San Sebastián

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My last full-day in Basque Country.  I decided to finish up my sabbatical travels with a "bang" and have a fabulous meal in San Sebastián, Spain.  I was lucky to get a reservation for lunch at Akelarre, a 3-star Michelin restaurant.  After I made that booking, I decided to also splurge and book a room at their hotel for the night -- that way I could fully indulge and not worry about driving, etc.  I will say that my plan was an excellent one -- lunch was just fantastic and the hotel was superb (add on a gorgeous location overlooking the ocean -- and the sum is perfection!)  Oh -- and the hotel also has an amazing spa ☺☺☺!

I took the scenic drive from Guéthary to Akelarre -- 31 miles and a little over 1 hour of driving.  The drive took me right into the center of San Sebastián -- I stopped for a quick walk around (and apparently only took one photo ☺) -- it's a beautiful city and I would definitely like to go back and spend more time there.

And then a climb into the mountains to Hotel Akelarre -- about 15 minutes west of San Sebastián, overlooking the Bay of Biscay.  Although it's a very familiar concept in France -- in Spain's high-end restaurant scene, a luxury boutique hotel devoted to a single chef is still something of a novelty.  Hotel Akelarre opened in July 2017 -- a stunning piece of modern architecture which added 22 hotel rooms and a full-service spa to the legendary restaurant.




  • 1:  Since I had the time -- drove mostly back roads -- pretty and peaceful
  • 2:  My one picture of San Sebastián (and a strange one at that!)
  • 3:  Hotel Akelarre


  • 1:  Not my photo - but my room looked just like this.  All 22 rooms are spacious and modern, designed by the Madrid-based architectural firm Mecanismo.  Rather than the belle-époque grandeur found at most hotels in this region, here the focus is on simple elegance embodied in stone walls, oak floors, and earth tones.  Those views of the sea aren't too bad either! ☺
  • 2:  Pedro Subijana has been the chef at Akelarre since 1975 and was one of the pioneers of new Basque cuisine and the emergence of San Sebastián as a world-class gastronomic hub.  He was awarded his first Michelin star in 1978 and the second in 1982.  In 2007 the restaurant won the coveted third star and people come from all over the world to eat here, at pristine tables in an octagonal dining room with views across the sea.
  • 3:  The view from my lunch table


  • 1:  Although you can eat à la carte, most people choose one of the three eight-course tasting menus.  I went with the "Aranori" with the wine pairing.
  • The sommelier was quite attentive and his selections were fantastic.  He asked me about wines that I liked / didn't like.  And he spent a lot of time explaining the wine.
  • 3:  Champagne Barons De Rothschild, French


  • 1-2:  Just to begin:
    • Bloody Mary
    • Diabolic Butter 
    • Shrimp little pillow
    • Fried eggs with potato chips and ham
    • Black pudding cookie
    • The goat butter was just amazingly good.  And although I'm not really a fan of black pudding -- the cookie was surprisingly tasty.
  • 3:  Jerez Fino Tradicion - delicious Spanish sherry -- we should all drink sherry a lot more!


  • 1:  Egg with Caviar, Cauliflower purée and Chive butter
    • A delicate way of eating a teaspoon of good caviar
  • 2:  The chef - Pedro Subijana - came out to explain parts of the menu to this lovely couple from Switzerland (I chatted with them a bit after lunch -- really very nice)
  • 3:  G. 1200, Txakoli Ekologikoa- a local style of wine


  • 1:  Kaldatz fiñ Mahats Berantiarra - a local wine
  • 2:  The Leaves and the Foie under the Rain
    • Is a light dish with a great variety of leaves, some of the are made with cold foie-gras.  The dressing, in a rain way, is made with an infusion of aromatics, without olive oil or vinegar.
  • 3:  L'Insolite, White Saumur, French


  • 1:  Kokotxa, Pumpkin Seeds Emulsion Garlic and Parsley Bread
    • Hake Kokotxa confit, Pumpkin Brunoise.  Egg yolk emulsion and pumpkin seeds oil.
  • 2:  Lalume, Dominio Do Bibei, Spanish
  • 3:  Green Brother Infusion, Scampi and Smoked Monkfish
    • Raw and smoked monkfish fillet, cut in thin slice.  Scampi barely cooked.  The little infusion bag made of obulato with monkfish crisp and aromatic small herbs and prawn powder that melts when pouring the absolutely natural broth, in taste and colour.
    • This was my least favorite looking dish -- but fortunately the taste far surpassed the look (or the description)


  • 1:  Chassagne-Montrachet, Bachelet-Monnot, French, 2014
  • 2:  Hake in Seaweed steam.  Plankton and Oyster Leaf
    • The hake is texture, but needs to have some flavor added, the seaweed and plankton make it.
  • 3:  Vino De Parcel, El Ciruelo, Tenerife / Canary Islands, Spain





  • 1-2:  Roasted Suckling Pig, "Bone" and Iberian Emulsion
    • "Bone" - Iberian Emulsion - Garlic
    • To get a crispy and juicy texture, the pig is cooked in Iberian broth and finished in the oven.  Start with the pig and take the filled bone with your fingers; continue with another bit of the Iberico emulsion.  Finish tasting all together.
    • One of the best dishes of the entire trip!
  • A father at lunch with his five sons.  They were having a lively conversation -- shame that I don't understand Spanish!





  • 1:   Refreshing of Citrus Fruits
    • Citrus, mints and basils in textures and temperatures that help cleanse the palate
  • 2:  Petit fours with my coffee
  • 3:  View from my room


  • View from my terrace.  I could hear the cow bells but couldn't spot the cows ☺
  • Sunset - just gorgeous


  • Next up was a massage at the hotel spa.  Just heavenly!  I slept like a baby :)
Location: San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain

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