AITOR’S RECOMMENDATION

SAN SEBASTIAN

RESTAURANTE IBAI

c/ Getaria 15

20005 San Sebastian, Spain (map this)

T: +34/943.428.764

Known for cooking only what the owner buys at the market that day. It’s best to just ask him to feed you.  If you can get in at all.

Note:  after asking around, this is pretty much a locals only place and the owner tends to tell you the small 12 seat restaurant is fully booked.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Seafood

Basque Country, Spain

Herrerieta, 2

Getaria, Spain 20808 (map this)

T: +34/943.140.024

Website:

www.restauranteelkano.com

Hours:

Mon - Sun: lunch & dinner

Except:

September to July 15th, closed on Sunday & Tuesday dinner, all day Monday

It’s hard to say which aspect was the most magical about our visit to Elkano. It could have been the setting, located in the center of a glorious seaside town with buildings dating back to the 1500’s. It could have been that everything we ate was so fresh, it tasted like the sea, or it could have been that the one guy in the restaurant who spoke English, Aitor (who happens to be the owner’s son), passionately guided us through our lunch experience. Perhaps, it was all of the above.

Elkano had been recommended to us by chefs, wine merchants, and top notch food-obsessed folks. We knew it should be on our radar. We did minimal research before our trip and saw pictures of what looked like the gnarly feet of some weird, pre-historic creature. Not exactly mainstream food porn, but totally seductive to us. We called from the States and immediately booked a table.

When we arrived on a Sunday afternoon at one, the restaurant was completely empty. We were told to wait for someone who spoke English. A young guy in a t-shirt arrived and was incredibly gracious. He took us to our table and proceeded to explain what seafood was listed on the menu and why they included it. It was like eating Jacques Cousteau style. We were putty in his hands.

The first thing he recommended was Kokotxa, the throat of Hake fish, cooked three different ways. A ménage à trois grilled, fried, and in a pil pil style sauce made with olive oil and fresh herbs. The fish was so delicate and gelatinous, it just melted in your mouth. A total wow moment. But that was just the intro, because the grand dame was yet to come.

Next up, was Percebes (gooseneck barnacles). This is what we had seen in pictures and they are just as funky in person. Aitor (now changed into more formal wear as the restaurant began filling up fast) explained that the harvesting of the Percebes was based on the tides and the moon. Better before the full moon, otherwise it’s too hard to harvest the barnicles due to the size of the waves. They were fresh, sweet, meaty, briny, and filled with the essence of the ocean. 

Following the Percebes, It was time for what has put Elkano on the map, the Turbot. The Turbot is a round, flat fish. Aitor filleted the grilled whole fish at the table, and in the process  describing in detail all the parts we would be eating: top and bottom fillets, 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 were readily apparent. You will immediately know why this is the star of the show. Caught in the seas just walking distance from the restaurant and grilled on the front balcony, it is so simple and yet, so ridiculously tasteful.

Elkano has been around since the 1960’s, and as long as the seas keep providing them treasures, the restaurant will be worth visiting. Keep in mind, this is not a place for bargain hunters, the turbot runs about 48 Euro a kilogram and our good sized portion for two was 1.1 kilograms. But, for us, it was a memorable meal.

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