Day 14 - Hiking, Beaching, and a 3-Michelin Star Meal

During my first full day in Basque country I took advantage of the best that this part of the world has to offer – gorgeous beaches, picturesque views and world-class food.   While taking in the sites it hit me that this is the first time I’ve experienced a European beach.  I’ve visited beaches in South America, Australia, Thailand, Mexico, and of course the U.S., but never in Europe.  I suppose if I had to pick a European beach to be my first, San Sebastian would be at the top of the list. 

I started with a hike up Monte Urgull, one of the highest mountains in the area, and as you can imagine the views of the San Sebastian Bay, the lively city and the surrounding green hills were spectacular.  Something else I noticed while hiking up the side of Monte Urgull was how out of shape I am.  I was winded and in a full sweat by the time I reached the top; all the pork and tapas are catching up with me.

After a night out with some new British friends I started my Thursday by buying breakfast at Cafe de la Concha.

 

The view from the table of Playa de la Concha was tough to beat.

 

Calamari, mixto sandwich (ham and cheese) and a cafe.

 

 

Once my belly was full it was time to take a hike, literally.  Similar to Rio de Janeiro, San Sebastian is looked over and protected by a large Christ statue that sits on top of Monte Urgull.  Also at the summit of the mountain is the old Castillo de Santa Cruz de la Mota.

 

A look at the Christ statue from the start of my hike.

The hike allowed for great views of the San Sebastian Bay and the buildings lining the beachside colonade.

The bay is protected by the Santa Clara island.

One of the small quads of the old abandoned Castle at the top of the mountain had been turned into a cafe overlooking the San Sebastian Bay.

This is about a quarter of the way up so I barely broke a sweat at this point.

 

A view of Playa de la Zurriola, the main surfer's beach, from the summit of Monte Urgull.

 

After a plethora of gorgeous views and a challenging hike I finally made it to the peak to see the Castillo and the Christ statue up close.

 

 

After relaxing for a bit and taking in the 360 degree scenery  at the top of the mountain, I eventually made it back down from my hike around 2pm and dove right back into the bustling streets of the Parte Vieja (Old Part).  I walked around the shops and markets  and grabbed a quick bite to eat before heading to the beach.

 

The streets of the Parte Vieja are so lively and have a ton of character.

 

I was walking around at 2 or 3pm, which is the prime time for when locals leave work for an hour or so to grab a quick bite and a beer at the local tapas restaurants.

 

Beach front housing overlooking Zurriola Beach.

Meat market...

Fresh produce was being sold by a variety of street vendors...

Several stalls had a wide array of fresh seafood selections . The Basques are great deep-sea fisherman and fish has a major role in the region's cuisine.

 

With the waves at a consistent 3-5 feet, Zurriola beach was packed with surfers.

Good waves...

A bit of footie on the beach.

I stumbled upon a guitar player in a little shady alcove and decided it was the perfect spot to relax.

 

Ciesta.

 

 

I made it back to the hotel in the late afternoon and got ready for dinner.  It's not often that you have the opportunity to experience a three-star Michelin dining experience, but I was able to secure a table at Pedro Subijana's AKELARE, which first received three Michelin Stars in 2007 and continues to maintain that acclaim.  Spain currently has six three-star Michelin restaurants, three of which can be found in San Sebastian.  In addition, San Sebastian has a two-star Michelin restaurant and five one-star Michelin restaurants for a total of 16 Michelin stars in the city. 

Akelarre has two set menus and one a la carte.  I opted for the pre-set nine course Bekarki menu which featured crab, foie gras, cod, pork, and much more.  Here is a look at each of the courses. 

Akelare is located about 10 minutes outside of town and sits on high cliffs with gorgeous panoramic ocean views.

Course 1: "Sea Garden" - Oyster leaf, mussel, sea urchin sponge, beach pepples (shallot and corn), and codium seaweed coral. All of these looked like a normal item you'd find on the beach and then tasted like something you'd get fresh from the sea. 

Course 2: "Xangurro in Essence" - Crab meat in its own juice accompanied with a petite pasta that looks like rice grains.

Course 3: "Razor Shell with Veal Shank" - Combines razor shell with veal and cauliflower mushroom.

 

Course 4: "Sauteed Fresh Foie Gras"

 

Course 5: "Turbot with its Neck" - Turbot is a white flat fish that doesn't have a neck so the name is sarcastic. The "neck" on the right is actually a local potato-like vegetable.

Course 6: "Cod Box with Shavings" - Crystalized cod presented over eatable dried pasta strands.

Course 7: "Roasted Suckling Pig with Tomato Bolao and Iberian Emulsion" - Crispy juicy pork cooked in broth and finished in the oven and served with skinned tomato slices. They also made a "potato chip" in the shape of a little pig (the light brown thing at the top of the plate).

 

Course 8: "Milk and Grape, Cheese and Wine Parallel Evolution" - The idea with this dish is to start on the left with a light subtle flavor and work your way to the right as the flavors intensify. The order is: curded sheep milk and walnut; powedered fresh cream with chive and grapes; quark cheese with nutmeg and pink pepper aroma; semi-matured idiazabal cheese with quince jelly and wine dust; brandy syrup with gorgonzola cheese ice cream; and finally torta of Casar's grape with soaked raisins.

Course 9 (last one): "Layered Strawberry and Cream" - A reconstructed strawberry filled with strawberry and cream flavor and basil seeds.

Once you crack open the foe-strawberry there was a creamy delicious center.

TERMINO!!

 Chef Pedro Sabijana was kind of enough to pose for a photo and talk a bit about his restaurant and the culinary scene in San Sebastian.

 

 

Akelare was a great experience.  So many new styles of food and flavors.  The innovation and presentation is what impressed me the most (as did the service; speaking of the service, one of my waiters was from Pasadena. He works at Mozza back in LA, but is in San Sebastian for three months studying wine).  I didn't like everything, but I didn't expect to.  I knew there were going to be a few things that didn't suit me, but I wanted to try it.  I wanted to see what the leaders in the culinary world are doing.  To taste and witness the flavor combinations and the way they are presented was well worth the visit. 

Friday is a beach day and by that I mean doing nothing but laying on the sand and occasionally getting up to go into the water or perhaps getting a beer.  Also, the local San Sebastian soccer team, Real Sociedad, who plays in La Liga (Spain's top league), plays Friday night in Pamplona against rival Osasuna in a league cup match.  It's an hour bus ride and it's not one of my planned matches, but it could be fun to see since it is a top division game and it's basically a derby (a rivalry game).  It'll be a game-day decision.