Andoni Luis Aduriz (San Sebastián, 53 years old) is one of the most influential chefs in Spanish cuisine. Restless, idealistic and non-conformist, his gastronomic DNA carries creativity and innovation as a hallmark. After leaving school he felt the call of the kitchen in the heat of the new Basque cuisine movement. He worked at elBulli, where he discovered that it was possible to break molds and cross barriers. This is what he has been doing since he took over Mugaritz in 1998, much more than a restaurant, an R&D center and a confluence of different disciplines around gastronomy. In fact, he closes for four months a year to dedicate them entirely to giving free rein to creativity, in addition to mixing concepts, such as risk, play, nature and excellence. He directs the IXO business group, created in 2009, together with Bixente Arrieta, which integrates the restaurants muka, Alejandro still life and TOPA Sukalderíain addition to Mugaritz (Errenteria, Gipuzkoa), Nerua Guggenheim Bilbao and Guggenheim Bistro Bilbao (Bilbao, Bizkaia).
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Where to have breakfast
1. Botanika Coffee. He likes it because it is a space located in a relaxing area in front of the Urumea River, with a garden terrace, a little hidden in the city. It offers everything from sweet to savory dishes, such as scrambled or fried eggs with potatoes, or delicious avocado, smoked salmon or ham toast, as well as a selection of coffees and natural juices and smoothies. Address: Gernika Tree Walk, 8, San Sebastián. Phone: 943 44 34 75.
A place to have an aperitif
2. Choose the restaurant terrace Narru, under an archway that overlooks the square where the Buen Pastor Cathedral is located, to have an aperitif or to eat at any time. “It’s one of my favorite places for everything. The menu gives a lot of play,” says Aduriz. He recommends, in addition to the croquettes, the salad or the squid, the oyster to accompany a glass of cava, champagne or txacoli. Address: Saint Martin, 22, Saint Sebastian. Phone: 843 93 14 05.
Where to eat
3. Overlooking the Bahía de la Concha is the bar-restaurant Biarritz, on the ground floor of the Nice hotel. The cook is enthusiastic about rice. “They make a socarrat Wonderful and a classic cuisine offering, which reminds me of vacations. Terrace, rice and sea for me are an epiphany.” Address: Paseo de la Concha 43, Zubieta Kalea, 56, Saint Sebastian. Phone: 943 42 33 49.
A coffee or sweet in the middle of the afternoon
4. Recommends going to any bakery location The Loaf. He especially likes the one located in front of the Kursaal, next to Zurriola beach. Offers a wide variety of sweet and savory options. Address: Avenida de Zurriola, 18, San Sebastián. Phone: 943 33 09 21.
Where to have a drink
5. Go back to the landscape and quality to choose a place to have a drink or a cocktail, and propose climbing Mount Igueldo, to the Espazio Oteiza at the Akelarre hotel, by Pedro Subijana, and from the terrace contemplate the views of the deep Cantabrian Sea. The cocktail menu has been designed by bartender Patxi Troitiño. “It is a very special place, with a great cocktail bar.” Address: Father Orkolaga, 56, San Sebastián. Phone: 943 31 12 08.
Where to dine
6. In one of the places he chooses to dine, he sweeps for home, as he proposes one of his restaurants: muka. It justifies the choice because it is located at the mouth of the Urumea, “and the sunsets are wonderful”, but also because of its gastronomic offer based on all the declination that exists around the fire, and for grilling everything that the sea brings in season. He recommends going with the flow and asking for those off the menu. Address: Avenida de Zurriola, 1, San Sebastián. Phone: 943 00 31 62.
7. He also suggests going to Urola House. “I really like the options of a city with very strong traditional codes. For something to work it has to be eaten wonderfully well. And this is a house with guarantees.” Founded in 1956, it is located in the old part of San Sebastian and is run by chef Pablo Loureiro and Begoña Arenas. They offer seasonal products – such as spring stew (peas, beans, asparagus, xixas and new potato) with slices of Iberian ham and egg yolk, the scrambled eggs xixa of spring (perretxikos) made at low temperature, or grilled tear pea with egg yolk, ham broth and chives—, fish, meat and seafood. Address: Fermín Calbetón, 20, San Sebastián. Phone: 943 44 13 71.
A store or something that has to be bought in the market
8. In addition to visiting the San Martín market, he suggests going to a store that he is passionate about: the cheese factory. Elkano 1-Gaztagune. They make their own cheeses with sheep’s milk latxa in a small workshop located in Aia (Gipuzkoa), but not only the Idiazabal cheese, but also the soft paste, cake or roll cheese wrapped in ash. In addition, they have a repertoire of varieties of small artisan cheese factories and large international cheeses. Aduriz has a devotion to gorgonzola and blue cheeses. “When I am invited to dinner I try to bring a board of these cheeses,” he says. Address: Elkano 1, San Sebastian. Phone: 640 89 83 64.
A gastronomic ‘souvenir’
9. It is clear: a Idiazabal cheese, “the most outstanding in all of Spain.” It has a protected designation of origin.
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