Iriarte: nature acts as a source of inspiration in the kitchen at this restaurant that serves the best suckling pig in the Basque Country
Iriarte: nature acts as a source of inspiration in the kitchen at this restaurant that serves the best suckling pig in the Basque Country
The Iriarte restaurant would not make sense if one did not take into account its surroundings: mountains, orchards, and farmhouses make up the rural landscape of Berrobi, located just half an hour from San Sebastián and the sea. Whatever season we have outside, diners will find that same season in the restaurant through the use of quality ingredients that are typical of each time of the year. And the fact of the matter is that nature is Iriarte’s great inspiration.
The txangurru crab salad with citrus vinaigrette, the creamy rice with fine Carril clams, the mushroom and prawn ravioli with Martini sauce, the piquillo pepper salad with tuna belly and anchovy, and the seasonal vegetables sautéed with egg yolk and Iberian pork belly are some of the starters on the menu, inviting guests to continue with meats and fish: grilled turbot, hake in green sauce with its stewed cheek, grilled cod with light leek cream, twice cooked Bresse pigeon, beef sirloin with a vegetable garnish, traditional tripe and snouts, and –of course– roast suckling pig. Oh, the suckling pig! Iriarte’s great protagonist; raised in the family farmhouse located one kilometer from the restaurant. This is a Dalland hybrid pig breed, fed only on its mother’s milk, making its meat tender and its skin crispy. How is this delicacy prepared? The cooks preheat the oven to 150º with steam and then place the suckling pig on a tray with the skin side up, adding salt and oil. Another tray with water is placed under the suckling pig to provide juiciness. The meat is baked for 2 hours and 30 minutes. It may seem simple, but somehow they have managed to make their suckling pig the best in the Basque Country.
The dessert menu adds to the divine experience of eating at Iriarte: lemon cream with meringue and crunchy cookie, warm puff pastry tart with cream and red berries, pistachio coulant with vanilla ice cream, freshly baked cheesecake with raspberry ice cream, caramelized French toast with vanilla ice cream, and fruit salad with citrus fruit ice cream accompanied by Larreta yogurt.
The person responsible for Iriarte’s success is, to a large extent, Felix Belaunzaran, who has been running the kitchen for more than 25 years. The secret has been none other than transparency in the recipes, careful selection of seasonal and local ingredients, a team of professionals who make friendly service a virtue, and –of course– the special pig breed raised by the family itself.
Iriarte
Jose Maria Goikoetxea 34, Berrobi.
Tel.: +34 943 683 078
