In the hills above San Sebastián overlooking the hills and the bay you find the luxury hotel and restaurant Akelare. For the past 50 years with Pedro Subjijana in the kitchen. The first star came fast just 3 years after, the second another 4 years after the coveted 3 start would take 25 years more. Stars they have kept ever since.
I do like a good destination restaurant where you don’t just hop on your bike or take the metro. Now Akelare is about 15 minutes drive from the center so its not exactly a long drive but on the other hand quickly after you start your ascent of the hills you loose cell service and on the day of my lunch the restaurant was covered by the clouds comming in from the bay so despite the short distance the isolation was obvious.
The menu I had was called Urteurrena (Euskedia for anniversary) and was a menu celebrating the 50 years anniversary of Pedro Subjina.
To begin with flavored bread and a simple presentation of squid tomato and potato. The starch from the potato mixed with squid ink had been used to create a light airy “crisp”. A crips that took me back to the techniques of El Bulli. To drink with a delightful glass of cava. I almost never drink cava outside of Spain as the good cava can more or less only be found in Spain. A glass Grand Reserva Juve & Champs from 2017 was a good example of that.
The next 3 small snacks were playful interpretations of classics such as consommé gelee with curry and puffed rice to replace the sofrito. On the side the local idiazabal cheese with anchovies and lastly a duck foie gras. I especially enjoyed the foie gras as its a dish that you find in almost every pintxos bar and this one was done with care and great products.
Dried caviar is not something I have tried before but there is a first time for everything. Here it was grinded over fresh caviar cauliflower. A very nice dish of delicate presentation and punchy flavors.
The next dish only really revealed it self when you broke throughout crunchy layer of black rice. Underneath you found lobster, shrimp and a salpicon icecream made by shellfish. A very nice dish of contrasting textures, temperatures and flavors.
Probably my favorite dish of the meal was up. A dish of two different preparations, presentations and wines. First a fried artischoke with a rich foie gras soup and next crunchy fish skin with truffle. The latter was paired with an incredible “ice cider” called malu mama. A rich, sweet and intense cider that I honestly didn’t expect would go well but it really did. As a contrast the crunchy artischoke was paired with a nice crisp naturalwine.
My absolute favorite ingredient is teardrop peas (guisantes lagrimas). Here they had been gently sautéed and served with a blue soup based on the nasturtium flower. A nice dish but to me the mix was just a bit too sweet for the guisantes to really stand out.
For the next two dishes the flavor intensity would be turned up. First with a mochi filled with beans and bloodsausage. Next a dish that was all about the intense flavors of the sea and especialy iodine. Barnacles, fried seaweed and razor clam. For me especially the bloodsausage paired with chorizo was incredible. Such deep rich flavors intensified by the porkbelly and cabbage.
From intense and rich to simple and buttery. A perfectly fried piece of red mullet served with a classic beurre blanc and a “ceviche”. Having lived 3 years in Peru and being married to a Peruvian woman my sensitivity for what chefs calls ceviche has increased. It was not a ceviche but it was delicious and refreshing.
After a few dishes of any restaurant you start too see patterns. One of the patterns of Akelare is that most of the dishes have different elements served on their own plate. The next wasn’t any different. A veal tete, with crispy skin served on a liqurice stick and crispy fried flower. Basque Country is divided in both a Spanish and French part and being just 30km from the French border this dish took its inspiration from France. Another highlight from me from the crispy and rich elements.
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The meal would end with two sweet elements. First a another French inspired dish Frantxineta and then a classic dessert of chocolate, hazelnut and cacao. The latter was paired with a sauterne from 1975. A rare find and it being the anniversary year of Pedro Subjijana it was privilege to try.
The team at Akelare really are custodians of Basque traditions. Naturally I don’t know if their normal menu is very different from this one. The menu to me was an homage to the last 50 years. It’s a menu that celebrates the traditional Basques ingredients and the interpretations of Pedro,
Practical information
Location: San Sebastian
Head chef: Pedro Subjijana
Menu: 12 course tasting menu €370
Website: www.akelarre.net
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