Beef chop (Galacian beef)
— To finish: refreshing watermelon; «cut» blueberries; reduced milk ice cream with red fruit infusion; mignardise
Overall, the food was amazing – fresh, simple, and flavorful. Everything was seasoned and cooked to perfection, and the seafood and beef were probably the best I’ve ever had. The smokiness of the Asador grills was a common theme throughout the meal – even in some unexpected places, like the butter and ice cream – providing a perfect complement to the richness of the food. I love grilled food, so it’s possible that if you don’t (are there people who don’t?), the grill flavor could get tiresome. All in all though, I think it’s used judiciously, and the grill really lets the natural flavor and texture of the seafood and meat shine through.
I should mention that the tasting menu was a LOT of food (first world problem). The beef chop course would have nearly a meal on its own. I’d recommend seeing if it’s possible to pare down the portions, or maybe share the tasting menu between two people and add a few items a la carte.
In line with the décor and the overall atmosphere, service was good but more relaxed (i.e., less attentive) than most meals of the same price range. I didn’t particularly mind, but in case you do, you may want to level your expectations.

First be sure that the GPS in your car is working. The place is out of the way in the basque mountains. The scenery is beautiful, you feel you are in another world, in a small village
This is a completely different dinning experience, in their Internet site they state «Care and instinct under the discipline of fire and primitive cooking techniques, where simplicity and warmth of the grill inspire a natural landscape». This is not hype. This place is about grilling perfection. Although we were not permitted to go to the kitchen, I saw their kitchen in Anthony’s Bourduin tv program (the privileges of being a celebrity, who said all men are created equal) and they cook with wood and specially design grills all with different woods. This implants in the food different nuisances and tastes that are unique to this restaurant. The menu is a fixed tasting menu, with all the plates coming one after another, one more incredible than the other. There was ice cream that was grilled… and I’m not kidding.
So give yourself a treat, if one day you happen to be in the Basque mountains, with a good GPS this is the place to go… although you better reserve with plenty of time.

Beautiful setting in the rolling hills country side 40 minutes outside of San Sebastian. The meal was the best I had in the Basque region. The set menu had a little bit of everything, seafood, meat, veggies and dessert. I loved the chuleta (steak), jamon iberico, and chorizo. The shrimp and they oysters were also delicious. The only thing I did not enjoy were the baby eels mostly because of the texture. I definitely recommend a mini road trip to Etxebarri if you are in the area.

Lucky to have experience the best meal in 2009. AJ’s review says it best. However I would like to add that if you are in France, take the short journey down and enjoy Etxebarri.

Everything is parsed down to its purest form, every product is pristine and unique, and every taste while intellectually familiar, comes at you as a wholly new experience. I’ve never had bread and butter reduce me to disbelief before, and I wonder if I’ll ever experience it again. And no, it’s not Poliane miche and echire butter sprinkled with caviar, foie and gold leaf. Nor is it butter cultured sous-​vide and churned with a sonicator-​homogenizer dressed with roto-​vaped seaweed essence. Is is simply bread, butter, salt and a little bit of fire and smoke. Unreal.
I’d be making a mistake if I didn’t mention how breathtaking the location is. While we were there we felt like we were in a dream… complete with living mountains, rolling hills, and an unexpected run in with a flock of sheep. I think only Bras’s Suquet has given me a similar sense of wonder. And while the food is very forward thinking, it is inextricably linked to the natural beauty that surrounds it.
For someone longing for an experience of similar caliber, but much closer… If anything, I’d say that this is the spiritual Basque uncle of Carlo Mirarchi’s tasting menu at Roberta’s in Bushwick. A completely different cuisine, place, and 180 degree difference in vibe, but there’s something about Carlo’s food that makes me draw several parallels to Victor’s. Regardless, if you’re anywhere near Atxondo (San Seb), it’s worth the gps-​confounding trip.

How anyone discovered this place and got word out to the world is astonishing. However I am glad they did as it led to one of the most memorable drives and meals in my life. After seeing about it through various Lydia Teneglia/​Chris Collins produced television programs and reading about it at length, it was a must do, even though it was miles from anything else we were visiting.
Now if you’ve not seen or heard Euskara, it is perhaps one of the most interesting languages ever. Sounding more like Japanese, than Spanish, it has no inherent relation to the other European languages, and in written form it is complex looking to an English speaker. Imagine the hilarity when you have a GPS, trying to pronounce Basque street names in English. It’s pretty messed up. Now imagine a GPS trying to get you through the mountains of the Pais Vasco over only semi documented roads. Now we tried our best to use their instructions but after a few turns we were fucking lost. We tried to use the map on the GPS and even though surprisingly, it took us through some literal one car width dirt roads through peoples personal farms, we ended up only a few Kilometers away from the restaurant. We however didn’t know that when we stopped to see a ditch and the side of a mountain were the GPS told us the restaurant was supposed to be. Luckily I remembered that the reclusive Victor Arguinzoniz’s sous chef was an Australian named Lennox. So I call up the restaurant, knowing that we are lost as my friend is trying to communicate to a local café owner about where we need to go.
Me (calling Etxebarri in my shitty Spanish): Hola, habla usted ingles?
Woman@Extebarri: No.
Me: Ah si,.uh, hablar con Lennox?
Woman: Si, un momento
Lennox: Hola
Me: Hello!
Lennox: What can I do for you mate?
Me: We’re really f’n lost and need your help
Lennox: ok tell me what you see and I’ll try and get you here.
Me: Hmm sign says Auzoa?
Lennox: hmm I don’t know where that is, let me ask the ladies here.
Me: ok thank you.
(minutes later)
Lennox: they dont know where you are either but if you can get to 4332 then call back and we’ll get you here.
Me: ok, fingers crossed
So we leave and as we head east we run into something close to the 4332. It turns out the two routes into Axpe from Durango, we should have taken the main road 4332 from the east and instead we went from the west through Sagasta. However, this maybe the greatest mistake we ever made as I’ve not see more beautiful countryside in a long time. As I said before we drove through Basque farmland and were at the bast of Urkiola which is the Basque countries equivalent to Yosemite. It could not have been a more simultaneously breathteaking/​amazing/​harrowing drive.
We finally get into Axpe and see the signs to the village, which literally has like 6 buildings. We get inside, they lead us our table and all is good with the world. As we were going all out, nothing short of the Menu Degustation was acceptable. We wanted to see what the best local produce and meat that the Biscay countryside La Brasa was going to offer. I asked for a glass of Txakoli (which turned into like 2 bottle pours worth for 7euro which is a steal) and we’re on our way. The farmhouse is hundreds of years old and has been renovated side as a modern dining oasis. From my memory (to be confirmed with my menu later):
–Iberico ham appetizer to start
–House smoked butter
–House made txorizo
–Grilled oysters, seaweed
–Grilled baby octopus in it’s own ink
–Red Palamos shrimp
–Salt cod/​Bacalao
–Mackerel
–Galician style beef chuleton
–Smoked sheeps milk ice cream
My lord this meal was good. I’ve always used grilling as a preferred method of cooking but Victor and Lennox take it to a whole new level. It’s unfortunate I wasn’t there when they and the Angula and Caviar so I guess I will have to return. The service is friendly but a little sassy at the same time. Im sure they get their sure of tourist types into their serene world which would probably make me grumpy too. After the meal was over we went back into the kitchen and spoke with Lennox briefly (Victor is a recluse and was nowhere to be found) to thank him for directions and ask about his favorite eats in the area. We then walked the grounds briefly, took it in and then readied for the long trip home. Man was this experience worth it. Etxebarri is certainly off the beaten path but well worth the trip, even it’s to get lost in the Biscay countryside.