When, at the start of the year, I read that Forbes had
listed Ibai as one of ‘The 16 Coolest Places to Eat in 2016’ (here), I knew I had to try once
more to get a table.
If you need further confirmation as to its merits, Andy
Hayler (the only man to have eaten in all the world’s 3 Michelin starred
restaurants) lists Ibai amongst his ‘7 most underrated restaurants in Europe’
(here) and the celebrated Luxeat also offers a glowing review.
Located in the basement of a small pintxos bar bearing
the same name, reservations can only be made in person for weekday lunchtimes
(it is not open for dinner or weekends). Nor do they do not accept credit/debit
cards.
Continuing with the ‘practicalities’, I’ve read a few
things about the difficulty of getting a reservation at Ibai. On both our
recent visits (November and May) I have not encountered problems. Each time, I
called into the bar at the beginning of the week to ask for availability. The
first time, I was offered a table but it clashed with our travel plans so I had
to decline. Most recently, they had availability Monday through Friday (we opted
for the Tuesday).
When you do call in to book, stay for a few pintxos. When
fresh out of the pan, their tortilla is one of the best in San Sebastian.
Behind the the stoves of the place Andy Hayler proclaims
“one of the best-kept culinary secrets of the world” is Chef Alicio Garro. A small, mustachioed, charmingly humble man
with a warm smile and calm air. I’ve read that it’s his wife and brother who
assist with front of house duties.
Continuing with the same principles since he opened in 1983, Garro’s genius
is on a different trajectory to some of the more well known and celebrated chefs
in the area. His brilliance comes from his virtuoso understanding of the
cooking techniques required to get the best natural flavours from the finest
ingredients that the region and seasons have to offer.
There is no menu as such at Ibai
but they do have a printed list of ingredients that are available that day – availability
obviously changes with seasonality and if the chef has been able to source
produce from the markets which meets his exacting standards. Diners select what
they like and the chef then creates a ‘personalised tasting menu’.
From what I experienced and have read, meals at Ibai
generally start with a course of ‘Chorizo’.
Cooked at low temperature, most diners seem to agree that this is the best
textured and flavoured chorizo they have ever tasted – I am no different.
Our first course was a bowl of ‘Forest Fungi’ (Hongos y Setas del Bosque) – Found
abundantly in the damp verdant mountainsides of ‘El País Vasco’, various
places in and around San Sebastián serve high quality girolles, ceps
and zizas (St George’s mushrooms), but it’s Chef Garro’s intense mushroomy stock which make this exceptional.
Masterfully cooked, up next, came ‘Squids’ (Chipirónes de anzuelo del día)
– Freshly caught that day, simply cooked and drizzled with a little olive oil
and finely chopped parsley.
‘Kokotxas’ (Hake
jowls) are a speciality of the region and a particular speciality of Ibai. Here
they serve kokotxas “en
tres maneras” (three ways) – the classic pil-pil, breaded
or ‘confitada’. We opted for the gloopy, emulsified garlic
and parsley tinged pil-pil sauce
which I think most compliments the distinctive gelatinous texture of the fish.
‘Beef chop’
(Chuleta de vaca de caserío) – having had the Galician chuleta (txuleta) the
night before at the famed Bar Nestor in the Old Town (here)
and on a previous trip at Martín
Berasategui’s “Eme Be” (here)
'Postre'
'Sorbete y Cava'
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