Akelare

Overall good quality food, very modern creative molecular gastronomy. After much research and having to decide between so many quality fine dining restaurants in San Sebastián area, I had extremely high expectations for this place given this region’s notoriety for having so many michelin restaurants and it somewhat fell short because of how the food tasted. Nothing in particular stood out too much with the tasting menu but everything really was fresh and varied produce. Lamb was too salty and the orange dessert was a bit dense/​heavy with minimal hints of citrus or orange flavor unlike the much enjoyed semblance of an American cupcake one. Of course service was very good and attentive but the food didn’t quite hit it for me to make perfection. It was beautiful to look at but I did not get the fish with the little pearls of egg whites… not sure what was the point of that besides looks but I don’t care for egg whites and fish with a muted flavor. The flavors overall needed more of a zing or some pop. I appreciate the quality ingredients used and great service. I would rather enjoy what I eat than look at it’s beauty. Not sure if it was worth the price as I have had other more exceptional single starred michelins in Paris for less.

Wow ! We have been lucky to have been to some of the worlds best… Including Noma, Masa, etc…
The experience starts as you pull up and you see the building and view. Then you add exemplary service all with smiles.
We had several in our group with allergies and issues. No problem.
We did each of the 3 offered tasting menu. This way we could see, share and taste…
We ended our dinner in the Salon with our new found friends.
I will end as I began… Wow!

For me, the ambiance of a restaurant is a huge part of the experience. This restaurant which sits on a cliff overlooking the Bay of Biscay was key in our choice of which one of the 3*s to try in San Sebastian. This was my first 3 Michelin star experience, and we basically planned the itinerary of our entire Spain trip around this meal. was it worth it? Yes.
First of all: Make reservation ahead of time. We made ours about a month in advance. Second of all. Start saving. It’s going to set you back a few.
After seeing things like their leaf disguised as foie gras, their edible bones, and their broken yogurt desert, I was a bit worried that there would be too much of a focus on «innovation» here and not necessarily just really great tasting food. I know to get three stars you need more than just good food, but the quality of the dishes remains the most important part for me. And I was not disappointed.
I opted for the Aranori tasting menu with a wine paring.
The leaves and the Foie gras under the rain: Here’s where they made a leaf out of foie gras and disguised it in your salad. Love it. A vegetarian’s nightmare. Very clever, but most importantly. Delicious.
Green Broth Infusión, Scampi and Smoke Monkfish: Here you have a real bare bones broth made fresh from the head of the monkfish you get on a separate plate. I could appreciate the freshness and way the whole dish is self contained and straightforward, but it was a bit uninspired to me. Not super flavorful.
Very thin and Light Beef Tartare, new Potato Soufflé and Aromatic Herb Bread: Now we’re kicking it up a notch. This was the best tartare i’ve ever had, and the serving size was generous.
Sea Bass «Umami»: The menu gets better and better at this point. This melts in your mouth and now you truly are beginning to experience why this is a 3*. I’ve not had fresher or better prepared fish.
Roasted baby Pig «Bone» and Iberic’s emulsion: So this was the main event. Aaaand, i actually ordered the other option (veal), not this one… so kind of a slip up on their part, but luckily, it was fantastic. Really tender and flavorful, and certainly not overdone. Oh yeah, you can eat the «bone» (I think its sugar or something — nice touch).
The Broken Jar of Yogurt, «Gatzatua» and Berries: So this was probably the most unique part of the meal. It’s an edible «jar» of yogurt which is «broken» on the plate, with the contents spilling out. As the waitress brought it out, she timidly said «sir, we’ve had an accident!» as it was being set down. I half wanted to screw with her and tell her to take it back and give me one that wasn’t broken, but i didnt have the heart. Anyways, great end to a great meal. Fresh berries, the actual «jar» isn’t very tasty, but it was a fun touch.
Amazing meal in my favorite town in the world. You will not be disappointed.

Excellent food. Very chique. Fantastic experience. Nice view al over the sea. Good that I was invited, so it was not me who paid the bill.

Excellent lunch dining experience. The view here is spectacular so you should request a window seat if you make it out to this remote location.
What’s unique here is you can get different tasting menus for the table. I would recommend staying away from the classic menu and going with the other two.
Service was expedient and attentive but not fawning or excessive.
My favorites were the shrimp on fire, the steak tartare, foie gras leaf (the attention to detail to making a fake lead out of foie gras is amazing!), and monkfish.
Everything was very well presented and playful. The food was definitely innovative and tasty all around.

One of the several 3 Michelin star restaurants in San Sebastián and my 5^th experience at a 3 starrer. Excellent food and presentation, beautiful views, and stellar service. Loved how understated this place was – wasn’t needing to be showy or fancy and has the confidence to shine.
Food: 4.5, Atmosphere: 5, Service: 5
Cost to worth it rating: 3 (175 Euros for a 12 course meal if you include amuses)
Return worthiness: yes (though I want to try some of the other 3 star ones as well)
Eve award: stiffest pours for a pre-​meal cocktail
Highlights:
— Scampi with smoked monkfish and crunchy whole shrimp: a piece of shrimp beautifully placed inside a flower ring of thinly sliced fish and a crunchy whole shrimp on the side. Something so delicate and subtle with a play on textures was brilliant. 5 stars.
— Foie gras in a salad: they colored foie gras to fit in as a leaf. So artistic and the flavor was amazingly smooth and mild. 5 stars.
— Iberico and piquillo carpaccio thin pasta layer topped with Parmesan cheese and mushrooms. Stunning. Never had anything like that mixed pasta. 5 stars
— Roasted suckling pig. Crispy exterior and tender meat. «Bone» was sugary. 5 stars.
— Beef tartare with potato puff and thin crackers. Largest portion of the raw minced meat I’ve seen. 4 stars
— Shrimp tart: thin with a glasslike thin later was unique to get started. 3.5 stars
— Casual nice atmosphere: not stuffy or pretentious so we could enjoy a relaxing fine dining meal. Also liked that you could choose from 3 different tasting menu experiences.
— View: whole restaurant covered in large windows to see the water and we were seated in the elevated middle area.
— Cocktails: a simple vodka soda or gin and tonic was served tableside in a huge wine goblet!
— Chef was there: not common among famous chefs. He even waited to take a photo with us after our meal which was awesome.
Midlights:
— Tomato amuse: tasted a bit too fishy for me.
— Desserts: creative presentation but taste was just ok for me.
Lowlights:
— Anchovy olive: not due to the quality of the fish – mostly cause I don’t care for either ingredient
— Raw plate with the cod: I didn’t quite understand it accompanying a cooked fish
Excellent meal that lived up to the foodie hype of arranging a trip here from SF to eat for the weekend. :-)

Alelarre is located in a great place surrounded by greeneries and overlooking the sea. We were here on a cloudy spring day that made it romantic.
They recommend you to choose one of the three Tasting Menus that include various lovely dishes. We choose the Classic Menu, but for our main course we picked one from another menu.
The Classic Menu is a collection of popular dishes that have been offered in this place for years, however, if you’re more interested in the innovative cuisine you may go for one of the two other options. Overall, we were happy with our selection.
To accompany your food you can choose to order a bottle of wine (by the help of their sommeliers), or opt for their recommendation of one glass for each dish. This is what we choose and were pretty happy with as well.
At the end, among our favorites in the restaurant were the service, the views, and the dinner service.

Originally pursuing a career in medicine before circumstances saw an interest in hospitality develop late in school. Pedro Subijana’s resume bears little resemblance to those of contemporaries who honed their skills in the best kitchens of France, but continuing to develop a distinctive style since taking over Akelarre in 1975 there is little doubt forty years later that some things are written in the stars, the Chef and his seaside restaurant continuously holding Three from Michelin since the 2006 guide.
Writing its own story in a land where Basque traditions often mingle with modernist flare, arrival at Akelarre is not dissimilar to that of other fine dining destinations but with the two-​tiered room placing some along the windows while other are elevated at its center the choice is really a matter of preference, an afternoon overlooking the ocean probably the ideal though those who prefer to witness the service spectacle may wish to peer down from above.
Divided into three eight-​course tastings, a classics menu suggested as the best way to witness Subijana’s evolution throughout the years, large parties are encouraged to choose differently with a focus on sharring, the Berkarki menu plus one classic addition proving the most compelling option for myself.
Opening at 20h30 with a total of eighteen items offered along with four housemade breads when accounting for canapé, mignardises, and palate cleansing sorbet suffice it to say that two hours at Akelarre features no lack of action, the opening quartet offering but a glimpse of the Chef’s willingness to elaborate on familiar flavors with discrepant ingredients and textures as the mussel croquette featured a surprising sweetness amidst brine and butter, the «Bloody Mary» an airy meringue that quickly flooded the palate and just as soon dissipated.
Impressed by the sort of bread that will challenge diners not to overindulge, both the spelt and hearty baton particularly great with curls of butter, course one of the tasting featured jumbo prawns cooked tableside over flames of Brandy, and coming out perfectly tender despite the directed heat all three were picked and sucked clean of their carapace with curls of green beans cleanring the palate between bites.
Again embracing the region in course two, fleshy hake throat delicately fried with a bit of spice and garlic adding nuance without overwhelming the gelatinous core, its follow-​up showed signs of whimsy amidst textbook execution of duck liver, the «salt and pepper» haphazardly tossed over top by my server actually flavored like cocoa and vanilla as the bittersweet juxtaposition enhanced a silky center beneath the caramelized sear.
Returning to the fish from prior with a meaty fillet dusted in dried plankton that was as flaky as it was moist it was with suggestions to prepare the palate with a single Oyster Leaf that the evening marched on, the jet-​black dish served next not containing a single grain of rice but virtually indistinguishable from the most delicate traditional versions given the finely chopped cephalopod and creamy stock further bolstered by butter.
Rounding out the savories with a very special presentation of acorn-​only fed Iberico Pig lightly grilled and as intense as any charcuterie seen to date, it was again riffing on a classic American Cocktail that the mouth was transitioned to sweetness, the airy notes of lime and mint far more appealing to me than the actual drink.
No doubt a worldly man, hints at Americana not subtle in a «Melting» cupcake that tasted as though buttercream frosting was whipped via ISI-​Container with fruit and then chilled, the Orange «Tocino de Cielo» was a return to Spanish flavors with a thin custard that tasted similar to a Carballon tinged in walnuts with light floral notes.
Intrigued by the «broken jar of Yoghurt» but told that «The Different Apple Tart» was a dish that should not be missed it was in the later that the meal reached its ending, the mignardises probably good though I reall don’t remember as the caramelized tart tatin on an all-​butter shortbread was as intricate in flavor as it was in its look.

Out of this world! Incredible! Worth every penny! We booked a lunch table knowing that with the three stars it would be good — now it absolutely blow our minds! We picked the tasting menu with the wine pairing. Not only food is delicious, presentations are imaginative and fresh.
But the best thing about this restaurant is the service. We usually go to Michelin rated restaurant and ambience is usually quite up tight. Akelarre has nothing of that — it feels familiar, warm and cosy. Everyone smiles, actually talks to you and engages when explaining the dishes. On top of that the sea by the side is absolutely breathtaking.
Strongly recommend splashing on this restaurant in the Basque Country!

Ridiculous. Outrageous. Extraordinary. Incredible. Exceptional. …
If you enjoy food more than the average person, you enjoy to treat yourself to an experience such as Akelarre. Presentation, cuisine, service and explanations are orchestrated in a flurry of movements. Never is your glass empty, never is the table linen spotty, never is an finished plate in front of you for too long.
This was a rare experience, and I thought I’ve been to a few equivalent restaurants and sat in front of chefs before. …2^nd thought, this was a great experience bringing me back to exceptional dining. For awhile I was tired of tasting menus and wanted simple preparations and honest food — this was a raving balance of the two.

KenScale: 7.5÷10
Akelarre is one of the three-​Michelin star establishments in the Basque region sitting atop a hill overlooking the Bay of Biscay. I heard so much about the magnificent view from the restaurant and about the modern and elegant Spanish cooking from chef Pedro Subijana. The eating experience itself, however, felt short of my expectations.
The restaurant has three different tasting menus that you can choose from (each at 175 euros per person), one set consisting of Akelarre’s classic dishes and the other two sets based on more recent inventions. I keep wondering to this day whether I should’ve stuck with classics that would highlight all the dishes that the restaurant has been known for almost four decades. Instead, my inclination for something more modern and inventive took over me, and I decided to go a tasting menu option called bekarki. The beginning of the meal was excellent. Prawns cooked in flame came as juicy and delicate as I had expected with green beans. White beans with chorizo were also flavorful, and the best dish was in sautéed fresh foie gras with salt flakes and grain pepper. I don’t know what kind of magic went into it, but the salt flakes didn’t make the foie gras too salty but instead complemented what could’ve been stuffy piece of meat beautifully. Unfortunately, things started going downhill afterwards. Grouper immersed in «umami» sauce was very well-​cooked, but the sauce itself was heavy and quickly overwhelmed the fish. «Desalted» cod box with shavings was more or less forgettable, and instead of juicy roasted baby lamb that I was expecting, the one coming out from the kitchen didn’t have enough meat or had the best texture. The desserts turned out to be a little too sweet for my taste as well, from the melted cupcake to orange sheet with fruit leaves. I went to the restaurant for lunch, which lasted three hours, and came away overwhelmed by the heaviness of many dishes toward the end.
The restaurant has a modern dining room with beautiful views, so if you’re going to visit, lunchtime would definitely serve you better. The services were professional and attentive, and there is a wide selection of wines (many excellent ones from Spain) that would work well with the dishes. Getting a reservation wasn’t particularly challenging, but the restaurant was almost full by 2:30 (one thing I realized while dining in Spain is how late people eat here; most groups started filling in after 2). I really wish I could’ve liked Akelarre more and believe I should give a second chance to this place ordering classic menus that have made this place a renowned institution for a long time. But for now, I would say my dining experience (with all the great places I’ve been to during my trip to Spain) at Akelarre definitely had some hits and misses.

My wife and I spent our anniversary dinner here. This was part of our trip to Spain where we ate at a few different restaurants that earned Michelin star (s) accolades. However this restaurant was The BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT.
The restaurant has an amazing view and is nicely decorated. Unfortunately that is the only thing they can be admired.
We both had tasting menus. While some of it was tasty, the menu and the food fell far below expectations. The service was even worse! The missed our apéritif champagne order, served me a wine paring that matched my wife’s courses, not mine… Did not clear wine glasses (at one point I had 3 empties in front of me) and also did not refill our water or other drinks… Yes, I know I’m whining and wouldn’t generally critique others this way, but this is a 3 Michelin Star restaurant. They also gave my wife the wrong coat at the end of the night, missing the mark across the board.
I could ramble more, but two things stand out.
1. The table next to us complained after sending a drink back. That was probably the best thing they could’ve done, as they had 4 servers assisting them and bending over backwards to help them for the rest of the night. Seeing they had all of the attention, our table and others had horrible service. Making it one of the worst dining experiences I can remember.
2. My tasting menu came with a «Baby suckling pig» course. Described in one word as AWFUL. I ate only a few bites. The waiter asked me if it was good? I responded «no». After that there was no further conversation about anything. They did not ask if we were satisfied or enjoyed ourselves… And in not asking we didn’t share any complaints. I guess their 3 Michelin Star service is to let sleeping dogs lay…
I would not eat here again. And I definitely wouldn’t recommend to others either. Save your money. Or go to a Michelin Star restaurant that has better customer reviews than this place.

I am updating my review and bringing it down one star based on watching Chef Table, Season 1, featuring Massimo Bottura. Why? It seems that Subijana has copied Massimo, and while I feel that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Subijana has not incorporated the dose of originality I would expect from a professional. The «broken yogurt» dessert is a direct copy of Massimo’s «Oops I dropped the lemon tart» — an original creation based on a tart being dropped just moments before it was to be served. See for yourself:
—- original review —-
Chef Pedro Subijana has been cooking here for almost 40 years! Unbelievable! I was so pleased that he took the time to visit our (and others) tables during our meal. A congenial man, he greeted us with warmth and humility.
The view of the Biscay bay is spectacular. When you go, try to get a table in the center that over looks the windows. That way both of you can enjoy the view. A table next to the window will only afford the view to the person facing that direction.
When we dined, there were three tasting menus available: modern, traditional and a mix. We did the modern and mix. We also chose the wine pairings (recommended, if you imbibe).
Each dish was an adaptation of the menu description. Our wait person presented our food with playful descriptions (e.g., broken yogurt was served with an «oops, we’re sorry!») and the wine served with explanations of region, grape, etc.
I was surprised that the portions were larger than is usual for a tasting menu. With the amuse-​bouche and all the dishes, we actually got full!
A great overall experience!

One of the best meals of my life. Get the Classico tasting menu and a bottle of wine. It ain’t cheap for Spain but get ready for the meal of your life.

Let me preface this review with bring your credit card and have the limit on it increased before you go !! The location is fabulous and the food and experience is once in a lifetime. My husband and I each chose a tasting menu with wine and my son did the lobster. Prepare to be there for about 4 hours, you will enjoy every delicious moment. Chef came to the table and signed his book for us, he was very gracious and delightful. To sum it up if you can splurge on this restaurant don’t pass it up… you will not regret it.

The roast suckling pig here… Dios mio. Best pork dish I’ve ever had. Melt in your mouth, perfectly cooked. The black ink squid risotto was also excellent, as was basically everything else. Only thing we didn’t love was the cupcake at the end. Atmosphere here overlooking the ocean was spectacular. I got the «aranori» tasting menu. If you prefer meat over fish, you will be very happy with this choice.

You can enjoy the meals with very challenging matching of materials, and although based on the traditional regional food, of great creativity, in the modern but very cozy interior.
I understand the difficult choice for the tourists between the bar hopping in downtown for Pinchos and the dinners at the Micheline stared restaurants in or in the suburbs of San Sebastián. However, I am pleased to guarantee that this restaurant is worth the visit while loosing one night of bar hopping. I hope that the visitors to this city understand the value of this restaurant by this explanation.

4.5 review. We visited San Sebastian this last weekend and given the proximity to our anniversary, I was given free-​range in my choice of restaurants. Despite the large number of delicious cheap pintxos in town I couldn’t visit Northern Spain without experiencing one of the many famed Michelin restaurants! After much deliberating I decided on Akelarre. We arrived for our evening reservation and were greeted with the most beautiful view. The restaurant sits right at the coast so you can enjoy views of the ocean while you decide on your meal.
I decided to go with the Aranori tasting menu and J decided on the Bekarki. After ordering a different waiter came by to help us decide on a bottle of wine to suit our chosen menus. Despite the hefty cost of the tasting menu the wine list was pretty reasonable and we loved the red he recommended.
Now to the food… if I try and chat about all of the dishes this review will drag on even longer than my standard rants so I’ll stick to the standouts. For my menu, the «leaves and the Foie under the rain» was the most incredible foie gras I have ever eaten. Full stop. And the salad that accompanied it had single leaves infused with different flavours in lieu of any dressing. The beef tartar with potato soufflé was so rich and the flavours were wonderful. The beef’s tail was extremely tender and juicy. The foaming coconut ice cream didn’t look like much but was really unique and light. And finally the broken jar of yogurt was so creative and still tasted really nice.
For J’s menu I loved the Prawns and French Beans cooked in «Orujo» Fire. They were ignited at our table and the seasonings were light and wonderful. The Grouper «UMAMI» was so fresh and flaky. The roasted lamb was tender and juicy. And the orange «Tocino de Cielo» sheet had simple presentation but was really unique and tasty.
We really enjoyed our experience at Akelarre. The service was impeccable and you can tell that the staff take pride in their craft. Here you can enjoy fine dining in a slightly more casual atmosphere as no jackets or slacks are required. Thanks for the lovely evening Akelarre!

This was our second glutinous 5 hour lunch in San Sebastian. It was beautiful when we pulled up but I did not expect the gorgeous ocean view once we were seated by the window.
There are 3 menus to choose from — the more innovative Aranori and Bekarki, and then the classics. Between the 4 of us, no one got the classic one. 65 for the wine pairing was also pretty reasonable, and the pairings were customized to the menus.
Amuses: these came with a nice brut rose champagne
1. Bloody Mary: a light pink foam that was briny and fishy, topped with sesame seeds, sitting over crushed fresh tomatoes. The celery on the side added a nice crunch, and it really tasted like a bloody Mary
2. Black Olive: pureed black olive re-​piped into the shape of olives, stuffed with pureed anchovy and a light bell pepper sauce underneath
3. Prawns and potato: like thin potato chips with an herbed cream inside
4. Stuffed Mussels: these spheres looked almost like chocolate truffles. They were a mussel breading, and once you bite inside, it bursts wityh a mussel purée. Flavor wise, it tasted just liked the Chinese dim sum fried taro dumpling
Choice of breads: I went with the seeded bread for more texture and crust
Our add on: Iberico ham on crisped pita. They broke the puffed pita into pita chips, and even a half order of the ham was more than enough for 4 of us. Of course, it was rich and nutty, and the cava they brought with it cut the fattiness perfectly
Menu Aranori.
1. Leaves and rain: salad greens lightly dressed in an aromatic infusion of a ginger basil dressing that looked like drops of dew, a sweet pear crisp, a beet crisp, mushrooms that are actually made of nuts, and ultimately, the leaves that were actually pressed out of foie gras. This was definitely one of the most interesting preparations of foie I’ve ha. It came with 2 wines, and the late harvest complemented the foie perfectly
2. Broth: a fragrant broth in a dish lined with monk fish carpaccio and perfectly cooked sweet langoustine tail in the middle. The remaining fried carcass of the langoustine added crunch and savoriness to the broth. This came with a dry citrusy white
3. Beef tartare: a super thin layer with a puffed potato chip, flowers, and herbs. The mustard seeds added a good kick, and there were small bits of capers and egg yolks on the side. It came with 3 types of herbed crisps, but the extra potato puffs were best for this dish. Probably my FAVORITE beef tartare ever. With it was a sherry that was 19% ABV
4. Hake: with oyster, cococha (I didn’t love the texture of the chin.): with oyster broth and oyster leaf. I didn’t know white riojas existed, but the one we had paired well with this
5. Grouper with a «cous cous» of grouper egg, cockles, and a sauce that was likr a chowder, With this, we moved onto the reds with something like a Pinot
6. Suckling pig: with a «bone» of sugar. Fatty and flavorful with a rich crisped skin on top
7. Oxtail: the other protein option — wonderful flavor
8. Xaxu and ice cream: like the white sugar cake in dim sum
9. Broken yogurt: cute, like a broken milk jug with berries
10. Piña colada: a Basque egg and almond, foaming coconut ice cream and cocoa powder duster coconut shreds coconut milk. I love pineapple but not so much on the coconut
Menu Bekarki…
1. Prawns: they first bring out a hot cast iron pot where these are cooked. The 3 head on prawns were sweet, served with french green beans and a powder of the shells and heads of the prawns, which served as a salt. The Albariño paired well with these
2. Spring fava beans with little peas and white shaved asparagus over curdled milk: I didn’t love the milk, but the little peas were super sweet and burst in my mouth. I didn’t care too much for the yellow aged wine that came with this (arbois)
3. Seared foie gras with «salt» (actually like sugary flakes) and «peppercorns» on top. With the sweet cider, something about this dish tasted like pancakes and syrup
4. Scorpion fish: with umami sauce, seaweed and ceviche. The saucer had a ton of flavor, and it was served with a white Grenache
5. Desalted cod bosh: crispy pasta shavings and salt on fish, and the gelatinous tomato sauce tasted like ketchup
6. Secreto de iberic and garlic: thin slices of pork and fermented black garlic and flour fake garlic. This was so flavorful
7. Orange «tocino del cielo»: Chocolate and fruit leaves
8. Mango: a thin layer of mango gelatin
We finished with mignardaises. With all the food and wine, plus jet lag, we were all pretty full and sleepy by the end of the meal. I’m so glad the full dinner experience is offered during lunch so that we had some time to walk it off after the meal.
This meal was definitely one of the most innovative and interesting ones I’ve had without being too «out there.» Each dish was perfectly executed, creative, used cool techniques, and did a great job at highlighting the main ingredient.
It’s definitely worth it as a destination.

Went here last summer with a group of 10 friends during our trip to San Sebastian. We wanted to try the best the city had to offer (granted we were more than impressed with all of the amazing Pinxtos bars as is).
Definitely need a cab/​car to get there as the location is on top of a beautiful hill/​mountain away from downtown San Sebastian. The setting is formal and you have a majestic view of the Bay of Biscay. We went for lunch, which I recommend, since it’s not as crowded, and you have hours at your disposal to savor, eat, and digest your meal.
For a large group, they recommended that we chose up to 2 of the 3 set menus. We took full advantage of this and about half of the group chose Set A and the other chose set B. We also opted for the wine pairing (which is a must!)
I will not belabor the details of the food, as other Unilocalers have done a fantastic job of each dish. Instead, here is an overall summary:
Food: Amazing, brilliant presentation and execution. Creative in both presentation and taste. Deserves it’s 3* for this for sure
Wine: Good pairings and my favorite was the WHITE Rioja. My bigges pet peeve though – and perhaps why I only gave it 4* vs 3* – was the sommelier. In the beginning, he was very attentive on presenting the wine, it’s history, and bouquet. However, 3 – 4 glasses in, he started slacking off and would quickly describe it and say something in half Spanish half English. Most of my friends didn’t notice as they were too busy enjoying the meal – but some of us did – and guess who did as well– Chef Pedro Subijana himself!!! The Chef visited our table and after introducing himself to us realized that the Sommelier had not yet given us the description of the pairing, despite the fact that we were halfway through the course – he promptly reprimanded the sommelier who then in turn recited a novella about the wine — all i could do was snicker
Service: Great, attentive – but not perfect. They mixed up some of our dishes at least 3 times — I mean I wouldn’t care normally – but when I’m dropping $ 400 for a meal I want it served right!
Overall it was a great experience and I would probably dine there again if presented with the opportunity. However, I must say that although the food was fantastic… I’ve actually had better meals at restaurants with only 1 Michelin Star… just something to ponder

Eine unserer gelegentlichen Gourmetreisen führte uns diesmal nach San Sebastián. Erklärtes Ziel war das Restaurant Akelare. Alternativ stand noch das Arzak zur Debatte, hier konnte man uns aber keinen Tisch im Nichtraucherbereich garantieren, sodass die Entscheidung leichtfiel.
Die Anreise per Auto ist etwas aufwendig, da das Restaurant auf einem Hügel liegt und man sich etliche Serpentinen hochquälen muss und das Navi im Mietwagen manchmal sehr kreativ wird. Dafür wird man oben angekommen mit einer grandiosen Aussicht belohnt, die man auch im Restaurant genießen kann: Eine Riesenpanoramascheibe gibt den Blick aufs Meer und den Sonnenuntergang frei.
Die Atmosphäre ist abends für ein 3-​Sterne-​Restaurant überraschend leger, kaum einer der Herren trägt Anzug, am Nebentisch sitzt man in Jeans und kurzärmeligem () Karohemd. Das Servicepersonal hat eigenartige Schürzen an, deren Träger immer wieder verrutschen und zu ulkigen Verrenkungen Anlass geben. Dafür überträgt sich die lockere Atmosphäre rasch auf den Gast und bleibt auch bestehen, als der Küchenmeister Pedro Subijana seine Ehrenrunde dreht und fröhlich mit den Gästen plaudert. Kein Tisch wird ausgelassen oder nur kurz angebunden begrüßt, wie in so manch anderem Restaurant erlebt. Da wir ein Kind am Tisch hatten (naja, das gourmeterfahrene Kind hat mit seinen 11 Jahren auch das komplette Degustationsmenü verputzt), wurde sogar für ein Foto posiert, Hand geschüttelt und ein Autogramm gegeben.
Leider habe ich die Menükarte nicht mitgenommen, sodass ich die Speisenfolge nicht mehr aufzählen kann. Auf jeden Fall gab es relativ viel Molekularküche (das hatten wir auch so erwartet), allerdings — anders als z.B. im Amador — in wirklich gut essbarer Version. Es herrschte ein gutes Gleichgewicht zwischen Molekularküche und weitgehend naturbelassenen Zutaten (was ich insbesondere beim Fleisch wichtig finde). Besonders in Erinnerung bleibt mir sicherlich die Kartoffelpürrerolle um das Rinderfilet, die metallisch-​kupferfarben-​kross daherkam aber geschmacklich eindeutig ihre Herkunft erkennen ließ.
Dass einer in unserer Runde auf Gluten verzichten muss, was wir einige Wochen im Voraus per Anruf angekündigt hatten, wurde zu unserer vollsten Zufriedenheit und ohne Qualitäts– oder Kreativitätseinbuße bei seinem Menü berücksichtigt.

Akelarre est un restaurant 3 étoiles michelin situé au Pays Basque Espagnol à San Sebastian, capitale de la gastronomie Espagnole.
Le lieu: salle lumineuse avec vue directe sur la mer dans un Hôtel Relais & Châteaux situé à quelques kms de San Sebastian.
Le très sympathique chef Pedro Subijana vous propose 2 menus dégustation composés de 7 plats chacun. Sa cuisine inventive est élaborée à partir de produits de la région: poissons, crustacés, foie gras, cochon de lait, fromages… Consultation des menus, tarifs et réservation possible sur leur site internet.
Les menus Dégustation sont à 135 EUR, plus abordables qu’en France et le service bien plus décontracté.
Une expérience culinaire inoubliable à faire pour une grande occasion.

No me lo habían puesto demasiado bien, y fue una sorpresa muy agradable, el entorno espectacular, y más si reserváis con tiempo como hice yo (un par de meses), nos dieron la que creo la mejor mesa. Si averiguáis la hora a la que anochece, y llegáis un poquito antes podéis degustar la cena viendo una puesta de sol en el mar, ya que la mesa está pegada a una cristalera desde la que se ve el mar.
No dejéis de pedir (si siguen en carta) Langostinos con caparazón nuevo y relleno de mejillón o algo así (sin duda el plato más sorprendente de los que recuerdo) a saber: Cogen un par de langostinos, los pelan, vacían las cabezas, rellenan las cabezas con la crema de mejillón, con el interior de la cabeza y supongo que con la cáscara triturada, hacen una pasta con la vuelven a enrollar y los cocinan (al horno creo) de forma que esta vez te los comes con cascara crujiente.
Impresionantes:
El servicio, igual de atento, pero mucho más cercano y nada cargante, la cocina es ‘vista’, y puedes ver trabajar a Subijana y todo su equipo, que al final se pasa por las mesas a saludar.
Una gozada.
Precio: 140 – 150 € (en iguales condiciones que Martín Berasategui). Quizás ahora que tiene la tercera estrella, sea un poco más.

Se me hace la boca agua sólo de recordar la cena de hace 2 meses en el Akelarre. No había disfrutado de la comida tanto en mi vida. 3 horas cenando para gente no muy comilona como yo puede ser un suplicio, pero desde los entrantes hasta el postre fue todo exquisito (ahora entiendo el verdadero significado de este adjetivo). Era nuestro aniversario, así que no nos preocupamos por el precio y pedimos un menú degustación para cada uno (100 euros +IVA+Vino). Creo que sólo puedes comprender la cocina de Subijana si pides un menú degustación, mejor que platos sueltos. Preferimos pedir los dos el mismo menú (‘Bekarki’ se llamaba) para comentar la jugada en cada plato y no tener que andar cruzando tenedores en la mesa. Te van sacando 7 u 8 platos no muy grandes, pero acabas lleno de narices. A todo esto habría que añadir que te ponen para picar unos entrantes además de los incluidos en el menú. Recomiendo si pides platos sueltos:
El Foie con cebolla, manzana y maiz. Chipiron confitado con crema de arroz y albahaca. Vaya 2 platos señores. No me quité el sombrero porque no llevaba.
El trato fue excepcional y eso a pesar de que la primera mirada de la chica que nos atendió en la entrada fue a mis zapatillas, aunque se portaron excepcionalmente.
La reserva la hice como de costumbre por Internet, rellenando el formulario de su web (
). Solicité una mesa junto a la
tardaron en ponerse en contacto conmigo. Simplemente me pidieron que reconfirmara 24 horas antes. Por lo demás, sin problemas.
Consejos:
1) Id en taxi: La única pega que tiene este sitio es la lejanía de Donosti. Está a 5 Km y hay que subir al Monte Igeldo. Los taxis están acostumbrados a llevar y coger gente de Akelarre, así que olvidaros del coche y disfrutad de un buen rioja en el restaurante.
2) Pedid mesa de ventana. La distancia es una desventaja.
pero te permite ver el Cantábrico desde Igeldo y eso es un lujo.
3) No tenéis porqué llevar corbata y americana.