Asador Extebarri
Forget George Foreman. There is only one lean, mean grilling machine who matters to Restaurant, and that's Victor Arguinzoniz. At Etxebarri, in the Atxondo valley near Bilbao, Arguinzoniz uses the grill, or La brasa, to turn out food every bit as exciting and exacting as that of his Basque contemporaries. Using different woods, several varieties of charcoal are prepared at the 40 cover restaurant every day. Each has a specific application in the preparation of the strictly seasonal, mainly local, and 'preferably live' ingredients, from white truffle to elvers, which Arguinzoniz (who custom designed all the kit himself) cooks on a system of grills, often using specialist mesh-pans.
Behind the stove:
Victor Arguinzoniz
What they say:
"Forget delicacy and sophistication - this is simply the best steak ever." Lydia Itoi, TIME Magazine.
New dish of the year:
Chistorra, smoked butter and oysters.
Not a lot of people know that:
By first heating the milk over coals, Arguinzoniz produces a smoked ice-cream.
Plaza San Juan 1, 48291 Axpe-Marzana, Atxondo-Bizkaia, Spain+34 94 6583042
www.asadoretxebarri.com
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