Akelarre, San Sebastian

Text by Kees Jan van Uchelen
Photography by Mart Engelen  

Situated on the slopes of Monte Igueldo, an emblem of the beautiful city of San Sebastian, and overlooking La Concha Bay and the Bay of Biscay, Akelarre opened in 1970 and is the pride of Pedro Subijana, one of the world’s leading and multiple award-winning Basque chefs. A destination known for one of Spain’s most famous Basque cuisines.

Akelarre’s cuisine is inspired by the New Basque Cuisine, which started in the late 1970s. A group of local chefs, influenced by Paul Bocuse and the French Nouvelle Cuisine, decided to give a new look to traditional Basque cooking. In the words of chef Subijana, “New Basque Cuisine aimed to focus on seasonal products but adding a large dose of imagination and pushing back the frontiers”. It combines traditional Basque ingredients to create spectacular new dishes. This movement, under the leadership of Juan Mari Arzak and others, planted the seed of what was to become the avant-garde of Spanish gastronomy. As a disciple of this gastronomic trend, Pedro Subijana kept innovating his cuisine and learning new things became a passion. The nine-course lunch menu which, as a result of Pedro’s continued devotion to his profession, changes every two months, comprises a sublime balance of sea and land with the refinement of some stunningly designed signature dishes and charming service.

There were two fixed menus to choose from. Mart took the Bekarki and Cy and I took the Aranori. It would be impossible to go into detail about every single dish but what followed was unrivalled and simply fabulous. The rice with red prawn coral and its carpaccio was superb. Preparing prawns is best left to real specialists: too easy to screw up and so hard to cook to perfection. The sautéed fresh foie gras with salt flakes and pepper grains showed modesty and was marvellous in its simplicity! Hake in seaweed steam with plankton and oyster leaves. The fish could only have been fresher when swimming in the bay. In one word—fantastic.

From the land we had carved beef, tendon and lacquered skin with peppers. Perhaps the best red meat I have ever eaten. It was my personal favourite and should be on every new menu in some guise or another. Lunch took us over nine hours and, of course, had a material liquid element as well. The alluring wine list offered an extraordinary selection and we chose Domaine Leflaive (Clavoillon) 2016 to go with the oysters and the red prawns. To accompany both meat dishes we selected a Château Lynch-Bages (Pauillac) 2011 (for the French fetishist Mart) and a Vega Sicilia Unico 2006. The lunch and surroundings were stunning. Fabulous dishes and service all round and supposedly set in one of the most beautiful views known to the dining world but sadly shielded during our visit by never-ending rainfall. To top it all off, we ended up in a gin and tonic tasting with the restaurant staff. A day never to forget! Thanks to my two companions. After all, a good meal tastes better with friends.