What
Traditional Basque seafood restaurant.
Why
The owner’s son is buying fish from local fishermen; the restaurant is 200 yards from the sea, and it doesn’t get fresher for a ocean to table experience.
Elkano | Getaria
September 23, 2009
Spanish Basque Country - Spain
Seafood
Spanish Basque Country
Herrerieta, 2
Getaria, Spain 20808 (view map)
T: +34/943.140.024
Website:
Hours:
Mon - Sun: lunch & dinner
Except:
September to July 15th, closed on Sunday & Tuesday dinner, all day Monday
Visiting Elkano is a magical experience. It’s about a 40-minute drive from San Sebastian, located in a historic little fishing village called Getaria, with cobblestone streets and quaint buildings dating back to the 1500’s. The food doesn't get any fresher for a sea-to-table experience.
Owner Pedro Arregui opened up in the 1960’s, and pioneered the skill of roasting whole fish on the grill. His son Aitor joined the restaurant in 2002 and is now their fishmonger. If he’s available, ask him to help you navigate the menu. You will be in good hands.
Kokotxa, the throat of Hake fish, is one of Elkano’s signature dishes. It’s cooked three different ways, grilled, fried, and in a pil pil style sauce made with olive oil and fresh herbs. The fish is so delicate it melts in your mouth. If they’re on the menu, try the Percebes (gooseneck barnacles), which look like the feet of some prehistoric animal, but are sweet, meaty, briny, and filled with the essence of the ocean. The harvesting of the Percebes are based on the tides and the moon. When the waves are too big after the full moon, harvesting the barnacles becomes too difficult.
Whole fish grilling on the outside grill at Elkano.
The whole Turbot fish is another dish that has put Elkano on the map. Make sure that you eat all the tasty bits - cheek, collar, eyeball, head, brain, and sides. The topside is dark skinned since it faces the sea; the bottom is lighter as it is always against the sand. The different textures and tastes are really dobvious and you’ll immediately know why this fish is the star of the show. They catch it just a few steps away from the restaurant and grilled on the front balcony. Simple and delicious.
They have a full menu of seafood - baby squid, clams, lobster, crab, sole, grouper, sea bass are just some of treasures from the local sea. Keep in mind, this is not a place for bargain hunters, the turbot runs about 48 Euro a kilogram and a good sized portion for two is about 1.1 kilograms. Sunday lunch gets crowded, so try to make a reservation in advance. And while the town is a relaxed seaside village, the restaurant is an upscale, white tablecloth establishment.
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