Etxebarri Axpe

Back to one of my favorite places on earth, felt a little different with the new layout and white table cloth but the food and service are the same. 7 hours of indulgence, can’t wait until the next time!•
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#foodgasm #yum #eat #foodpic #foodpics #foodphotography #foodlover #tasty #hungry #foodblogger #dessert #foods #cooking #foodies #eating #chef #foodblog #nomnom #delicious #food #foodie #instafood #asadoretxebarri #basquecountry #spain #spanishfood #michelinstar #worlds50best #sansebastian #travelforfood 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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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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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

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

Autumn season at one of my favorite restaurants on earth, cockles and lamb were 🔥
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#wine #vino #winelover #winetasting #winetime #instawine #winelovers #vin #wineporn #wineoclock #winestagram #wines #vineyard #wino #winegeek #drink #winelife #asadoretxebarri #basquecountry #spain #spanishfood #sansebastian #michelinstar Less

My kind of bday 🥂
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Some places are great. The feeling, the food, the amazing wine, the view. And then there are others that are magical. That stay with your forever. And Etxebarri is one of the few. Atxondo and its mindblowing surroundings, Bittor Arginzoniz approach to food and fire, his aura, kindness and dedication, the absolute excellence of all the products he chooses, flavour at its best, an epic wine selection, all done with honesty and passion. Bittor is one of a kind. And so is @mohamed_sommelier .
Asador Etxebarri is the perfect place to celebrate life. And people. Etxebarri is home. And home is where your heart is. ❤️
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#mustgo #asadoretxebarri #etxebarri #atxondo #basquecountry #euskadi #producto #product #finedining #seasonality #burgundylover #hudelotnoellat #champagnelover #ruppertleroy #gastronomy #wine #winediaries #wineoclock #winelover #instawine #lisbonfoodies #bittorarginzoniz #worlds50best #michelinguide #food #foodie #foodlovers #gastroart #chefstalk Less

Some places are great. The feeling, the food, the amazing wine, the view. And then there are others that are magical. That stay with your forever. And Etxebarri is one of the few. Atxondo and its mindblowing surroundings, Bittor Arginzoniz approach to food and fire, his aura, kindness and dedication, the absolute excellence of all the products he chooses, flavour at its best, an epic wine selection, all done with honesty and passion. Bittor is one of a kind. And so is @mohamed_sommelier .
Asador Etxebarri is the perfect place to celebrate life. And people. Etxebarri is home. And home is where your heart is. ❤️
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#mustgo #asadoretxebarri #etxebarri #atxondo #basquecountry #euskadi #producto #product #finedining #seasonality #[instagram] #bittorarginzoniz #50bestrestaurants #worlds50best #michelinguide #igersportugal #foodstagram #gastronomy #eeeeeats #food #foodie #foodlovers #gastroart #f52grams #chefstalk Less

Another boozy lunch at Etxebarri, the 1961 vs 2016 Simon Bize Vergelesses was an interesting comparison, the continuation of the style was evident. Also impressed by the 18 Richard Leroy, very expressive and complex for such a young vintage. 18 Mugneret-Gibourg La Colombiere was also open and ready, creamy floral nose was quite close in style to Roumier but a lot easier to approach at this point.
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#wine #vino #winelover #winetasting #winetime #instawine #winelovers #vin #wineporn #wineoclock #winestagram #wines #vineyard #wino #winegeek #drink #winelife #comandog #richardleroy #simonbize #mugneretgibourg #roumier #christopheroumier #chateaulagaffelierenaudes #burgundy #Bordeaux #vosneromanee #loirevalley #spain #asadoretxebarri Less

Asador Etxebarri 3rd visit (Part 2) — one of the few restaurants on earth that’s worth taking a plane ride to visit. The best expression of top quality Basque ingredients. •
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#foodgasm #yum #eat #foodpic #foodpics #foodphotography #foodlover #tasty #hungry #foodblogger #dessert #foods #cooking #foodies #eating #chef #foodblog #nomnom #delicious #asadoretxebarri #basquecountry #sansebastian #spain #spanishfood #seafood #finedining #スペイン #バスク #スペイン料理 Less

Asador Etxebarri 3rd visit (Part 1) — one of the few restaurants on earth that’s worth taking a plane ride to visit. The best expression of top quality Basque ingredients. •
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#foodgasm #yum #eat #foodpic #foodpics #foodphotography #foodlover #tasty #hungry #foodblogger #dessert #foods #cooking #foodies #eating #chef #foodblog #nomnom #delicious #asadoretxebarri #basquecountry #sansebastian #spain #spanishfood #seafood #finedining #スペイン #バスク #スペイン料理 Less

Asador Etxebarri 2nd visit (Part 2) — undoubtably the top dining experience in San Sebastián (or the world)! Simple dishes, best local ingredients, perfect execution. Highlight this time: clams, barnacles (biggest I’ve ever seen, yet extremely flavorful), squid with sautéed onions and ink sauce, and of course the smoked ice cream. Worth visiting every season. •
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#foodgasm #yum #eat #foodpic #foodpics #foodphotography #foodlover #tasty #hungry #foodblogger #dessert #foods #cooking #foodies #eating #chef #foodblog #nomnom #delicious #asadoretxebarri #sansebastian #etxebarri #spain #spanishfood #finedining #seafood Less

Um pouco como nas outras artes - sejam plásticas, performativas, cinema ou até na literatura, também pela arte da gastronomia vamos alinhando o gosto por uma determinada estética e estilo narrativo.
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Se desde cedo me apeguei ao estudo da criatividade associada à complexidade das técnicas e à vertente conceptual e performativa da alta cozinha, a curiosidade por outros estilos e processos criativos sempre esteve presente. Foi nesse mesmo registo que começou a aventura ao País Basco, tendo como principal paragem a visita ao Etxabarri (3.º melhor restaurante do
Mundos), espaço pioneiro ao que respeito diz da utilização do fogo aplicada à alta cozinha - e que complexo é fazê-la com esta única técnica! 🔥
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Foram 5h de puro deleite, com pratos incríveis como o caviar ‘no fogo’, a lula, a gamba roja ou o souffle de chocolate branco, uma das melhores coisas que coloquei à boca, em toda a vida! Valeu as mais de 7h de viagem, pois claro. Less

(SWIPE FOR MORE PICS) Etxebarri has been regarded as the best asador style restaurant in Spain for many years. And when you are at the top it is easy to have a mindset of staying at no.1 by doing what you are doing every day without making changes.
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That is not the case at Etxebarri, as Chef Bittor and his team continues to elevate their game. Compared to a few years ago, they have enhanced on so many aspects. From hardwares such as their plates and bowls to the food such as the combination of ingredients, flavors, techniques and skill level, it has become more refined (meaning he fixed any tiny rough edges that people might not even notice), more precise, more perfect. He does not follow others, he uses his own approaches, but he never compromises authenticity and flavors.
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We are talking about improving from 95 to 99 or even 100, which comes extraordinarily hard and way harder than from 70 to 85 or 90 to 95. Usually the achievement of perfection only happens when the chef is truly talented, extremely hardworking, high level of perseverance and dedication, and most importantly, full of passion of what they are doing. In Japan I think Amano san of Tenzushi and Sugita san are the shokunins that show such upward trajectory even they are already top tier sushi masters, and they still manage to push themselves to be better than before. Quoting my dear friend @mdgoulding from our conversation yesterday, “He (Bittor) is the most shokunin of all western chefs”. Mad respect and admiration 🙏🏻❤️🙇‍♀️
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Chef Bittor always stayed in kitchen and never came up to the restaurant level, but he did an exception this time to greet @steveplotnicki . I felt so blessed and privileged to have this meal at Etxebarri, one of the best in my life, I will never forget. Less

（SWIPE FOR MORE PICS) Cod Kokotxa with Cod Tripe And Pil Pil Sauce. Daxn, when I thought the hake kokotxa was good, the best was yet to come. This cod kokotxa. WOW. It was grilled with an egg batter (you can see the lines of the grill on the surface). The gelatinous collage of the jaw was hot but did not melt with the egg “protector”. The cod tripe, much like fish maw in Chinese cooking, was covered with this super delicious pil pil emulsion, so so so so good. These three things combined into insane deliciousness. So good I lost my mind literally and my friend @bethlang4 sitting opposite to me said “calm down calm down” 🤣🤣🤣.
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I couldn’t especially when some people who did not eat kokotxa sending me their plates. I had 3 😝. And I was at natural emotional peak the whole time while having these kokotxa and cod tripes.
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It was one of the best dishes in my life so far. Just Unforgettable

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#littlemeg_best2019
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#littlemeg_spain #littlemeg_bilbao #girona #bilbao
#littlemeg_sansebastian #sansebastian #littlemeg_asadoretxebarri #asadoretxebarri #littlemeg_steak #etxebarri #food #foodstagram #foodies #foodpics #lefooding @lefooding #instafood #theartofplating @theartofplating #gastronogram @gastronogram #gastroart @gastroart #instagramers #gourmet #iphonesia #picoftheday #photooftheday #bestoftheday #igdaily #goumeffe @gourmeffe #kokotxa #pilpil Less

Aswell as the amazing food at #asadoretxebarri we also had a couple of glasses of wine🙄
Lots of incredible wines from @steveplotnicki ‘s birth year 🍷 .

Michelin Guide - ⭐️
OAD list - 3
W50Best- 3
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#achefabroad #itravelforfood #foodie #foodies #foodporn #foodpic #foodpics #finedining #michelindining #eats #instafoodie #michelinstar #oad #worlds50bestrestaurants #worlds50best #eater #iphonexsmax #michelinguide #foodlepro #influencer #sansebastian #spanishfoodie #oadtop100 #etxebarri Less

Just when I thought this food trip to Spain couldn’t possibly get any better...... Asador Etxebarri. Another lunch here that I will remember for ever. So lucky with the weather again, it was just a perfect way to end this leg of the trip before heading to Madrid. Steve Plotnicki you know how to throw a party and I can’t thank you enough for inviting me to celebrate your birthday here, you are a true gent.
Etxebarri is currently number 3 on Worlds 50 Best restaurant list and also 3rd on OAD’s best European restaurant list and for good reason. Has anyone noticed how a lot of chefs and restaurants these days are cooking over open fire? Well it is arguably true that this originates with one man...Victor Arguinzoniz in this small village in the Basque country. This quiet, humble cook is actually one of the most influential chefs on the planet. I really struggle to think of a meal that I have enjoyed more than any of the three I have had at Etxebarri. This is the answer to the question ‘if I could only visit one restaurant again in my life, which would it be?’
Thanks again Steve and thanks for the wonderful company Beth Lang, Margaret Lam, Michael Price, Linda Plotnicki, Alejandro Alki, Stella Alikov, John Bruno Scherrer and everyone else who shared this fabulous meal. Less