Menu of the month ­ Mugaritz

Where it's At

The culinary hoo-haa raging throughout Europe is this: Spain is where it's at, and France is passé. The world's most famous chef is Spanish ­ Ferran Adria ­ and the intellectual vanguard of Spanish cooks coming behind Adria are just as talented as El Bulli's legendary creator.

Do we agree? We do, and the one meal we would cite as evidence was a dinner we ate during the Spanish culinary Congress, "Lo Mejor de la Gastronomie", in mugarritz, a restaurant about 20 minutes from San Sebastian where the youthful-looking Andoni Luis Aduriz is the chef. This gorgeous, Zen-like room gives little hint of the inspirational cooking Senor Adurriz is capable of, and the various European food writers whom we met during the Congress all agreed that mugarritz was probably their favourite place to eat in Europe right now. Put mugarritz on your "must get there" list for 2004. Here is the English Language version of their menu.

Platter of "Carrasco" Spanish pork loin €9.75
Platter of "Joselito" premium Spanish cured ham. Tva. 1998 €14.15

Half Portions

VEGETABLES, OVEN ROASTED AND RAW, SPROUTS AND LEAVES, WILD AND CULTIVATED, seasoned with hazelnut butter and dusted with seeds and petals. Emmenthal cheese generous season €12.95

SAUTEED RED PRAWNS covered in "toasted" rice, peanut crumbs and corals emulsified with "Arbequina" olive oil €43.50/kg

Split crayfish royale upon a bed of plant roe. SAUTEED CRAYFISH TAILS €188.65/kg

Tempered buffallo milk MOZZARELLA and sautéed MUSHROOMS upon a milky leave. Meat juice and Spilantes acmella oil €10.65

SQUIN AND BREAD FISHERMAN'S GEL. Sautéed squid, orchard's shoots and simple grains of paradise (Elettaria cardamomum) oil €14.20

By way of a warm soup, SPRINKLED WITH A CHOPPED BLEND OF WILD HERBS, RHIZOMES, ROOTS AND BULBS. Whipped mock lard. €11.50

OVEN ROASTED HAKE WITH EMULSIFIED WHITE ROMENSCO. Torrefied black olive crispy pastry, wild (Allium vineale) and Sereh oil €18.70

Proportions

RED MULLET STEAK. Crunchy bone and juniper iodized base €19.65

CONCENTRATED COD BROTH on a crystallized cod steak, croutons, plum, confit of tomatoes, and spicy sauce of parsley and bitter shoots €12.35

TUNA SUPREME COVERED BY FRESH ALMOND AND MACADAMIA NUT SLICES Wild herb fresh curry. Small pimpernel sprig €31.25

Reproducing an aroma from our environment, ROASTED LAMB FILLET. Shredded sweet garlic, chlorophyll whipped with hazelnut oil, (Oxtalis acetosella) and toasted hazelnuts €16.25

(for two persons) LOWER LOIN ROASTED OVER HALF CHARCOAL AND HALF VINE WOOD accompanied by toasted parsnip and a Mate herb and Soya cream foam €45.05

(for two persons) ROASTED PIGEON BREAST on light broth of its carcass and mace, ground nutmeg and water chestnuts. Hazelnut salt.€32.95

TOASTED FOIE GRAS ESCALOPE Fresh soya and thyme cream Skimmed yeast emulsion €22.05 (due to the complicated preparation of this dish, please order 45 minutes in advance)

Equalibrium

SELECTION OF WIDE VARIETY OF EUSKALHERRIA CHEESES
Small portions of homemade ewe, cow, goat and buffalo milk cheeses, abbey monastery and farmhouse cheeses, mountain and meadow cheeses, etc €8.50

SELECTION OF IDIAZABAL, CERTIFIED ORIGIN CHEESES
The finest cheese of each season of the year from all the pastures in the certified region €8.50

(Because our deserts are made by hand as required, please order at the beginning of your meal)

FRENCH TOAST SOAKED IN EGG YOLK, SAUTE BROWNED AND CARAMELISED
Accompanied by a reduced milk ice cream €5.50

PUMPKIN AND TAHITY VANILLA ICE CREAM, sugared black sunflower seeds €5.50

GROUNDS OF ESPRESSO COFFEE UPON CHILLED COCOA JUICE light chicory cream with farmhouse natural milk skin €4.90

Sun-ripened, SEASON'S RED FRUIT with the sharp contrast of white pepper ice-cream. Chilled liliaceous soup. €6.50

COCOA/STAR ANISE/MENTHOL €4.90

mugaritz

Otzazuluerta Baserria
Aldura aldea 20 zk
Orereta 20100
Gipuzkoa

Tel 943 522 455 - 943 518 343
Fax: 943 518 216