Notes on Basque country - Spain

So way back in May we spent just over a week in northern Spain and what a treat it was.  We started in Bilbao, which was an architect's wet dream of a city...particularly if said architect is a fan of curves.  We treated ourselves in Bilbao and had dinner at Azurmendi, which was served in four acts: 'Picnic in the Garden', 'The Kitchen', 'Our Greenhouse' and 'The Balcony'.  We ate so much that I can't list it all (and I think sometimes its nice to keep that sort of thing a surprise for people who might go in the future) but my most memorable dish was an egg yolk, cooked inside out with hot truffle oil.  Mmmm.

From Bilbao we drove to San Sebastian, where we rented an Airbnb rooftop apartment (with a terrace!) that was fairly close to La Concha beach.  Well, what can I say?  We were not disappointed with the food Mecca that is San Sebastian.  I don't think I have ever eaten so well for so little money.  Every night we trawled the pinxto bars, filling our bellies with slow roasted beef cheek and grilled octopus, washing it all down with the local Txakoli.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  Our top three bars were: Borda Berri, A Fuego Negro and La Cuchara de San Telmo.  Go, go, go!

And because one ridiculously indulgent meal wasn't enough, we also treated ourselves in San Sebastian and went for lunch at Arzak.  We did not regret it.  It was a totally different experience to Azurmendi.  So, if any of you are thinking "We can't do two!"  You're wrong, you can do two and you will love doing two.  I still can't quite decide on what my favourite dish was here - The Big Truffle (a cocoa truffle and melts into itself) was as strong a contender as any.

After San Sebastian, we headed up into the mountains to a tiny village called Soba.  Here we stayed at a wonderful lodge called Casona de Quintana.  We were looked after so well and I would thoroughly recommend a stay here.  Our days were spent walking and our evenings spent reading and drinking gin and tonics of the week that used a vanilla and orange infusion.  We managed to recreate them at home and have been having the all summer long - they are divine.

And I have one final confession.  We actually went for three ridiculously indulgent meals in the end.  I know!  Our final one was at Elkano, a seafood restaurant in the small town of Getaria.  Their speciality is turbot cooked over coals and so we spent more than we ever had before on a single fish and shared the biggest turbot I have ever seen.  But it was so worth it.  We had turbot and turbot alone - nothing else was needed, our waiter said.  And we struggled to get through it all before rolling out of the restaurant a couple of hours later.  It was an education too - our waiter taught us about each different part of the fish and why each part tasted different.  I never knew you could get so much from one fish.  It was heaven.

And there you have it.  Our week living like kings.  For Basque country in pictures, click here.