Tags
adria, anthony bourdain, basque, despana, el bulli, extebarri, food porn, jeffrey steingarden, mugaritz, no reservations, pintxos, restaurants, san sebastian, spain
Espana Viva
Did you guys see last weeks epi of No Reservations? Where Bourdain goes to Spain? HI. It was the most envied episode of any show I have ever seen in my life. I have never had a stronger desire to be somewhere else than during that hour long episode where AB tours the gastronomical delights of the worlds capital of fashion forward food, Spain. I think AB put it best when he said “Spain is the best place in the world to eat, it’s food porn so hard core, so smokin’ hot that event I, jaded feedbag that I’ve become, get the gastro version of morning wood just thinking about it”. Well put. Elegant and to-the-point.
Some highlights (essentially the whole epi was a highlight):
- Brothers Albert & Ferran Adria of el Bulli. The most official, sought after, hardest to come by reservation in the whole world. This is where molecular gastronomy starts and ends. With 3 Michelin stars and having a rating at the best restaurant in the world, it’s definitely official. The kitchen is like one huge lab. Kewl. el Bulli also has a few amazing books of photography documenting their creations in the kitchen as well as a new book documenting A Day at el Bulli which will be released in October 08.
- Mugaritz in San Sebastian. I’m going here b/c AB compares the charcoal grilled and roasted foie gras + sea urchin dish to “having sex with twins”. Sure.
- Exteberri in Axpe in the Basque region of Spain. Chef Victor Arginzoni is hands down the King of the grill. He’s a natural born griller biatches. There was an article in the August issue of Gourmet on Extebarri and from the second I read it, I knew I would always pine for a meal there. The way he works and manipulates fire is genius. He’s like a modern cave man, cooking with nothing but the best ingredients over open flame. Jeffrey Steingarden wrote a great article on Extebarri in Men’s Vouge.
Phew. I’m spent. I’m lying here dreaming of jamon Iberico.
More shizz:
Read Anthony Bourdain’s blog entry about his travels in Spain.
If you are craving Spanish foods, go to Despana on Broome Street in Manhattan or Despana Brand Foods in Jackson Heights, Queens.
If you must have a Basque fix now, may I suggest Pintxos in the West Village? Oh, no. No I can’t because it closed. WHY. WHY. WHY. This was the only place to get decent, authentic tapas! RIP.
