Etxebarri Was the First Meal in Ages That Made Me Cry | Bon Appétit
"Set in a rustic stone building in the foothills of Axpe, this once-humble asador retains a modest spirit despite international acclaim: the self-taught chef Victor (Bittor) Arguinzoniz leads a small team and cooks almost exclusively over live oak and grapevine embers on a bank of custom grills. The 15-course tasting (about €176) celebrates purity and simplicity—standouts include Palamós prawns grilled briefly and eaten head-first, garden peas picked from the chef’s garden and grilled in the pod for 30 seconds then served in smoky butter, a caramelized steak basted with smoked butter, and a thumb-sized grilled squid uplifted by pimentón oil—while delicate touches like a quenelle of smoked-milk ice cream in summer-sweet beet juice highlight subtlety. The dining room has been refined with thick linens, handmade ceramics and ikebana arrangements, yet the meal remains intimate and emotionally powerful (diners have been moved to tears by the intensity of flavor); the menu is restrained—only two Basque sauces—and a few dishes (a house-chorizo tartare and a pumpkin dessert) didn’t land for this reviewer." - ByChristine Muhlke
