I’ve never had pintxos in Ordizia Taberna in SS, but I have had meals in the village in the beautiful Goierri, called the Spanish Highlands. The land of the Latxa sheep.
https://tourism.euskadi.eus/en/agenda/shepherds-day-in-ordizia/webtur00-evento/en/
Maribel, yes…TIRA DO CORDEL will be Tuesday lunch, end route to Muxia.
@ninkat
I absolutely agree about the torrija with ice cream. I think the ice cream flavor sometimes varies but the torrija is his best dessert, imo, and usually available.
Have you seen the Somebody Feed Phil episode in the Basque Country, now playing?
Phil dines at Casa Urola with Ander González, chef of Astelena? They had the seared scallop with almond cream and coffee vinaigrette, and white beans topped with foie gras.
@Ziggy,
I think that Asador Araneta may reopen soon. I was watching the last episode of my favorite SS dining show, “A Mesa Puesta” and the participants, including Pablo Loureiro, talked about the grill master of Araneta, Joseba Odriozola, who was part of the last program before next September.
The remark was “tras unos meses en ‘stand-by’ retoma su Araneta Erretegia con toda la ilusión del mundo y la misma sabiduría de siempre.”----
which I interpreted to mean that after a pause of several months he will return to his Asador. I’ll ask Gabriella.
Another “under the radar” excellent and popular asador is found in Usurbil, one of the main cider producing towns outside of SS.
It’s Asador Olivi
It was just written up yesterday in the Diario Vasco, “el arte de la brasa”. It opened 2 years ago by the cider producer Saizar, so still not national known.
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Ha! I’ll have to find that Somebody Feed Phil episode. I have not seen it, but sounds like something I would enjoy. Gracias @Maribel!
I watched Phil episode online from Galicia last week.
I think one of the places he visits is Bar Nestor, but he does not give the name, or did I miss it?
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It’s the place where he had grilled tomatoes and steak. Also supposed to have a great tortilla that’s very hard to access!
Just watched it (Basque country). It is Bar Nestor, and I don’t think he named it. He did not have the tortilla there, nor the turbot at Elkano (but what they did eat there looked amazing. I have never eaten at etxebarri, but this made me absolutely want to go! Also the other Asodar in the show and the ones @Maribel mentions above.
This is where Phil ate in his Basque Country episode:
La Espiga, in the center of the city, far less touristed than those bars in the Old Quarter and a local favorite
Bar Txapetxa, the anchovy “temple” in the Old Quarter
Casa Urola, our favorite, in the Old Quarter for the scallop
Elkano in Getaria, according to that highly subjective “list”, the number 24 of the World’s Best
Pasteleria Otaegui, the pastry shop in San Sebastián, where the dessert, pantxineta, is their stellar pastry. There he also tried the burnt cheesecake but made famous at Bar La Viña in the Old Quarter. This, for me, is the city’s best pastry shop.
Bodegón Asador Joxe Mari in Orio, the “temple” of the sea bream (besugo), where we have an upcoming reservation, the only one of the list we haven’t tried.
Asador Etxebarri in Axpe (Vizcaya), the “2nd best restaurant in the world”, according to The World’s Best List
Bar Néstor in the Old Quarter of San Sebastián, famous for its txuleta, its tomato salad and its tortilla with caramelized onions (which he didn’t try—16 “sort of” triangular shaped slices sold of each tortilla, the tortilla coming out twice a day, the first at 1 and then at 8.)
Sidrería Zapiain, one of the many cider houses in Astigarraga. It makes a lovely ice cider, “Bizi-Goxo”.
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Thanks, Maribel. I wondered why he did not name Bar Nestor.
I had that lovely Zapiain ice cider at SIMPAR in Santiago! It was the best cider I’ve ever tasted.
There are other ice ciders made in Asturias, such as the Valverán, and in the Basque Country Oiharte (based in Zerain), although Zapiain’s is the most famous.
Zapiain also makes an interesting cider liqueur, Sagardoz Goxoa.
Those who find themselves in Getaria in the future can purchase both the Bizi-Goxo and Sagardoz Goxoa at the Maisor anchovy canning factory and shop located at the pier below the Asador Astillero. Maisor also a nice place to visit to watch the ladies engaged in the canning process.
We love to shop for Basque gourmet products during our Getaria stays. There’s also a lovely shop/deli around the corner from the Asador Mayflower, Amona María. It offers a nice selection of local txakolí wines, beside the popular Txomin Etxaniz.
TX, owned by the family of Txomin Etxaniz, is a nice spot for evening pintxos as are Politena with its groaning board of pintxos and the appropriately named Elkano Txiki (very small, the original space of Elkano), with pintxos prepared to order.
Our favorite Getariako txakolinas:
Katxiña from Orio, K5 from Aia, Gaintza from Getaria, Hika from Villabona and Ameztoi, where we’ll be staying soon.
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We haven’t talked about the gâteau Basque yet (on the Spanish side it’s pastel vasco and in Euskara, it’s etxeko biskotxa).
My favorite experience, outside of the Gâteau Basque Museum in Sare and its 45-min. demonstration (in French only), is…
visiting the Moulin de Bassiloure in Bidart, the stone mill where the famous cake is artisan made. It’s a popular tourist attraction.
And unlike other shops all over the Pays Basque where one can buy this cake, filled with either black cherry jam from itxassou or pastry cream, the mill’s version can only be purchased on site.
Open daily from 8 to 1 and 2:30 to 7.
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We have now booked our hotels, and will spend the first two days in Laguardia. We are staying at Hospedería de los Parajes. I gave LLD the names of the two places Maribel recommended, and this one appealed to him the most. We’ll be driving from Madrid airport to Laguardia. LLD loves scenic roads. Is there a drive on the way there (even if it takes us longer) that would qualify as incredibly scenic? Or in the area of Laguardia while we’re driving around to different wineries? Or will those drives in and of themselves be beautiful (I assume the answer is yes)? And how about on the way from there to San Sebastián?
While we’re staying in Laguardia, is there somewhere anyone would recommend for dinner? Ideally there in town. We’ll be tired from the flight and easy is a big plus. Thanks for all the help!
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@LulusMom1
While I could recommend a more scenic route, I would suggest that you head straight on the fast and well maintained A1 (but look out for the many speed traps! Siri alerts us) and detour only when you reach exit 57 off the A1, then take the N 232. When you reach Briones, you will take a left and go up to San Vicente de la Sonsierra on the LR 210, past the Dinastía Vivanco wine museum on your right and then at the roundabout just north of medieval San Vicente, take a right onto the N 232a highway, which will take you through the medieval villages of Abalos, Samaniego and Páganos before reach hilltop Laguardia. This drive, after leaving Barajas, will take 3 hrs. 30 min. w/o stops.
I’ve attached the pdf driving directions that we use. We go to Laguardia 4 times a year from Madrid.
Barajas to Laguardia directions.pdf (1.9 MB)
The very scenic part, extremely beautiful, will be the drive after leaving the A1 through the vineyard countryside with the Sierra de Cantabria in the background. Just stunning!
Please note that the Hospedería de los Parajes sits right in the middle of the pedestrianized walled town. One of you will need to drop your suitcases off outside the medieval gate and the other will need to park in the public lots below the hill town, then take the steps up to the top of the town. Laguardia doesn´t have a municipal underground garage, only the open parking spaces below the Hotel Castillo de Collado.
Once your car is parked down below, you will need to walk with luggage just a short way to the hotel, which sits directly on the town square. You can’t miss it!
As to Laguardia dining, we recommend either SVGAR inside the walls for grilled meats or the more gourmet AMELIBIA, just outside the walls, below the Hotel Marixa (not recommended) or for lighter fare, something more simple, the Gastrobar Doña Blanca, just above the Hotel Marixa.
Nice pintxos can be taken sitting down in the Bar Hiruko on the square, if you only want pintxos and wine. We havent been to the Capricho de Baco right outside the medieval walls since it changed chefs.
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Do you really expect that Somebody Feed Phil has such an impact outside of the US (and even in the US I think his impact on restaurants is quite limited). Most of the time I talk with people in Europe about the series they haven’t heard about it or didn’t like it a lot as it is much more US-centric than for example Bourdain’s different series, e.g. Phil’s video calls at the end of each series with people hardly anybody has heard about outside of the US etc.
No, I didn’t mean that his programs have an impact outside of US visitors that travel to Europe, or to another city where he has filmed in search of the restaurants where he has dined.
Of course, most Europeans haven’t heard about it. They don’t watch it on Netflix. I don’t think that the Searching for Spain by Eva Longoria on CNN has any impact on European diners, although it has been featured here in the Spanish press.
So, just delete my above quoted remark! Europeans aren’t going to flock to Asador Bodegón Joxe Mari in Orio because they have seen it on Somebody Feed Phil. It´s already quite well known in the Basque Country and always busy, but some visiting Americans, who follow Phil may now seek it out, if looking for something on the Orio-Getaria-Zumaia route. No, of course, it won’t have the impact of the infamous, highly subjective, controversial “World’s Best” or the OAD. Spaniards do read and follow the Macarfi guide and Repsol, now separate guides for Spain and Portugal.
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If one is interested in other Basque asadores or grill houses, charcoal grilling both wild caught fish and Basque rib steaks, there are many, many that fly under the radar, besides the the usual suspects (Elkano, Kai Kaipe in Getaria, Casa Julián de Tolosa) but that Basque diners frequent regularly.
Some of these:
Bedua on the river outside of Zumaia
Casa Nicolasa, across the river from the more “famous internationally” Casa Julián in Tolosa
Jose Mari, San Martín, Bodegas Katiña and Xixario all in Orio, the sea bream capital
Laia in the hills above Hondarribia
Sutan outside of Hondarribia in the txakolí winery Hiruzta
Trinketa Borda and Ana Mari in Irún
Horma Ondo in Larrabetzu, above Azurmendi in Vizcaya, to the east of Bilbao
Txitxardin in Lasarte
Just a few, without mentioning those in Navarra or the Rioja Alavesa.
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Egosari hours on Calle Fermín Calbetón in the Old Quarter of San Sebastian/Donostia.
Bar open from 10-4 only. Dining room from 1-3, for lunch only, Monday-Friday.
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We also found a great local one in the hills near Bilbao called Txakoli Simon it was all locals great meat and friendly staff beautiful views.
Our friend, mikel (whom Ziggy knows), and a great tour guide, took us to Txakoli Simón with his family. Yes, really great views!
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Consider seeing the Burgos Cathedral on the way
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