Brski B.
Yelp
Zelai Txiki was the 'fanciest' of the restaurants we visited, but also the most disappointing. The amuse bouche was a dull mushroom velouté that required salt, though the crispy (deep fried, wrapped in something like wonton skin) boletus/porcini was delicious. Most of the food needed a little bit of salt, which someone at my table requested. We tried a type of foie ravioli with shaved black truffle. The scent of truffle was weak and the taste quite dull. The large red prawn on a bed of creamy rice (risotto) was fine. The fish soup, like most of the food here, was pretty to look at, but it had a thudding 'fish' punch rather than tasting 'of the sea.' (I understand this sounds like an unsophisticated opinion, but the flavor just didn't appeal to a party that enjoys bouillabaisse very much.) Well-prepared lamb chops tasted well prepared. The suckling pig was chopped and stuffed and rolled in its own skin, presented as a thick cylinder approximately 4 inches long. The skin reminded me of crispy chicken skin, and it was the best pig skin I ever tried. The pork was excellent but other than the preparation required to present it, it was not exciting to eat. The roasted pigeon was allegedly good, but it also went unfinished. The 'artisan bread' baked onsite was shockingly mediocre. The French fries were floppy and lukewarm. The desserts - a strawberry shortcake and a reimagined 'French toast' - were both good. Service, excellent. Ambiance, also excellent.