Tours and guides to the Basque Country and Northern Spain

Basque Food

Aldanondo

Aldanondo is my stepfather´s favorite restaurant in San Sebastian. He is not alone. While multitudes crowd rustic cider houses and the posh restaurants serving new Basque cuisine those in the know head for the best steaks in town at Aldanondo. The menu is simple and straightforward. The faithful clientele comes for one thing only.

Grilled to perfection (that´s rare for those of you who have not yet visited the Basque Country) by Patxi and served by his accommodating wife Maria Jesus, massive ox meat steaks are accompanied by a green salad and pimientos de piquillo which are sweet/spicy red peppers from the tiny town of Lodosa in Navarra. The peppers can be eaten as an appetizer stuffed with codfish in béchamel sauce but there are other tempting options as well. Grilled fresh anchovies are unbeatable in season and red beans from Tolosa make a hearty winter lunch. Everything is seasonal here , If Chipirones a lo Pelayo are on the specials menu by all means try them, sweet, tender baby squid sautéed with onion they are a summer delight.

Aldonondo´s main concern is top quality ingredients, prepared in a traditional manner and served with fine wines. The wine cellar is simple but solid. I recommend Viña Real as a reasonably priced and satisfying red to accompany grilled meats. If you opt for fish, a fine choice here too, try Rueda a young aromatic white from the Castilla-Leon area.

The Basques are not big dessert eaters especially after such copious meals. Aldanondo provides the staples, flan, junket, apple tart, all homemade. Cured Idiazabal cheese with quince jam wins hands down here. If you have a hankering for sweets order a plate of tejas y cigarillos, crisp and delicious almond cookies, with coffee.

An after dinner drink is recommended just to have them leave the gigantic bottle of Armagnac on your table!

Que aproveche!