Dave B.
Yelp
In the top 5 restaurant meals in my life. Great food and service. A 2-3/4 hour lunch. (One good reason to eat lunch is that you get great service while you are still awake.)
We walked in the front door on a "let's check this place out" and into the bar area. The door to the dining room was opened and we were effusively welcomed by 3 people. This in spite of my ratty appearance after walking for 3+ miles and sweating. I do look like an American tourista.
We looked at the menu and said: "Yes!"
This was impeccable food and service.
Wine: Agusto Toreilo Mata bubbly (€30). Green apple, fresh.
Amuse bouche: Three items: croquette with cheese and shrimp, shrimp, a sweet wafer of fruit
Starter: Grilled red peppers with paper thin slices of bacon. You could see thru the bacon. The peppers had a bit of smoke. The flavors blended together perfectly.
Salad: Tracie was craving a "green" salad so the chef created one for her. Lettuce, tomato, hard-cooked egg, olives, shaved fennel (€16). She devoured it.
Special Starter del dia: Scrambled eggs with truffles. A hollowed out baguette was toasted and then filled with creamy scrambled eggs. I loved it as the truffles were mild.
Main ( for the wife): Whole lobster, grilled. A 1kg lobster.
Main (for the husband): Chipirones encebollas. You know how I am when baby squid are on the menu. Just the right size portion and so delicious.
Postre: Chocolate cake with mint sorbet and raspberries.
Wines: Bubbly and Niepoort white port.
"Post" Postre: What? Yes, they served a dessert after the dessert. The ending amuse bouche. Three tiny dessert items of chocolate.
Digestifs: Then, out came the liquors: Patxaran (a local specialty made from fruit) and its green, herbal cousin.
And, then. Yes, there is more. They gave us a 1L bottle of the house patxaran in a fancy gift bag.
+ "The boss", Iñaki Idoate, kept showing me how to get the perfect bite for each food item. It was charming.
+ Single-use toothbrushes in the komuna. I used one.
+ Cloth table coverings and cloth napkins.
+ Hefty Dalia flatware which was changed out for every course.
+ Villeroy & Boch plates.
+ AMEX
- Oops. There are none.
€183 for lunch for 2 and more than worth it.
