Asador Etxebarri Axpe

A few more impressions from my lunch-to-dinner meal in Asador Etxebarri this Saturday. As you can guess: wonderful ingredients and impeccable cooking as always! I still dream about that lobster and the gigiantic percebes…

My earlier visits: 👉 #jokuti_etxebarri

#asadoretxebarri #erxebarri #percebes #gooseneckbarnacles #caviar #txuleta #txuleton #worlds50best #cod #basquefood #basquefoodguide #asador #charcoalgrill #victorarguinzoniz #onmyplate #palomosprawns #seaurchin #anchovies #anchoas Less

Desserts at Asador Etxebarri. You might recognize some repeated ones, yes, I just can’t stop eating the smoked milk icecream with beetroot juice, it is probably the best dessert on this planet. Or the solar system.

👉 #jokuti_etxebarri

#asadoretxebarri #etxebarri #basquefood #smokedmilkicecream #beetroot #souffle #flan #tartadequeso #cheesecake #basquecheesecake #worlds50best #bitorarguinzoniz #victorarguinzoniz #dessert #[instagram]🍦 #icecream Less

One of the most humble persons in our culinary circus and at the same time one of our best!
A glorious house with an incredible history!
Always a big pleasure to meet the master of the „heat“ Bittor Arguinzoniz & the Sommelier of the „heart“ @mohamed_sommelier.
Heaven on Earth. Big Love!
❤️❤️❤️
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Etxebarri - 1 ⭐️
Atxondo, Spain
#miguelontour #mcculinarylife #youdinner #youdie #michelinrestaurant #maitre #mystorywithmichelin #food #foodie #potd #worlds50best #picoftheday #foodporn #instafood #instalike #photooftheday #foodgasm #instadaily #foodblogger #emotion #beautifulcuisines #traveller #chefsofinstagram #chefslife #etxebarri Less

You notice that a lot of asadors (and steakhouses around the world) often serve incredibly delicious desserts? In Spain your (best) choices are mostly around tarte de queso, torrija, leche frita, crema catalan or flan, and tocino de cielo.

But Etxeberri made their own versions of different desserts that are so good I did not crave for the original at all. The now iconic smoked ice cream (pic 2) made by smoking the milk with charcoal then wood create the most sensual flavor and aroma that is unparalleled with other restaurants attempting to do the same. The smoky aroma and the smoothness, plus the cold beet juice that comes along with the ice cream - the level of balance is so perfect I still have goosebumps every time I eat it.

The original hot chocolate soufflé (pic 3) tasted as impactful as its entry, you know it is going to be good when it comes out with that melting lava texture. Hot and runny, you taste the egg, cream, chocolate, sugar all so sinful but you just can’t stop reaching for another bite.

Then came the cold cheese flan (pic 4-5) with a creaminess completely different from the soufflé. Almost like a cheesecake that is so smooth and velvety. 😌

Here were the last 3 courses of the 22 course meal which lasted 5 1/2 hours. The most unforgettable time 😇

One thing I think everyone who had been to Etxebarri will agree, that is the superb wine pairing done by @mohamed_sommelier , one of my favorite (if not the most favorite) sommeliers in the world. i think @marc_gsa puts it very well, Mohammad has the ability to match wine with the people, not just the dishes, and with the food that great the awesome wine brought it to yet another level. You can see the wine we had in this meal in video 6 and pic 7-8.

#littlemeg_best2023
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#littlemeg_spain #littlemeg_bilbao #girona #littlemeg_europe2023jun #bilbao #littlemeg_sansebastian #sansebastian #littlemeg_asadoretxebarri #asadoretxebarri #littlemeg_steak #etxebarri #food #fire #smoke #icecream #sweet #souffle #wine Less

Eating at Etxebarri is like watching a great thriller, there is not a dull moment even between transitions of climax.

After the lobster (course 15) which literally put me out of control, I was able to reorient myself with a delightful vegetable dish - guisante lágrima aka teardrop peas with pickled onions and chanterelles, with a little kick from cayenne pepper (pic 2).

We had two fish courses, a thick cut, succulent bacalao (cod) with sherry wine sauce (pic 3), and the grilled whole Red Sea bream (pic 4). It seemed that everyone knows about how much I like fish head, even my friends from next table saved the fish head for me so I had two 😂😂😂 (pic 5). But the flesh from the body was also fantastic, it needed nothing - no need for extra salt or sauce. Just unadorned and it was already amazing.

Finally came our chuleta, not 1 but 2 for our table (pic 6-7)! In this trip I had 14 chuleta at different restaurants and they vary in source and type of cattle, aging time, the cut, the way of cutting, etc. It is hard to say which is the best as it ultimately comes down to personal preference. In a broad sense, as opposed to the more traditional asadors which serve very macho thick cut with leaner meat that gives you a good meat chew, the one at Etxebarri was more well marbled beef chops (ours that day were female Galician, 8-9 years old). The thinner chops and slanted cut give the beef a softer texture so you don’t have to wrestle with the beef in your mouth😝.

Anyway, this beef was so phenomenal without thinking any technicality, the intense beef flavor (without being to mineral or grassy), the texture that was tender without losing all the chew, was soooo perfect for me. Scroll from pic 8-10 and you could see the different areas of the steak and the texture. It was one of my top 3 favorite chuleta in this trip!

#littlemeg_best2023
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#littlemeg_spain #littlemeg_bilbao #girona #littlemeg_europe2023jun #bilbao #littlemeg_sansebastian #sansebastian #littlemeg_asadoretxebarri #asadoretxebarri #littlemeg_steak #etxebarri #food #fire #smoke #chuleta #mushroom #sweet #peas #bacalao Less

It is hard to summarize the meal with a few highlights when everything was so good, but there was one dish that really stood out at Etxebarri that day - this lobster that beats all lobster!

We got one lobster with lobster eggs and one without (pic 2), and both were ridiculously delicious! I don’t know how Bittor did it but the entire heads had this uniform custardy texture (pic 3-6), spoon after spoon it had a creamy texture without any hard bits. It was covered with a sauce of the emulsified tomalley, so everything came from the lobster itself. I really couldn’t stop myself from have another bite, and another bite. I was mind blown! How did he make it like this????

I took one meat from the each of the lobster (pic 7, left and right) and they were both done to perfection as well (pic 8) - succulent, juicy, you taste an intense lobster flavor with an additonal crustacean tomalley umami from the sauce. How can it be so good when it was just the lobster itself?

We would not give up and spoon to the last drop of the head (pic 9-10). And when we finished, I told myself, my benchmark for lobster has reached new height. It was not just the best lobster I ever had, I think it is one of the best dish I have ever had in my life (so far).

I want to take my hat off and salute Bittor for that 🫡

#littlemeg_best2023
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#littlemeg_spain #littlemeg_bilbao #girona #littlemeg_europe2023jun #bilbao #littlemeg_sansebastian #sansebastian #littlemeg_asadoretxebarri #asadoretxebarri #littlemeg_steak #etxebarri #food #fire #smoke #lobster #thebest #benchmark #bogavante #mindblown Less

This meal at Etxebarri in June kept getting better with various seafood coming one after another. Plates of humongous sized percebes landed at our table (pic 2) with the smell of the sea from the steam immediately caught my sense. The execution was the most perfect compared to the percebes I had here before (pic 3), and the flesh was had so much oceanic salinity and mineral flavor from the innards, every bite was like a wave of sea umami hit straight to my brain. I drank all the orange percebe juice left on the plate while I extracted the meat (pic 4), it was like drinking the sea.

The duo of Gambas de Palamós (pic 5) need no introduction. Mine had these purple roes inside 😍 (pic 6). When you peel shell and suck the heads, you have the gentle smokiness from grilling the shrimp that adheres to not just the shrimp flesh but to your fingers - always lick your fingers instead of cleaning fingers with a towel 😝 (and I put the shells back to shrimp form, I guarantee you there is nothing left inside 😂)

The razor clams were the best I ever had, so tender with a semi cooked center (pic 7). The sauce made from the broth of razor clams and olive oil gave me perfect excuse to practise scarpetta l (in video). 3 in total I had! 😝.

Here came a special after the shellfish : cod tripe (pic 8)! It is like the Spanish cousin of Chinese fish maw, full of gelatinous texture and ridiculously delicious with the red Salsa Vizcaina. I cleaned the bowl with more bread 🥰

I was already half way into food heaven, but there was more. Espardenas, the inner muscle (not innards) of sea cucumber, also another of my favorite Spanish ingredients (pic 9). They were grilled to yield a light char outside, and inside was juicy with a soft chew. I can’t imagine a better texture for it and so delicious! The fresh (!) ganbazo beans were probably grilled on the sieve like teardrop peas, which gave them the smoky aroma with a bouncy texture that was new to me.

The baby cuttlefish (pic 10) looked so innocent but they were so lethally good with caramelised onion confit stuffed inside the delicate tender body. Out of the world deliciousness. A dish I couldn’t forget at all. Less

Another outstanding meal at Asador Etxebarri leaves me in awe once again. Chef Victor Arguinzoniz's mastery of fire is evident in every dish, as he skillfully grills a wide variety of ingredients, extracting incredible flavors from seemingly simple elements. The restaurant's custom-designed grills, with their adjustable heights and precise control, allow for the perfect cooking of each ingredient.

The menu at Etxebarri is a testament to the restaurant's commitment to showcasing the natural flavors of local produce. Arguinzoniz delicately coaxes out the potential of each ingredient, and it shines through in every bite. Starting with the house-made chorizo, crafted from their own pigs using his grandmother's recipe, it sets the tone for a remarkable dining experience. The Anchovis toast, another staple, delivers a delightful burst of flavors.

One of my favorites, the buffalo mozzarella made from milk sourced from their own buffalos, is an exceptional creation. The freshness and quality of the ingredients truly shine in this dish, with its excellent consistency and taste.

A true innovation that I have cherished for many years is the smoked caviar. The delicate touch of smoke elevates this already great product to new heights, resulting in pure pleasure on the palate.

Continuing with the prawns of Palomar, it becomes clear that they simply cannot be prepared any better. The tender squid and flavorful lobster further enhance this meal, leaving a lasting impression of excellence.

Chef Victor Arguinzoniz's influence extends far beyond the confines of the village of Axpe. He is esteemed by chefs worldwide and serves as a mentor to many local cooks, a true culinary luminary. His remarkable talent and contributions to the culinary world were recognized with the prestigious Estrella Damm Chefs' Choice Award in 2021.

Visiting Asador Etxebarri is not merely dining; it is embarking on a culinary journey guided by the vision and expertise of Victor Arguinzoniz. With the intoxicating aromas of smoke and sizzling meats, and each perfectly charred bite that tantalizes the taste buds, you become a part of the rich legacy that has captivated guests for over three decades.

In conclusion, another outstanding meal at Asador Etxebarri reaffirms its status as a culinary haven for grilling enthusiasts. Chef Victor Arguinzoniz's innovative approach and dedication to showcasing the natural flavors of ingredients truly shine through in each carefully crafted dish. It is an experience that transcends mere dining, offering a journey into the artistry of grilling and leaving a lasting impression of excellence. Less

Asador Etxebarri!
It’s a tough choice what to include in the TOP10 dishes this time… Cod swim bladder, palomos prawns, txuleta, sea cucumber, the last teardrop peas of the season, baby beans, smoked milk ice cream, percebes, res sea bream, baby squid…

Check out my other visits:
👉 #jokuti_etxebarri

#asadoretxebarri #etxebarri #bittorarginzoniz #victorarguinzoniz #worlds50best #grill #asador #steakhouse #basquefood #basquecuisine #charcoalgrill Less

Heaven on earth!
❤️❤️❤️
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Etxebarri - ⭐️
Axpe, Spain
#miguelontour #mcculinarylife #youdinner #youdie #michelinrestaurant #maitre #mystorywithmichelin #food #foodie #potd #worlds50best #picoftheday #foodporn #instafood #instalike #photooftheday #foodgasm #instadaily #foodblogger #emotion #beautifulcuisines #traveller #chefsofinstagram #chefslife #etxebarri Less

Etxebarri
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Consistently one of my favourite places in the world alongside Geranium. From the first time I went almost 15 years ago, until now, the philosophy and atmosphere of the place has been pretty much unchanged and consistently brilliant. The angulas when in season are just stunning, but basically every dish here is cooked to perfection with that perfect dash of smokiness. Max boom
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#料理 #レストラン #東京 #食事 #food #foodie #foodstagram #stuffieat #kevcheeats #kevchespain #kevche #グルメ #foodporn #東京グルメ #etxebarri #axpe #スペイン料理 #maxboom Less

One of my favorite places on earth, the meal this time even surpassed the past few visits. Finally fixed my angulas craving. •
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#foodgasm #yum #eat #foodpic #foodpics #foodphotography #foodlover #tasty #hungry #foodblogger #dessert #foods #cooking #foodies #eating #chef #foodblog #nomnom #delicious #asadoretxebarri #etxebarri #spain #spanishfood #basquecountry #seafood #michelinstar #worlds50best #finedining Less