16-04-2014
Eneko Atxa stood out thanks to the success he conquered in very little time. In five years’ time, his Azurmendi, in the small village of Larrabetzu, in Biscay, tel. +34.944.558.866, obtained Michelin’s highest acknowledgment and became a point of reference in the Basque restaurant scene. Also thanks to his attention to eco-friendly beauty
«Exceptional Bloody “Mar”…». «Crazy cocoa notes…». «A harmonic explosion…». I go through my notes, taken during a lunch at Azurmendi, a few weeks ago, cuddled in an eco-friendly, imposing and beautiful restaurant built with crystals, iron, wood and stone. Perhaps also because of a few initial glasses of “42” - txakoli maison aged for six months in French oak barrels, a small production of 2,000 bottles - Eneko Atxa’s profile was still a little out of focus. Thirty-six years old, from Biscay, he is at least a generation after the other great tri-starred chefs: in fact, he’s become the most awarded young Spanish chef ever, in record time, from 2007 to 2012 when he got the tercera estrella, the first time for a restaurant in the history of Biscay. An early triumph. Today I realise, while analysing my quick notes, that I mostly appreciated his tasty peaks, the harmony emerging from a brave dish that reaches an unexpected balance, that is to say the embers hiding under the ash.
Seaside pil-pil oyster with slightly spiced flowers and anemones in a light tempura
Bloody "Mar" is a special Bloody Mary prepared with sea urchin water, to be drunk while eating a biscuit with sea urchin cream and petals
An outdoor trip or a journey to the other side of the planet? One thing is for sure: the destination is delicious, by Carlo Passera
by
journalist born in 1974, for many years he has covered politics, mostly, and food in his free time. Today he does exactly the opposite and this makes him very happy. As soon as he can, he dives into travels and good food. Identità Golose's editor in chief