My Poshest Dining Experience
My family roots are seeded in small fishing villages near Bilbao, namely Santurtzi and Portugalete, and visiting these places always bring me great excitement, especially when it comes to food. I usually survive on pintxos and a Menú del Día (a daily menu consisting of a first, second plate, and dessert). These options are usually quite humble but amazingly delicious (later on I'll post about my favorite spots). During my last visit to Bilbao with my family, we were joined by a friend, and fellow foodie who invited us to dinner at the Guggenheim's Nerua. This restaurant in particular offers three sampling menus with alcoholic and non-alcoholic pairings, consisting of either nine, fourteen, or twenty-one dishes, as well as an à la carte menu.
When you walk in, the first thing you see is the open kitchen. I was excited to see the chefs at work, but I was soon dismayed when we were lead to the dining area. It was a semicircular room with about six tables (also in a semicircle), a large window with views to the river, and absolutely no decoration. I have to admit I was a bit intimidated by the all in black waiters and serious stares from the diners. I felt like I was walking into some sort of futuristic setting where every word and movement was being closely scrutinized. But heck, I was there to enjoy a once in a lifetime meal!
We struggled to decide which menu to chose as the fourteen dish menu was the only menu with a carolina as a dessert and twenty-one dish menu would take nearly three hours to complete. Not to mention that I was hoping to make it in time to the Portugalete jaiak. In the end we opted for the fourteen item menu with the non-alcoholic pairings. Essentially, every two dishes were paired with a different juice or 'essence' to complement the dish, ranging from kiwi and basil to tamarind to eggplant and mint. By the end of the meal our table was covered in nearly 45 glasses!! What?!
I won't go into detail about each dish in particular, but here is the menu of what we had last night, taken from their website. I will say that my favourites were the bonito, lamb cheek, quail, and carolina.
Tomatoes, aromatic herbs and capers base
Wild asparagus, avocado, arugula and chlorophyll
Shrimp, pod and peach
Crayfish, stir-fried tomatoes and pilpil sauce
Tuna heart and Aragon black olive
Fried anchovies, oat cream and sage
Shallots in black sauce
Squid, onion and pea juice
Tuna, spring onion cream and garlic
Fried hake with “txoricero” pepper strand
Lamb cheek, cauliflower and Manzanilla wine
Quail, mashed potatoes, almond and wheat juice
Fig, mint and iced fig tree milk
Carolina… strawberry, rose, coconut and black pepper
Needless to say the food was amazing and the service was phenomenal as they announced each dish and pairing. Someone even lead me to the unmarked bathroom where they had linen towels to dry your hands. By the end we were super full and ready for bed, but the town parties were waiting. I'd recommend this place if fancy dining is your thing, and maybe just for the experience and getting all dressed up. However, I do still very much enjoy the local menú del día.
If you ever get the chance to visit Nerua or any similar restaurant let me know what you thought!
