I overcome spain’s best restaurants. simply by myself.

That is what the earliest restaurant in The country appears like.

Using reward miles, I travelled into Madrid from New You are able to City and away from Barcelona. I spent a couple of days in Madrid going through the city, sampling the tapas at places like Estado Puro and La Casa del Abuelo, and dining in the earliest restaurant on the planet (Restaurante Botin, founded in 1725.)

I Then travelled to Bilbao, where I rented a vehicle they are driving to San Sebastián, first creating a pit visit Museo Guggenheim Bilbao. I showed up in San Sebastián at sunset and saw the Basque city around the Bay of los angeles Concha was as beautiful when i had imagined.

Before I started my fine dining marathon, I met track of my pal Kevin Patricio, who resides in San Sebastián, for any nights pintxos hopping. Exactly what a treat! From pig’s ears to sardines, we shared the region’s most scrumptious delicacies at budget-friendly prices. Thanks, Kevin!

The time had come for that marathon to start. Four days. Six restaurants. 13 Michelin stars.

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This is exactly what ice shreds and scarlet shrimp perfume appears like.

Highlights in the tasting menu at Mugaritz.

The Gps navigation directions required me lower a dark, windy route to chef Andoni Luis Aduriz’s three-Michelin-star Mugaritz, presently rated #6 on San Pellegrino’s The Earth’s 50 Best Restaurants. After I showed up, I had been escorted to some quaint lounge inside a separate building for any cocktail. I had been so excited to become there. Once I was sitting down for supper, I had been offered a kitchen area tour, where I chatted using the chef de cuisine. Your kitchen was as gorgeous when i had anticipated, almost in comparison using the understated and minimalist dining area, where only half the area was utilized for service.

Dinner consisted in excess of 25 small plates, each more unique compared to next. From edible gemstones to ice shreds and scarlet shrimp perfume to glass sugar and cacao like a cookie. It had been molecular gastronomy at its finest. Some plates were much better than others, but overall I had been mesmerized through the innovation. And also the service was terrific. Your food ended having a dessert known as The Seven Sins. Gluttony was my personal favorite. (Obviously.)

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Vegetable hearts salad.

Clean-searching creations in the tasting menu at Restaurante Martin Berasategui.

The following day, I made my method to Restaurante Martín Berasategui (three Michelin stars #35 on San Pellegrino’s list). I showed up at 1 p.m., an hour or so that’s early for Spanish, called the just one within the dining area. The area is peaceful and overlooks moving eco-friendly hillsides. I felt like I had been eating in someone’s elegant home. This made sense after i found that chef Berasategui lives upstairs.

I had been especially wanting to dine here just because a former client, a really gifted chef, had labored for Berasategui a long time ago. My anticipation was rewarded: Lunch was phenomenal. My server led me with the menu, which listed the entire year each dish was produced, and that he developed a small tasting menu that started having a beautiful vegetable hearts salad (2001), adopted by roast red mullet with crystals of edible scales (2013), and roasted pigeon with Iberian pig’s snout (2013.) Dessert was vanilla apple cake (1995) — fitting, because it was Thanksgiving Day. My mindful server offered me a kitchen tour and introduced us a copy of L’ensemble des%20Grandes%20Tables%20Du%20Monde%20(2013)” target=”_blank”>Le Grandes Tables Du Monde, a magazine featuring the very best gourmet restaurants on the planet. It had been a present of kindness for any solo diner.

Looks in the tasting menu at Restaurante Arzak.

There wasn’t any snacking before dinner, as next was Restaurante Arzak famous seat of chef Juan Mari Arzak and the daughter Elena (three Michelin stars #8 on the planet). From my seat in a corner table within the modest dining area, I possibly could watch the area and also the charming Juan Mari because he welcomed every table, making every guest feel so welcome. Employees was hospitable, and also the tasting menu was — wow! I had been particularly fascinated with fish steak with taters offered more than a tablet video screen of sea waves with seem. An unforgettable meal and innovative meal capped served by a 2-part dessert finale: The super truffle — cacao and sugar that melted with the help of chocolate liquid — and Ferreteria Arzak, also known as the chocolate toolbox. The type maître d’, who formerly labored in New york city, demonstrated me round the kitchen before I left.

High caliber food inside a low key farmhouse.

Decadent white-colored truffle scrambled eggs.

Untidy goose barnacles.

The tasting menu at Asador Etxebarri.

The third day was a car trip towards the countryside, destination Asador Etxebarri (one Michelin star, #34). Around an hour from San Sebastián, the restored farmhouse in Atxondo may be worth the trip only for the setting. Chef Victor Arguinzoniz provides a la carte and tasting menus of his wood-fired cooking, and that i chosen the second. It had been wonderful, if a little too much food for me personally. (The meat chop did me in.) Nonetheless, the burrata, artichoke, prawns, scrambled eggs with white-colored truffle, and reduced milk frozen treats were delectable. The untidy goose barnacles were unforgettable, though not quite my factor.

Woah. Distilled lobster cooked inside a coffee vacuum siphon.

Yogurt, deconstructed. Literally.

The tasting menu at Akelaŕe.

On my small yesterday in San Sebastián, the program ended up being to go casual. Until a tweet from restaurant reviewer Steve Cuozzo convinced me to not miss three-Michelin-star Akelaŕe. I ought to go throughout the day for that gorgeous bay view, however with short time, it had been dinner for me personally.

Chef Pedro Subijana serves three different tasting menus of his new Basque cuisines, in addition to a la carte, the choice I selected. Langosta destilada (distilled lobster) was cooked table-side inside a coffee vacuum siphon. It had been nearly as wonderful to look at because the daytime view could have been (almost!). The damaged jar of yogurt dessert seemed to be a awesome showcase of molecular gastronomy. I had been glad to see it.

Highlights in the tasting menu at Tickets.

The following morning, I travelled to Barcelona, which evening, I’d yet another, mind-blowing tasting menu at Albert Adria’s innovative tapas bar, Tickets (one star #57). A business friend who resides in Barcelona made the reservation for me personally (I’d made the rest of the reservations), and that i had the very best seat in the home while watching chef’s pass. I had been enamored watching the cooks work and also the plates fly with the window. There is high energy and incredible innovation happening. I loved how my server produced a personalized tasting menu for me personally. Oyster. Spherical olive. Foie gras. Tuna cone. Iberian pork. Edible cupcake (covering incorporated). And much more. Simply amazing!

For that remaining couple of times of my trip, I dined more casually at a number of Barcelona’s best neighborhood places, like Pinotxo Bar at Mercat de Sant Frederick, La Pepita, and Suculent. It had been a wonderful solo trip. Gracias, España.

PLAN Your Vacation

Fundamental essentials hotels Shari remained in and saw on her behalf adventure, and yet another restaurants she visited on the way.

Places To Stay

DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIÁN
Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra
Zubieta 2 +34-943-440-770
Elegant, grand hotel inside a 19th-century building overlooking San Sebastián’s seafront promenade and La Concha Bay.

TRYP San Sebastián Orly Hotel
Plaza de Zaragoza, 4 +34-943-463-200
Good-value hotel within the city center.

BARCELONA
Barcelona Catedral
Carrer dels Capellans, 4 +34-933-042-255
Modern, boutique hotel centrally found in the Medieval Quarter.

MADRID
NH Palacio de Tepa
Calle de San Sebastián, 2 +34-913-896-490
Lately renovated hotel inside a restored 18th-century townhouse found in the Las Letras district.

Where You Can EAT

BARCELONA
Bar Pinotxo
La Rambla, 89 +34-933-171-731
Spanish tapas bar within the Boqueria market that’s always crowded along with a crowd-pleaser.

La Pepita
Carrer de Corsega, 343 +34-932-384-893
Charming neighborhood restaurant serving globally influenced tapas and sandwiches.

Suculent
Rambla del Raval, 45 +34-934-436-579
Small , cozy old wine house in Raval serving traditional Spanish cuisine prepared using modern techniques.

MADRID
Chocolatería San Ginés
Pasadizo San Ginés, 5 +34-913-656-546
The coffee shop that’s deservedly renowned for its hot cocoa and churros. Whatsoever hrs during the day and night.

Estado Puro
Plaza de Canovas del Castillo, 4 +34-913-302-400
Traditional tapas inside a modern establishing Palacio de Tepa hotel.

La Casa del Abuelo
Calle de Victoria, 12 +34-915-212-319
The most popular "House of Grandfather" standing-only tapas bar serves a restricted menu, including gambas al ajillo.

Mercado de San Miguel
Plaza de San Miguel +34-915-424-936
Amazing modern marketplace with quite a number of vendors selling Spanish delicacies and tapas.

Restaurante Botin
Calle Cuchilleros, 17 +34-913-664-217
The earliest traditional Spanish restaurant in The country, founded in 1725. Noted for its roast suckling pig.

Hold On, THERE’S MORE

Ask Fathom: Help! I am Dining Alone
Eat Your Heart In Andalusia
A Couple of Days in Seville

Inset photos: Thanks to Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra thanks to Pinotxo Bar.

Filed Under:

Akelaŕe,

Arzak ,

Asador Etxebarri,

Barcelona,

Bilbao,

Estado Puro,

La Casa del Abuelo,

La Pepita,

Meals a person can have,

Meals to keep in mind,

Mugaritz,

Museo Guggenheim Bilbao,

Pinotxo Bar,

Restaurante Botin,

Restaurante Martin Berasategui,

The country,

Suculent,

Tickets,

Traveler’s Tales,

Traveling Solo

This summer 22, 2014

Resourse: http://fathomaway.com/guides/europe/the country/itineraries/solo-dining-in-the country/

Go Through the Entire 19-Course Tasting Menu of a Michelin-Starred Barcelona Restaurant

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