A true lover of ingredients in their purest expression, Vedat Milor has been visiting Etxebarri for 22 years. I was deeply moved by the complexity of his relationship with the chef Bittor Arginzoniz, which this article seeks to highlight.
How It All Began
My first visit to Donostia was in late December 1997. But then my wife and I only visited two and three Michelin star restaurants. Sometimes we had lunch and dinner in two different three star restaurants. We fell in love with the Basque region of Spain and visited it almost every year since then. Our early favorite was Arzak when the legendary Basque chef Juan Mari Arzak was cooking. Now his daughter Elena is at the helm, and today’s Arzak bears no resemblance with Arzak of the past.
We did not know about my two favorite Basque restaurants then: Etxebarri and Elkano. I heard about them in the early 2000s from my friend and legendary gourmet Enzo Calderelli. Enzo had organized an exceptional three days gastronomic event near Sorrento, at Don Alfonso, and almost all of the celebrity chefs of the late 20th century cooked at the event. There I learned from Enzo two new names: Etxebarri and Mugaritz. But for some reason it was not until 2004 that we have had a chance to visit Etxebarri.
Actually, in our November trip to the Basque region we visited five restaurants. I reviewed them by also ranking from the fifth to the first. I published it in December 12, 2004 in Gastroville. Mikael Johnnsson and I had started Gastroville with the understanding that we would be independent and speak our minds freely without any fear of antagonizing chefs and trade representatives. Mikael left Gastroville to open the restaurant Hedone in London-now defunct- but Gastroville continued as Gastromondiale with new collaborators who adhere to the same principles.
Here is the link to the 2004 article that I wrote.
As you might have guessed I fell in love with Etxebarri. In the article, or especially the last part where I discuss Etxebarri, one can see both the continuities and discontinuities with the Etxebarri of today which is certainly one of the most hyped and hard to reserve restaurants in the universe.
Why Etxebarri is So Special?
Etxebarri is an asador. Asador simply means grill house. Asador restaurants grill all kinds of stuff over hot coals or on an open fire. So what made Etxebarri so special?
By reading the 2004 article, one has the answer. But let me recapitulate two points. Firstly, the sheer number and quality of ingredients Bittor barbecues are amazing. Secondy, his techniques that bring out the best in these ingredients are impressive.
Until eating there, I had never thought that one can barbecue beluga caviar or angulas. Bittor did so with impressive results. I was equally impressed by the sheer number and the quality of ingredients he uses, such as Palamos prawns, sea urchins, baby octopus, espardenyes, chipirones, kokotxas of merluza, besugo, 12 years old Galician chuleta, etc. I had thought that there are limits to creating taste sensations by simply grilling good ingredients. But Bittor was pushing the boundaries and creating taste sensations that impressed me more than Ferran Adria’s El Bulli’s whimsical cuisine, who was very popular at the time.
Meeting Bittor and seeing the techniques he employed gave some clues as to why Etxebarri was the ultimate asador. He had designed his own tools and barbecue materials, and he was selecting and combining different kinds of heavy wood (cherry, oak, acacia, etc). This was slow cooking on ashes -unlike on the coals – and the distance to the ingredient cooked and the slope of the grill was carefully designed and depended on what was being cooked. As a consequence, cooked shellfish, fish and vegetables retained their juiciness and subtleties. In a way he was not doing anything radically different than other asadors, but he was doing it more systematically by being self-reflective and disciplined.
Years passed. Bittor never let anything slip. But things changed too. In the early 2000s Etxebarri was a very informal and easy-going place with servers who were women under the watchful eye of Bittor’s wife Patricia. The wine list was limited, but they always had a few very good wines. The clientele was overwhelmingly Spanish and mostly local. They only had « a la carte » selections and portions were incredibly generous. I recall eating cabrito a few times, cordero, and even traditional style becada in a casserole. After the meal, most of the clients lingered on the patio and enjoyed their cigars.
Etxebarri on the International Scene
Then suddenly international gourmets and gastro-turists discovered Etxebarri. Cooking with fire, inarguably the oldest form of cooking in the planet, became all the rage. Etxebarri became a destination restaurant, but only accessible to those lucky folks who can secure a reservation.
A typical chef would have responded to the fame and hype by taking it a bit easy and perhaps cutting some corners. Well, this is not Bittor. Unlike most celebrity chefs who live more in the first class sections of jets and rarely in their own kitchens, Bittor remained anchored to his basement grill room. At some point he experienced back pain, but he persevered and with incredible dedication and a strong will he came back.
Major Changes
The cooking did not change and the rustic ambiance is still the same. But other things changed. Now there is only one menu degustation, and the portions are in general small, except the fish and the beef chop txuleta. There are a few additional dishes, such as lobster, caviar, angulas, etc., that you can add to the menu.
Service is now more professional, though not as formal as a typical Michelin three star restaurant. There is a very good general manager and head sommelier, called Mohamed Benabdallah, who speaks French and English and is also the sole liason with non-Spanish clients.
The wine list is full of gems, and pricing is more than fair, especially given their fame and the number of people who will give an arm and a leg but can’t get in.
Mohamed’s assistant in his multiple tasks is Paul, Bittor and Patricia’s son in his early 20s. His enthusiasm and professionalism make sure that the restaurant will be in good hands after Bittor retires. In my 2004 article, you see Paul in the kitchen together with his father and the sous chef. Clearly, Paul appreciated good food at a very young age, and now has grown taller than his father!
There is no doubt that the clientele has changed, and you can now notice clients ordering wines that cost 3-4K Euros. The paradox here is that Bittor is an egalitarian in nature and is very proud and attached to his roots. Consequently, he came up with an interesting solution to be inclusive. The ground floor of Etxebarri, which used to be a bar, is open to all the locals on Sunday at lunch time. There is no need for a reservation, and this arrangement is not publicised. The food is traditional and quite good, and more than fairly priced.
Menu: Our 19 Course Journey
Here is a summary of our last meal on March 15th 2026. You can compare with 2004 and derive your own conclusions.
Chorizo
Sliced thin, the house made chorizo is grilled just enough for the fat to start melting and the edges to take on a slight crispiness. The taste is smoky, warm and rounded. The pork is almost sweet with a gentle touche of paprika.
Salt cured anchoives
Served over warm toasted bread, the anchovies have that silky and melting texture. The salt is present, but never harsh, offering a saline clarity. The toast beneath adds crunch and warmth.
Black truffle toast with lardo
A slice of toasted bread, warm again, topped with black truffle and a layer of lardo. The pork fat is translucent because of the heat. On the palate, hints of mushroom, notes of damp earth – a savory and long finish with pork and truffle flavor.
Buffalo dish
Served slightly warm, the buffalo mozarella reveals its full character – silky, gently elastic, animal notes typical of fresh buffalo milk (made in house). The warmth softens the texture and lets the flavors expand – smoke dominates the palate.
Camarones (Quisquille)
Served with total simplicty, these tiny prawns from Galicia are all about delicacy and precision. Barely cooked, they come with a soft, almost creamy texture that releases sweetness almost like a candy from your childhood. Then comes iodine notes.
Red Palamos prawn
Sourced from the waters off Palamos, on Spain’s Costa Brava, these prawns are barely cooked and served whole. They are usually presented in a single piece, but we asked for two to prolong the pleasure. The flesh is tender, juicy followed by an intense iodine depth. The head is the most important part as it holds the essence – rich, intense and saline.
Sea urchin – 2 versions
Without sauce
Tasted on its own, the urchin feels pure and direct. The texture is natural, slightly firm yet creamy with a gentle sweetness, clear iodine, and freshness of the sea. A subtle smoky note adds depts without taking over. We all prefered this version of the sea urchin, focused entirely on the product.
With sauce
The version with the sauce feels rounder and more envelopping. The warm emulsion made from the urchin itself and butter, brings a silky texture. The flavors are softer, more blended but naturally less direct than the first version without the sauce.
Berberechos
The cockles sit in a light, almost invisible broth that captures their natural juices. The texture is delicate, slightly firm. On the palate, they are precise, saline, sweet with a mineral edge as an echo to the sea. The herb elevates the whole dish.
Hake kokotxas with Catalan caviar peas
Taken from the lower part of the merluza’s fish head, the small, gelatin rich throat – kokotxas are gently grilled to preserve their silky, almost tembling texture. It is a very delicate dish – no knife needed. Eat them whole to fully experience the gelatin. Let it sit on the palate, play with it for a moment before swallowing, almost like a fine wine.
On the side, baby peas – often called « green caviar or guisantes », from the Maresme region in Catalonia, bring a completely different energy – freshness, contrast, bursting in mouth.
Egg Yolk with Périgord black truffle
Lightly grilled, the yolk sets on the outside while remaining beautifully molten inside. The black truffle from Périgord France adds depth – earthy and woody flavors. Texture and aroma carry everthing in that dish.
Marzuelo mushroom with green peas
A seasonal mushroom (spring morel-like) and rarely seen outside Spain, Marzuelo mushroom appears at the very end of the winter. Lightly grilled, they procure deep, earthy, forest floor, dried leaves notes and add contrast with their fresh and sweet brightness.
Fresh anchovies
Served simply, barely touched, the anchovies keep their natural softness and delicate texture. The flesh is precise, saline and remains oily that coast the palate. What makes that dish special is the faint smoky note of anchoives. We find also a touch of green herb oil and a bith of freshness on the side that sharpen the flavors.
Sole fish
A whole grilled sole – the skin is lightly crisped and the flesh is almost buttery. It is a beautiful dish, cooked with precision. The sauce feels like an extension of the fish, as it is preparerd with natural elements – olive oil, its own cooking juices and possibly sharpened with a hint of Sherry vinegar. If present, it’s impossible to isolate – everything is very well integrated. One of the most memorable dishes of the meal. Personally, i prefered it to a classic sole meunière, where you can find the best in Paris at Le Duc restaurant.
Rabito de cerdo
Pork tail, slow cooked and grilled lightly to obtain a caramelization on the outside and a soft gelatinous texture inside. The flavor is deep and really satisfying. The red pepper sauce balances the dish.
Chorizo tartare
The chorizo feels familiar with its profile of flavors such as paprika and garlic emerge. But the texture changes everything in that dish. Soft, almost raw, melting, the flavor is closer to a seasoned pork than a cured sausage with that subtle notes of smoke in the background.
Txuleta
The iconic dish of Asador Etxebarri. A thick, bone-in rib steak, cut from mature cattle (often older cows from Galicia or the Basque country) chosen for their deeper, more complex flavor.
The outside is deeply charred because it is cooked over charcoal, while the inside stays rare and juicy. The meat is cooked as it should be, in the règle de l’art – there is no question « how would you like your meat cooked? ». No sauce is served alonside so that nothing interferes with the dept and character of the beef.
Desserts
Leche quemada ice cream with beetroot
This is one of their most iconic desserts. A milk based ice cream where the milk is lightly burnt. It procures a smoky, caramelized taste similar to an ice-cream we like to eat in Turkey Antalya. Yanik dondurma which translates as burnt ice-cream is made from goat milk mixed with salep, whereas here it is cow milk. The beetrot adds sweetness, keeping the whole dessert light and balanced.
Chocolat soufflé
A signature interpretation of soufflé, as it is cooked a la brasa which gives it is a smoky edge. You understood throught your lecture, here a la brasa is religion. The texture is lightly firm outside, molten at the center. The chocolate is not overly sweet – it is warm and melts on the palate.
Our 4 Wines
Chanterêves – Bourgogne Aligoté Mainbey 2020
The Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, a lesser known part of Burgundy, hides some remarkable wines at still accessible prices. We chose the Mainbey cuvée from Domaine Chanterêves, millésime 2020 – the wines were planted around 1980. Vedat had already reviewed this wine on Gastromondiale and appreciates the domaine’s wines. The winemarker used to work at Simon Bize and Etienne Sauzet, whose work reflects a philosophy based on minimal intervention and biodynamie.
The wine opened with aromas of apple, fresh peach and burnt match. It is already showing beautiful evolution and with time, should continue to gain complexity.
Louis Billard – Saint Aubin 1er Cru Les Castets 2023
Louis Billard is a young winemarker from a winemaker family over 5 generations, so he is far from being a newcomer. I honestly do not know why he wanted to start his own domaine, but i know that he has spent time working in Australia at Farr Estate, another domaine I enjoy a lot.
I recently discovered his wines at my friend Henri’s place Le Vieux Crapaud, a bistrot based in Paris 16th. Henri, who has an excellent palate, told me: You really need to tast this procuder. At the time, I tried his Puligny-Montrachet, which I found great.
Here, the Saint-Aubin offers notes of melon and apple with a moderate level of acidity. The minerality is more discreet and in the background. Still, it is a very promising wine that i would like to try again with a few more years of bottle age.
Guilbert Gillet – Corton Grand Cru Le Rognet 2023
Despite being a relatively young domaine, Guilbert Gillet has already built a strong reputation among Burgundy enthusiasts. We tasted this domaine for the first time at Le MaZenay in Paris – his Savigny-Les-Baune 1er cru Les Peuillets 2021. Here, this Corton Grand Cru Le Rognet follows a similar profile but with more complexity, depth and long finish on the palate.
The wine already shows many of the characteristics of a great Grand cru, though still in its youth, which is perfectly understandable given the recent history of the domaine. Earthy notes, ripe black plums and a silky texture define the wine today.
The domaine is distributed by Les Caves Legrand in Paris.
Niepoort – Coche 2023
Wine lovers know the admiration Dirk Niepoort has for Coche-Dury, the iconic Burgundy domaine especially associated with Meursault. This cuvée is made from 80 year old vines of Rabigato, Codega do Larinho and Arinto.
The wine showed a significant amount of élevage at this stage, with the oak dominating the fruit. Behind it, however, there was tension and depth, which shows a strong ageing potential.
Looking back, perhaps we simply opened the bottle too young. I would like to taste an older vintage before forming a definitive opinion.
