Martin Berasategui
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Probably the fanciest place I have ever been to. It has a very minimalist decor which I really like. It is a very spacious arrangement here. In the room we were in there were only four tables. We went with the tasting menu for $275. We didn't do the wine pairing but it was $155 extra. I won't go through all the dishes but you need to be an adventurous eater to like this place. They bring out all sorts of items. Gastronomically they really put a lot of thought into the dishes. The critique I have for the food was that there was a lot of the foams and creams. Every dish had either a foam or a cream and I almost got sick of them towards the end. Granted they all had different flavors it still was a little offputting. My favorite dish was the dessert. They had this dish were it looked like a lime and some sort of sorbet but the lime was actually white chocolate. Delicious. The best way I can describe it is Simple, elegant, and superb service. It is a pricey meal and honestly I only began to enjoy when the dessert came. If you want a 3 Michelin star experience come here but the dinner was a little underwhelming. The Service however made up for it.
I've been to most of the 2 and 3 Michelin starred restaurants in San Sebastian, and I can confidently say that Martin Berasategui is one of the best. It and Arzak are tied for first place in San Sebastian, in my mind. What an incredible dinner. Every dish was wonderfully prepared, and was packed with just amazing flavors and creativity. The service was also incredible - extremely professional and attentive, but not at all stuffy. For me, to be a top restaurant, the food not only has to taste good, but I also need to walk away feeling full. That was definitely not a problem here! And perhaps best of all, Chef Martin Berasategui himself came out to meet and shake hands with all the diners afterwards. I would highly recommend this place to anyone visiting San Sebastian! 1) Fig and walnut bread with a selection of butters: spinach, beetroot, mushroom, and salted 2) Rhubarb crunch with tuna tartare and yuzu bubbles 3) Smoked eel with foie gras 4) Red shrimp royale with dill 5) Caviar gel with pickles of asparagus and its cream 6) Oyster with cucumber slush and spicy apple 7) Tarama with beetroot and horseradish 8) Vegetable heart salad with seafood 9) Langoustine over an aniseed sea bed and coral mayonnaise 10) "The Truffle" (which was actually made from foie gras. Yes please!), served with fermented wild mushrooms. Amazing! 11) Grilled hake loin with coconut and red curry 12) Pigeon with red endive 13) Lemon with basil juice 14) Almond honeycomb with brittle bits and iced cinnamon
If you are driving here yourself, it can be a bit tricky to find the place. Parking however is no issue. Coming at night, we didn't get to have the view promised. All the wait staffs are super formal with little smiley face. They look a bit confused why these two young souls doing in a restaurant middle of nowhere. It is a 60 euro cab ride if you decided to come here round trip and be sure to tell them to get you a cab before your meal is over. Food is amazing. Wait service isn't 5 star but 4 maybe a 3. My table was ignored mostly because they were a bit busy. Their home made bread selection is super dangerously addictive. I prefer to have them without their specially made butter. Foam!! There is way too much foaming in the food. After the 3rd dish with he foam, it gets old. Oyster dish is the best i had here. Menu changes very often however they serve their best popular ones on most menu. I advice to dress formal or decent for this place.
Dinner at the three Michelin star restaurant Martin Berasategui. By this point, our group has been tasting our way through Basque Country only to end up at one of the worlds top restaurants. In fact, only a few days later, it would be named No.76 on the Worlds Best List, ahead of the famed Perse, and French Laundry. What was even more special about the meal wasn't that it luckily landed on my birthday, which it did, but the menu was The Great Tasting Menu 25 Year Anniversary featuring the best and most popular signature dishes of the last 25 years. 13 courses of incredible plates that pushed the boundaries on all of the senses followed by three incredible desserts to finish. The meal included some amazing personalized touches from the chef such as signed chef coats for our famed chef guests presented by Martin Berasategui himself and a special birthday dessert for me. An absolutely incredible culinary experience I will cherish for life.
*A more detailed review is coming as soon as I can find my menu with my notes from September! While attending uncorked in Las Vegas, I met Guy Savoy at his 2 Michelin stars restaurant. We had some time to kill and I asked him about some of his favorites in San Sebastian, Spain, and he recommended Martin Berasategui. Getting the reservation was fairly easy and finding the location was a breeze. When you walk in the place feels like money. It's spacious, luxurious and cozy at the same time. Most of the items on the tasting menu were amazing. AMAZING. In fact, I enjoyed the experience just a bit more than the French Laundry. My hubby disagrees but each to their own. I felt full but thankfully not ready to burst (Guy Savoy almost killed me with his bread course and unlimited sparkling)! If you go, bring a pen, take notes, keep your menu. You may not have the opportunity to ever go back, but at least you'll have your memories.
Martin is a teacher of a generation of chefs. His restaurant is a sanctuary for the outstanding gastronomy! It was an amazing night. A true experience! Tables distance Michelin protocol as it should be but it is not. The follow every single rule! The service is amazing to feel you at home and to break the sanctuary feeling. It's amazing to have em experience in a 3 star Michelin by its. Est The experience is a festival of flavor and sensations. The sommeliere was so accurate to have us the perfect wines that we were the last to leave the restaurant Really if you love food is a place not to miss!
The recipient of more Michelin Stars than any Spanish born Chef, his eponymous restaurant in Lasarte-Oria holding three ever since 2001, it seems strange that Martin Berasategui nonetheless seems to be underrated amongst peers in the Basque region, not to mention lists touting the world's top Toques. Located just a few miles from San Sebastian, the spacious confines of the dining room more lavish than the likes of even Azark or Mugaritz, it was just prior to 20h00 that a parking space was located at the base of a staircase with shrubbery obscuring views of a glass-encased kitchen, Berasategui himself standing at the pass as a team of at least thirty were already at work across several highly-polished stations. Modern in design with no lack of refinement, white gloves reapplied by severs as silverware is replaced between plates, greetings in the foyer were followed by escort to a table built for four, the tile floors and spotlighting lent an air of naturalness by white orchids and wood fireplaces plus the linen that seems almost impossibly light. Known to dabble less in Modernism than others, his cuisine more focused on immediacy and the bounty of Northeast Spain, it is before menus are presented that aperitifs, wine, and breads are offered, a la carte options bound to tempt while the €205 tasting menu is strongly suggested and selected by most. Offering a mix of old and new, the dishes dating back decades in some cases while others a timestamped to 2015, it is with two small bites touching on contrast that tasting is started, Berasategui's savory Mille Feuille to follow with creamy foie gras layered by eel, the two bites leaving one wanting for several additional as the unctuous flavors dissipated to a linger that was slightly sweet. Assuredly a place where 'filling up' on bread is a danger, the seed bread and foccacia of olives and anchovies particularly tempting, course two featured a frothy emulsion inside a porcelain "shell" hiding shrimp in an aromatic mousse, the follow-up oyster bursting with warm brine amidst a chilly composition of vegetal notes, spice, and top notes of Spanish wine. Skewing Japanese in a presentation of Ankimo on an umami-rich backdrop of seaweed, mussels, and radishes in a salty green broth course six was the first in a string of five show-stoppers, the moist black nugget a compression of fermented wild mushrooms while the broth around it offered the rich aroma of truffles both French and Italian atop a bed of stewed greens. Channeling Bras' "Gargouillou" with an eye-catching salad studded with Slipper Lobster before offering a sous-vide egg melding complex herbs to pork, plate nine continued a theme of using protein to compliment vegetation rather than the other way around, the crisp bits of salt cod and buttery scallops used to highlight Swiss Shard that ate like matchstick potatoes in a creamy broth made from the plant's leaves and flavors of licorice. Substantial in the penultimate savory, a pork-veiled Hake fillet served alongside spinach pureed with black truffles and foamy flavors of K5 atop mounds of crab, it was admittedly a bit of surprise when the three-bone Lamb Chop arrived in an equally pronounced portion, sighs of being 'too full' heard from other tables while the tender pink meat served with sweetbreads, cheesy fritter, and light citrus still saw me smiling and faring quite well. Unable to resist a classic, Berasategui's 1995 Vanilla Apple Pie replacing a 2015 palate cleanser at no additional charge, it seemed to tickle the Chef that such a request had been levied as he personally saw to its service, the crust seemingly a thousand shattering layers beneath pearls of sugar with boozy cream served in a sidecar, a quenelle of sour apple sorbet pleasantly refreshing between bites. Again glancing modern with a boulder of chocolate that could have probably been compressed to a small bon-bon were all the air squeezed out, it was with light hints of smoke that the meal came to its conclusion, the frozen components largely present for texture though the mint and whiskey's interaction was indeed quite interesting, the same to be said of a sculpture crafted by the chef that presented petit fours and a shot of warm brandy-spiked milk.
THE BEST MEAL OF MY LIFE. (ok.. tied with Daniel in NYC.) Fully deserving of the 3 Michelin Stars & every other award + recognition. Came with my 2 sisters for my last lunch in San Sebastian (after dining at Akelarre and Mugaritz the two previous nights), and must say that this definitely outshone the other 2 by miles. While I felt like the other two had received much more hype, I had the best experience here, both service-wise and food-wise. There was absolutely nothing that I could complain about. Food: I am now staring down at my 12-course tasting menu while writing this review, and salivating as I recall the dishes I had. AHH. While I won't actually list out descriptions of all 12 dishes, the most memorable 2 dishes for me were an appetizer with foie gras, smoked eel, spring onions, and apple (probably the most amazing combination of flavors of my life) and a salad with black fruit garlic, beet ceviche, and ice radish - I remember seeing the small pile of radish on the side of the plate and thinking it was salt crystals, until realizing that it was edible.. and omg. so delicious and refreshing. Chef Martin Berasategui loves to use "emulsion" in his dishes, and while I usually don't like how foamy/airy it is, he utilized it so perfectly that he completely changed my opinion. Service: Amazing. We were offered the option of dining inside or outside on the patio - chose the patio because of the nice weather, but noticed that they had enough tables to seat everyone outside or seat everyone inside. As for the waiters, I was impressed by 3 things. 1) They put on white gloves before touching our silverware & glasses, whether it was placing them on our table or refilling our water or wine. 2) They coordinated so that 3 people came at one time to place or remove dishes from our table. 3) They spoke English well - I know this may be less important to some people when dining in a foreign country, but I could actually understand their detailed descriptions of each dish & they could answer all our questions. Lastly, we got to meet Martin Berasategui and take photos with him when he came by our table, and he thanked us and shook our hands again when we were leaving the restaurant. (what an honor to meet such a talented chef!) OVERALL: If you could only choose one restaurant to dine at in San Sebastian (or in the entire world haha), THIS IS THE ONE. It was the perfect combination of delicious & creative (Mugaritz - too creative that it sometimes lacked in tastiness, Akelare - though delicious, lacks creativity). MY NEW FAVORITE RESTAURANT!
This was hands down the most amazing dining experience I've ever had in my life. Granted, this is my first 3 Michelin Star restaurant, but I've been to a few 1-2 star places, and Chef Martin Berasategui and his team deserve every star and it was worth every penny. It is only a 15 minute drive outside of San Sebastian to this beautiful location, and you get to experience what I can only imagine is molecular gastronomy cuisine at its best! The dining room is very quiet and intimate with only 6-8 parties. There's no background music or excessive decor. I suppose this is meant to allow you to fully appreciate the balance of flavors of each dish. My friend and I had the Chef's tasting menu for 195 euros and ordered wine to go along with it. The staff is super attentive, and Chef Martin came out to greet all his diners at the end of the night. We came in March which is a low travel season for Spain, so amazingly we were able to make a reservation just a few weeks in advance, but if visiting during a popular time, I'd reserve your spot well ahead of time!
The food at this three-Michelin star restaurant was definitely everything we were expecting for and more. This was the third 3 Michelin star restaurant that we visited while in northern Spain and definitely one of our favorite meals. It's located in a quiet neighborhood ~25 minutes drive from San Sebastian, across from a small park, and has plenty of parking both on site and right along the park. We visited the restaurant for lunch which I recommend since the meal is long (~4 hours) and you will leave stuffed and perhaps a bit tipsy if you choose to do the drink pairing as well. The ambiance of the restaurant at first appears a bit less casual and a bit more rigid than some of the other fine dining restaurants we visited, but the staff is friendly and they quickly made us feel welcomed and comfortable. Our meal started off with the most delicious bread and their selection of butters. The bacon and brioche bread was absolutely delicious and totally addictive. There were 12 dishes total and two desserts. The flavors and creativity of the dishes were absolutely outstanding. There weren't any dishes that I didn't like (except for the cheese plate we chose instead of one of the desserts). Some highlights include their take on the classic gilda (which is a pintxo composed of chili pepper, green olive and anchovy), the foie gras and green apple amouse bouche, the oyster with green olive juice, the seaweed and prawn dish, the monkfish and the grilled sirloin. The drink pairing for the most part hit the mark and although the somm was happy enough to switch out any wines that we didn't enjoy or didn't pair well with the food, we thought the selection of wines fell short a bit especially when comparing it to one of our other fine dining experiences in the region. To end this wonderful meal we had chocolate desserts, the almond cake and a cheese plate. We decided to opt for the cheese plate since we hadn't tasted any local cheeses during our trip and we figured this may be a good time to do it. Honestly it was not a good option. The cheeses were too strong and stinky for our taste and they were a bit overwhelming at the end. Of course, at the end of our meal we got a selection of petit fours brought to our table which we tasted but by this time I was so full and my palate and senses were so overloaded, I don't even remember if I truly enjoyed them.
"Egiten baduk beharra, jango duk ogia" If you work, you will eat bread. So is the Basque saying that is prominently written in Euskera on the entrance to Martin Berasategui's flagship restaurant. As an ancient proverb it is the equivalent to "if you want something you must work hard for it". This is the motto in which the famed Basque chef approaches his work, food, service and it shows. In yet another remote town outside of Donstia is Lasarte whose picturesque views of nature are that of a resort. After getting lost (yet again, a theme of our journey here) we finally made it to our destination. This was to be our last meal in the Pais Vasco, and it surely ended up being a great one. We came up from the employee car port, not knowing there was a huge parking lot that overlooked the grounds, which we'd find after our meal, making our way up the steps to the main dining room. We are greeted cordially by many as we are led to our beautiful table overlooking the grounds, through large picture windows. What is the staff to diner ratio here? I didn't count but I knew it was large. We briefly looked at the menus but we were here for the "Great Degustation Menu". I think some of the translations sound funny but that's what was give to us in printed form: -Salmon Keia, lightly smoked with seaweed, powdered hazelnut, coffee, vanilla -Mille-feuille of smoked eel, foie-gras, spring onions and green apple -Iberian Canneloni Bacon, squid, white wine -Little pearls of fennel in raw, risotto and emulsion form -Cheese and Carabana Oil bubbles, endives, red onion juice, Iberian Ham -Farm egg with beet root and liquid herb salad. Carpaccio of Basque stew and cheese -Warm vegetable hearts salad with seafood, cream of lettuce, and idionized juice -Roaster Red Mullet with crystals of soft scales, juice of white chocolate with seaweed -Roasted Araiz's Pigeon, fresh pasta with mushrooms and spring onions, truffle cream -Tripes stew in the traditional Basque style -Cold essence of basil and grean bean, lime sherbert and juniper granite with almond -Chocolate and acacia honey with irish coffee All I can say is wow. We sure picked correctly for our last meal. Perhaps the most progressive of the meals of the Basque Country we had and definitely among the runners of the greatest meals there too. Service was very formal. Each time they handed you silverware it was in a gloved hand. The staff were dressed sharper than I ever have been even at weddings. The level of comfort and professionalism that rivals that of Per Se and the French Laundry. It took a handful of curious questions, the effort to educate ourselves on their cuisine and culture, and how they felt about how food was moving forward, finally broke the servers down to a more comfortable rapport. Again, our enthusiasm for a culture's food led them to embrace us in their knowledge and warmth of hospitality. After experiencing this meal (and the many others in the surrounding area), I can see why Spain's cuisine has been so revered over the last decade. They certainly delivered in spades and the staff at Martin Berasategui are at the top of their game.
Flawless. Perfection. The best dining experience I've ever had. My partner and I had the tasting menu here after a flavorless and underwhelming meal at Mugaritz the previous night. We almost cancelled our reservation at Martin B because we got cold feet about dropping another 500 Euros on another fancy Michelin meal. I cannot tell you how happy I am that we decided to go. It was very pricey but worth it. The service was impeccable--the staff highly professional yet still friendly and with lots of personality. Even though the restaurant is formal it does not feel stuffy or snobby. They get all the details right without seeming over the top or affected. The food was out of this world. As each dish was served, it became my new favorite. The sea crunch tempura with a tiny, gorgeous cumquat on a spoon was delicious and beautiful. The oyster with an icy slush and spiced apple was good enough on its own but the presentation was also surprising and magical (I will not give away the surprise)! The vegetable hearts salad with seafood was exquisite, both in looks and taste. The wine recommendation from the Sommelier was perfectly on point and the gin and tonic was giant with the most amazing ice cubes I've ever seen. I could go on but you just need to experience this place for yourself. If you are lucky enough to be able to afford it than it really does not get much better than this.
Awesome meal at MB. The menu is classic Basque fine dining, lots of techniques used and great merrying of flavors on the plates. The restaurant is calm inside, tables with a good amount of space between all looking out onto the property. The service is wonderful, well trained and coordinated, timing of the meal is great, they've got everything nailed down which is expected given how long they've held their stars. It was my first time trying Martin's food and I loved the flavors used - every dish was interesting and had some surprises. Standouts for me were the bread service (those butters!!), the eel and foie bite, their take on the classic gilda pintxo, the veggie salad, the red mullet and the lamb course. At the end Martin greeted every table which was nice. On a trip to Spain with 25 Michelin stars, this meal was a favorite. read more
2 years ago
What a special place to have dinner. My wife and I went on our trip in San Sebastián and it did not disappoint. This restaurant, along with a few others, changed the landscape of the food world for Basque Country 25-30 years ago. We did the tasting menu with a wine pairing. The food was simply incredible. It's a perfect combination of gastronomic flair with really amazing tasting food. All dishes are distinct and there are many classics on the dinner menu still (displayed by the year next to the dish). It is a place where some leaps of faith will be needed (from their famous eel dish and some others but so worth it) If you have the opportunity to dine here, take it! The restaurant is in Martins wife's child hood home. It has little touches that still show through (fireplace, wood beams etc). The service is of course incredible and they are attentive and very nice and willing to accommodate menu changes for preferences. 10/10 read more
2 years ago
Absolutely fabulous food and ambiance. We went for Sunday lunch. Instead of the tasting menu, we chose the Ala carte route and no one was disappointed. Everything brought a beautiful blend of flavors and textures. The sommelier helped us choose the perfect wine pairings too. read more
7 years ago
Probably the fanciest place I have ever been to. It has a very minimalist decor which I really like. It is a very spacious arrangement here. In the room we were in there were only four tables. We went with the tasting menu for $275. We didn't do the wine pairing but it was $155 extra. I won't go through all the dishes but you need to be an adventurous eater to like this place. They bring out all sorts of items. Gastronomically they really put a lot of thought into the dishes. The critique I have for the food was that there was a lot of the foams and creams. Every dish had either a foam or a cream and I almost got sick of them towards the end. Granted they all had different flavors it still was a little offputting. My favorite dish was the dessert. They had this dish were it looked like a lime and some sort of sorbet but the lime was actually white chocolate. Delicious. The best way I can describe it is Simple, elegant, and superb service. It is a pricey meal and honestly I only began to enjoy when the dessert came. If you want a 3 Michelin star experience come here but the dinner was a little underwhelming. The Service however made up for it. read more
I've been to most of the 2 and 3 Michelin starred restaurants in San Sebastian, and I can confidently say that Martin Berasategui is one of the best. It and Arzak are tied for first place in San Sebastian, in my mind. What an incredible dinner. Every dish was wonderfully prepared, and was packed with just amazing flavors and creativity. The service was also incredible - extremely professional and attentive, but not at all stuffy. For me, to be a top restaurant, the food not only has to taste good, but I also need to walk away feeling full. That was definitely not a problem here! And perhaps best of all, Chef Martin Berasategui himself came out to meet and shake hands with all the diners afterwards. I would highly recommend this place to anyone visiting San Sebastian! 1) Fig and walnut bread with a selection of butters: spinach, beetroot, mushroom, and salted 2) Rhubarb crunch with tuna tartare and yuzu bubbles 3) Smoked eel with foie gras 4) Red shrimp royale with dill 5) Caviar gel with pickles of asparagus and its cream 6) Oyster with cucumber slush and spicy apple 7) Tarama with beetroot and horseradish 8) Vegetable heart salad with seafood 9) Langoustine over an aniseed sea bed and coral mayonnaise 10) "The Truffle" (which was actually made from foie gras. Yes please!), served with fermented wild mushrooms. Amazing! 11) Grilled hake loin with coconut and red curry 12) Pigeon with red endive 13) Lemon with basil juice 14) Almond honeycomb with brittle bits and iced cinnamon read more
3 years ago
6 years ago
If you are driving here yourself, it can be a bit tricky to find the place. Parking however is no issue. Coming at night, we didn't get to have the view promised. All the wait staffs are super formal with little smiley face. They look a bit confused why these two young souls doing in a restaurant middle of nowhere. It is a 60 euro cab ride if you decided to come here round trip and be sure to tell them to get you a cab before your meal is over. Food is amazing. Wait service isn't 5 star but 4 maybe a 3. My table was ignored mostly because they were a bit busy. Their home made bread selection is super dangerously addictive. I prefer to have them without their specially made butter. Foam!! There is way too much foaming in the food. After the 3rd dish with he foam, it gets old. Oyster dish is the best i had here. Menu changes very often however they serve their best popular ones on most menu. I advice to dress formal or decent for this place. read more
Dinner at the three Michelin star restaurant Martin Berasategui. By this point, our group has been tasting our way through Basque Country only to end up at one of the worlds top restaurants. In fact, only a few days later, it would be named No.76 on the Worlds Best List, ahead of the famed Perse, and French Laundry. What was even more special about the meal wasn't that it luckily landed on my birthday, which it did, but the menu was The Great Tasting Menu 25 Year Anniversary featuring the best and most popular signature dishes of the last 25 years. 13 courses of incredible plates that pushed the boundaries on all of the senses followed by three incredible desserts to finish. The meal included some amazing personalized touches from the chef such as signed chef coats for our famed chef guests presented by Martin Berasategui himself and a special birthday dessert for me. An absolutely incredible culinary experience I will cherish for life. read more
8 years ago
*A more detailed review is coming as soon as I can find my menu with my notes from September! While attending uncorked in Las Vegas, I met Guy Savoy at his 2 Michelin stars restaurant. We had some time to kill and I asked him about some of his favorites in San Sebastian, Spain, and he recommended Martin Berasategui. Getting the reservation was fairly easy and finding the location was a breeze. When you walk in the place feels like money. It's spacious, luxurious and cozy at the same time. Most of the items on the tasting menu were amazing. AMAZING. In fact, I enjoyed the experience just a bit more than the French Laundry. My hubby disagrees but each to their own. I felt full but thankfully not ready to burst (Guy Savoy almost killed me with his bread course and unlimited sparkling)! If you go, bring a pen, take notes, keep your menu. You may not have the opportunity to ever go back, but at least you'll have your memories. read more
Martin is a teacher of a generation of chefs. His restaurant is a sanctuary for the outstanding gastronomy! It was an amazing night. A true experience! Tables distance Michelin protocol as it should be but it is not. The follow every single rule! The service is amazing to feel you at home and to break the sanctuary feeling. It's amazing to have em experience in a 3 star Michelin by its. Est The experience is a festival of flavor and sensations. The sommeliere was so accurate to have us the perfect wines that we were the last to leave the restaurant Really if you love food is a place not to miss! read more
8 years ago
One of the most beautiful things about this restaurant is the food presentation. Each dish is a work of art and the staff provides first class service. Chef Martin has created a masterpiece in this jewel of a restaurant. read more
11 years ago
The recipient of more Michelin Stars than any Spanish born Chef, his eponymous restaurant in Lasarte-Oria holding three ever since 2001, it seems strange that Martin Berasategui nonetheless seems to be underrated amongst peers in the Basque region, not to mention lists touting the world's top Toques. Located just a few miles from San Sebastian, the spacious confines of the dining room more lavish than the likes of even Azark or Mugaritz, it was just prior to 20h00 that a parking space was located at the base of a staircase with shrubbery obscuring views of a glass-encased kitchen, Berasategui himself standing at the pass as a team of at least thirty were already at work across several highly-polished stations. Modern in design with no lack of refinement, white gloves reapplied by severs as silverware is replaced between plates, greetings in the foyer were followed by escort to a table built for four, the tile floors and spotlighting lent an air of naturalness by white orchids and wood fireplaces plus the linen that seems almost impossibly light. Known to dabble less in Modernism than others, his cuisine more focused on immediacy and the bounty of Northeast Spain, it is before menus are presented that aperitifs, wine, and breads are offered, a la carte options bound to tempt while the €205 tasting menu is strongly suggested and selected by most. Offering a mix of old and new, the dishes dating back decades in some cases while others a timestamped to 2015, it is with two small bites touching on contrast that tasting is started, Berasategui's savory Mille Feuille to follow with creamy foie gras layered by eel, the two bites leaving one wanting for several additional as the unctuous flavors dissipated to a linger that was slightly sweet. Assuredly a place where 'filling up' on bread is a danger, the seed bread and foccacia of olives and anchovies particularly tempting, course two featured a frothy emulsion inside a porcelain "shell" hiding shrimp in an aromatic mousse, the follow-up oyster bursting with warm brine amidst a chilly composition of vegetal notes, spice, and top notes of Spanish wine. Skewing Japanese in a presentation of Ankimo on an umami-rich backdrop of seaweed, mussels, and radishes in a salty green broth course six was the first in a string of five show-stoppers, the moist black nugget a compression of fermented wild mushrooms while the broth around it offered the rich aroma of truffles both French and Italian atop a bed of stewed greens. Channeling Bras' "Gargouillou" with an eye-catching salad studded with Slipper Lobster before offering a sous-vide egg melding complex herbs to pork, plate nine continued a theme of using protein to compliment vegetation rather than the other way around, the crisp bits of salt cod and buttery scallops used to highlight Swiss Shard that ate like matchstick potatoes in a creamy broth made from the plant's leaves and flavors of licorice. Substantial in the penultimate savory, a pork-veiled Hake fillet served alongside spinach pureed with black truffles and foamy flavors of K5 atop mounds of crab, it was admittedly a bit of surprise when the three-bone Lamb Chop arrived in an equally pronounced portion, sighs of being 'too full' heard from other tables while the tender pink meat served with sweetbreads, cheesy fritter, and light citrus still saw me smiling and faring quite well. Unable to resist a classic, Berasategui's 1995 Vanilla Apple Pie replacing a 2015 palate cleanser at no additional charge, it seemed to tickle the Chef that such a request had been levied as he personally saw to its service, the crust seemingly a thousand shattering layers beneath pearls of sugar with boozy cream served in a sidecar, a quenelle of sour apple sorbet pleasantly refreshing between bites. Again glancing modern with a boulder of chocolate that could have probably been compressed to a small bon-bon were all the air squeezed out, it was with light hints of smoke that the meal came to its conclusion, the frozen components largely present for texture though the mint and whiskey's interaction was indeed quite interesting, the same to be said of a sculpture crafted by the chef that presented petit fours and a shot of warm brandy-spiked milk. read more
2 years ago
13 years ago
THE BEST MEAL OF MY LIFE. (ok.. tied with Daniel in NYC.) Fully deserving of the 3 Michelin Stars & every other award + recognition. Came with my 2 sisters for my last lunch in San Sebastian (after dining at Akelarre and Mugaritz the two previous nights), and must say that this definitely outshone the other 2 by miles. While I felt like the other two had received much more hype, I had the best experience here, both service-wise and food-wise. There was absolutely nothing that I could complain about. Food: I am now staring down at my 12-course tasting menu while writing this review, and salivating as I recall the dishes I had. AHH. While I won't actually list out descriptions of all 12 dishes, the most memorable 2 dishes for me were an appetizer with foie gras, smoked eel, spring onions, and apple (probably the most amazing combination of flavors of my life) and a salad with black fruit garlic, beet ceviche, and ice radish - I remember seeing the small pile of radish on the side of the plate and thinking it was salt crystals, until realizing that it was edible.. and omg. so delicious and refreshing. Chef Martin Berasategui loves to use "emulsion" in his dishes, and while I usually don't like how foamy/airy it is, he utilized it so perfectly that he completely changed my opinion. Service: Amazing. We were offered the option of dining inside or outside on the patio - chose the patio because of the nice weather, but noticed that they had enough tables to seat everyone outside or seat everyone inside. As for the waiters, I was impressed by 3 things. 1) They put on white gloves before touching our silverware & glasses, whether it was placing them on our table or refilling our water or wine. 2) They coordinated so that 3 people came at one time to place or remove dishes from our table. 3) They spoke English well - I know this may be less important to some people when dining in a foreign country, but I could actually understand their detailed descriptions of each dish & they could answer all our questions. Lastly, we got to meet Martin Berasategui and take photos with him when he came by our table, and he thanked us and shook our hands again when we were leaving the restaurant. (what an honor to meet such a talented chef!) OVERALL: If you could only choose one restaurant to dine at in San Sebastian (or in the entire world haha), THIS IS THE ONE. It was the perfect combination of delicious & creative (Mugaritz - too creative that it sometimes lacked in tastiness, Akelare - though delicious, lacks creativity). MY NEW FAVORITE RESTAURANT! read more
This was hands down the most amazing dining experience I've ever had in my life. Granted, this is my first 3 Michelin Star restaurant, but I've been to a few 1-2 star places, and Chef Martin Berasategui and his team deserve every star and it was worth every penny. It is only a 15 minute drive outside of San Sebastian to this beautiful location, and you get to experience what I can only imagine is molecular gastronomy cuisine at its best! The dining room is very quiet and intimate with only 6-8 parties. There's no background music or excessive decor. I suppose this is meant to allow you to fully appreciate the balance of flavors of each dish. My friend and I had the Chef's tasting menu for 195 euros and ordered wine to go along with it. The staff is super attentive, and Chef Martin came out to greet all his diners at the end of the night. We came in March which is a low travel season for Spain, so amazingly we were able to make a reservation just a few weeks in advance, but if visiting during a popular time, I'd reserve your spot well ahead of time! read more
The food at this three-Michelin star restaurant was definitely everything we were expecting for and more. This was the third 3 Michelin star restaurant that we visited while in northern Spain and definitely one of our favorite meals. It's located in a quiet neighborhood ~25 minutes drive from San Sebastian, across from a small park, and has plenty of parking both on site and right along the park. We visited the restaurant for lunch which I recommend since the meal is long (~4 hours) and you will leave stuffed and perhaps a bit tipsy if you choose to do the drink pairing as well. The ambiance of the restaurant at first appears a bit less casual and a bit more rigid than some of the other fine dining restaurants we visited, but the staff is friendly and they quickly made us feel welcomed and comfortable. Our meal started off with the most delicious bread and their selection of butters. The bacon and brioche bread was absolutely delicious and totally addictive. There were 12 dishes total and two desserts. The flavors and creativity of the dishes were absolutely outstanding. There weren't any dishes that I didn't like (except for the cheese plate we chose instead of one of the desserts). Some highlights include their take on the classic gilda (which is a pintxo composed of chili pepper, green olive and anchovy), the foie gras and green apple amouse bouche, the oyster with green olive juice, the seaweed and prawn dish, the monkfish and the grilled sirloin. The drink pairing for the most part hit the mark and although the somm was happy enough to switch out any wines that we didn't enjoy or didn't pair well with the food, we thought the selection of wines fell short a bit especially when comparing it to one of our other fine dining experiences in the region. To end this wonderful meal we had chocolate desserts, the almond cake and a cheese plate. We decided to opt for the cheese plate since we hadn't tasted any local cheeses during our trip and we figured this may be a good time to do it. Honestly it was not a good option. The cheeses were too strong and stinky for our taste and they were a bit overwhelming at the end. Of course, at the end of our meal we got a selection of petit fours brought to our table which we tasted but by this time I was so full and my palate and senses were so overloaded, I don't even remember if I truly enjoyed them. read more
"Egiten baduk beharra, jango duk ogia" If you work, you will eat bread. So is the Basque saying that is prominently written in Euskera on the entrance to Martin Berasategui's flagship restaurant. As an ancient proverb it is the equivalent to "if you want something you must work hard for it". This is the motto in which the famed Basque chef approaches his work, food, service and it shows. In yet another remote town outside of Donstia is Lasarte whose picturesque views of nature are that of a resort. After getting lost (yet again, a theme of our journey here) we finally made it to our destination. This was to be our last meal in the Pais Vasco, and it surely ended up being a great one. We came up from the employee car port, not knowing there was a huge parking lot that overlooked the grounds, which we'd find after our meal, making our way up the steps to the main dining room. We are greeted cordially by many as we are led to our beautiful table overlooking the grounds, through large picture windows. What is the staff to diner ratio here? I didn't count but I knew it was large. We briefly looked at the menus but we were here for the "Great Degustation Menu". I think some of the translations sound funny but that's what was give to us in printed form: -Salmon Keia, lightly smoked with seaweed, powdered hazelnut, coffee, vanilla -Mille-feuille of smoked eel, foie-gras, spring onions and green apple -Iberian Canneloni Bacon, squid, white wine -Little pearls of fennel in raw, risotto and emulsion form -Cheese and Carabana Oil bubbles, endives, red onion juice, Iberian Ham -Farm egg with beet root and liquid herb salad. Carpaccio of Basque stew and cheese -Warm vegetable hearts salad with seafood, cream of lettuce, and idionized juice -Roaster Red Mullet with crystals of soft scales, juice of white chocolate with seaweed -Roasted Araiz's Pigeon, fresh pasta with mushrooms and spring onions, truffle cream -Tripes stew in the traditional Basque style -Cold essence of basil and grean bean, lime sherbert and juniper granite with almond -Chocolate and acacia honey with irish coffee All I can say is wow. We sure picked correctly for our last meal. Perhaps the most progressive of the meals of the Basque Country we had and definitely among the runners of the greatest meals there too. Service was very formal. Each time they handed you silverware it was in a gloved hand. The staff were dressed sharper than I ever have been even at weddings. The level of comfort and professionalism that rivals that of Per Se and the French Laundry. It took a handful of curious questions, the effort to educate ourselves on their cuisine and culture, and how they felt about how food was moving forward, finally broke the servers down to a more comfortable rapport. Again, our enthusiasm for a culture's food led them to embrace us in their knowledge and warmth of hospitality. After experiencing this meal (and the many others in the surrounding area), I can see why Spain's cuisine has been so revered over the last decade. They certainly delivered in spades and the staff at Martin Berasategui are at the top of their game. read more
11 years ago
Flawless. Perfection. The best dining experience I've ever had. My partner and I had the tasting menu here after a flavorless and underwhelming meal at Mugaritz the previous night. We almost cancelled our reservation at Martin B because we got cold feet about dropping another 500 Euros on another fancy Michelin meal. I cannot tell you how happy I am that we decided to go. It was very pricey but worth it. The service was impeccable--the staff highly professional yet still friendly and with lots of personality. Even though the restaurant is formal it does not feel stuffy or snobby. They get all the details right without seeming over the top or affected. The food was out of this world. As each dish was served, it became my new favorite. The sea crunch tempura with a tiny, gorgeous cumquat on a spoon was delicious and beautiful. The oyster with an icy slush and spiced apple was good enough on its own but the presentation was also surprising and magical (I will not give away the surprise)! The vegetable hearts salad with seafood was exquisite, both in looks and taste. The wine recommendation from the Sommelier was perfectly on point and the gin and tonic was giant with the most amazing ice cubes I've ever seen. I could go on but you just need to experience this place for yourself. If you are lucky enough to be able to afford it than it really does not get much better than this. read more
10 years ago
Omg. I can die a happy woman. My husband and I were in San Sebastián for our honeymoon and he booked 6 Michelin restaurants for us to dine at over the course of 4 days (insane I know). Thank god this was the second last Michelin restaurant we visited because everything else would have failed to impress us! This is hands down my favorite Michelin restaurant. Impeccable service (they noticed my husband was left handed within minutes of us ordering drinks), delicious food, and beautiful presentation. We couldn't stomach the tasting menu so we ordered half portions from the a la carte menu instead. Everything was so beautifully presented and tasted so so so good. The butters are like little bites of joy. We were given 4 varieties: beetroot, salted, spinach and mushroom. We literally scooped it all up within seconds and had to rely on every fiber of our being to resist asking for more bread and butter. We highly recommend the lobster salad, red mullet, and pig trotters. The lime dessert was really refreshing, and the chocolate cake was rich without being overly filling. There is nothing we would change about our dining experience here. As we were leaving the restaurant, Chef Martin came out to say hi to us! I believe he does this with all tables but I may be wrong. He was courteous and humble, and meeting him was the icing on the cake! read more
5 years ago
martin berasategui is a three michelin star restaurant named after the spanish chef/owner of the restaurant. he currently has the most michelin stars out of any other spanish chef around. his restaurant is located in the outskirts of san sebastian, a 20-30 minute drive from the beautiful city. it is set in a picturesque backdrop of lush greenery and quiet, a change from the hustle and bustle of barcelona or los angeles. the restaurant is beautiful. upon entering, there are a row of receptionists, almost resembling a hotel. you're greeted by the maître d, they take your coat, and lead you to a beautiful open dining area with a fireplace, making you feel like you're dining in a fancy living room. the service is on point and they offer both a tasting menu and a menu a la carte. of course, i got the tasting menu...(i substituted one of the desserts for a chocolate one) 2017 rhubarb crunch with "balfego" tuna tartare and yuzu gel selection of butters: boletus, spinach, beetroot, and salted. 1995 mille-feuille of smoked eel, foie gras, spring onions and green apple 2017 tortilla "galo celta" of ham and truffle 2014 red shrimp royale and dill with "venta del baron" oil my favorite. 2017 caviar gel with pickles of asparagus and its cream, salted with anana's salt 2015 lightly marinated oyster with iced cucumber slush and k5, and spicy apple 2017 tarama with beetroot and sour radish 2001 vegetable hearts salad with seafood, cream of lettuce and ionized juice 2017 crayfish over an aniseed sea bed and coral mayonnaise 2015 "the truffle" with fermented wild mushrooms and collard greens with "alma de jerez" oil 2017 grilled hake loin, coconut, red curry, and liquid and crunchy razor shells 2017 charcoal roasted young pigeon with red endive and olive bites 2017 almond honeycomb with brittle bits and iced cinammon 2015 baked chocolate with crystallised pear, cinammon stick and caramel ice cream and mint mist overall, i thought martin berasategui was great! the service was on point and the food was delicious. i didn't have one bad dish. the whole meal lasted me about 3 hours from start to finish. by the end of it, i was so full i could barely walk. if you're ever in the san sebastian area, this is a great restaurant to check out if you want a 3 michelin star experience. For other reviews and pics, check out thefoodseeker.com read more
13 years ago
A bit of a drive from old town San Sebastian but well worth it! I do not recommend driving here if you are not familiar with the area. Even sitting in the taxi we felt confused as to where we were going. When you first walk in it feels almost as if you are walking in a hotel or office building. Everyone is very formal and you are not sure what to make of it. I was a bit concerned this would be a very stuffy restaurant but after we were seated, the staff lightened up and we really enjoyed both our waiter and the sommelier. We had Arzak the prior night so the bar was set pretty high! Although I favor Arzak, we still had a lovely meal. I thoroughly enjoyed the liquid chili paired with the grilled sole. It gave the dish a slight kick without overwhelming the dish. The vanilla apple pie was perfect. Beautifully presented and just the right amount of tartness. Roast foie gras with seaweed resting on horseradish curd, fermented soy broth and hazelnut salt Warm vegetable hearts salad with seafood, cream of lettuce and iodized juice Grilled sirloin Luismi over a bed of Swiss chard chlorophyll and cheese bonbon Grilled Sole with liquid chilli and smoked fish snout Vanilla apple pie with granny smith sorbet Chocolate soufflé, caramel and cinnamon ice cream, and cacao cream read more
14 years ago
This is, by far, the best place I've been in a while. Service, quality, taste, originality, you name it. Too much to describe for such a short space. If you can go, don't doubt it. Once in a lifetime experience! Be ready to spend some $$$ and make sure you make a reservation in advance. read more
8 years ago
It was genuinely the best meal I have ever had. He is incredibly creative, the food is spectacularly tasty and the service is exceptionally good. I loved the oysters, the steak, the lobster. But these descriptions just don't do the dishes any justice. Each is a culinary delight. The sommelier is exceptional and literally understood all my feedback to give me a wonderful white wine from the region. I have to recommend this restaurant with all my heart. read more
11 years ago
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One of the best restaurants we have ever been to. You should fast the entire day if youre going here because there is a lot of food and it is all good. The service was great. The restaurant was beautiful and it was worth every cent. read more
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