María Cristina, the gourmet hotel
María Cristina, the gourmet hotel
In the city that has the most Michelin stars per capita in the world, it is quite difficult to surprise and stand out with original, quality cuisine. María Cristina – a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Sebastian’s luxury hotel par excellence, has managed to come up with a palette of flavors that amaze both tourists and locals, putting great masters of the kitchen at the helm of their restaurants.
Chef Jesús Caballero is in charge of the bar dishes, room service, breakfast, banquets, and weddings. His creations range from more traditional dishes like hake in green sauce to delicacies such as shredded oxtail served with a smooth cauliflower puree and meat juice. In the hotel’s bar, named Dry San Sebastián, the dishes have been accompanied by the work of another great master since 2012: Javier de las Muelas, an internationally renowned creator of cocktails. One of his drinks has even been given the name of one of the hotel’s most illustrious guests: Bette Davis. It’s a combination of champagne, brandy, Angostura bitters, curaçao, sugar cane, and gold dust – this cocktail is just as glamorous as its name.
In the evenings, the great protagonist is pastry chef Daniel Luque who in 2018 brought the hotel the “afternoon tea” ritual with a selection of sweet and savory delicacies accompanied by tea or –why not– a glass of champagne.
Those who come to María Cristina seeking far-off flavors must try the Café Saigón, which specializes in Japanese, Indo-Chinese and Vietnamese dishes. Its sautéed frog legs with Sichuan pepper and its pork ribs glazed with honey have made this the best Asian restaurant in the city.
As food is the heart and soul of San Sebastian, it is also important to allow those who visit the region to experience New Basque Cuisine. Intending to get visitors to actively participate in the creative culinary process, the hotel opened a culinary school in 2009 –Mimo San Sebastián–, where wine pairing demonstrations are held, as well as classes on how to create Spanish “pintxos” and Basque dishes, group contests, and even private dinners with a chef in which the diners can have the “private gastronomic society” experience firsthand – something that is normally a delight reserved solely for the city’s locals.
For the last three years, the hotel has also been adding a new concept in terms of its restaurants into the mix, a concept that has revolutionized even the most demanding diners who seek signature dishes with Michelin stars, doing so by opening a pop-up restaurant managed by a renowned chef each and every summer. 2016 and 2017 belonged to Hélène Darroze, the French chef who has received two Michelin stars for her restaurant in London and one for her Paris restaurant. Her personal spin on Basque cuisine and the use of local, seasonal ingredients have helped her to unanimously win over her audience. Taking her place since 2018 is Francis Paniego, recipient of two Michelin stars at his restaurant Echaurren and one at his restaurant Marqués de Riscal. His tasting menu includes the flavors from his place of birth, Ezcaray, without forgetting the coastal town which has come to welcome his dishes: sagnant fritter, leeks in vinaigrette cooked at 90° for 5 hours, Norway lobster with “pilpil” nuts from Ezcaray and truffle, and cod tripe atop a vanilla cream and a touch of spice. This never-ending rotation of ephemeral creativity has brought fresh air to the Basque kitchen – new flavors that can only be enjoyed under the summer sun, but which are remembered throughout the entire year.
Whether you want to have a cocktail or a tea, enjoy a haute cuisine dinner, or learn the secrets of traditional Basque cooking alongside local chefs, María Cristina is always a good choice. A hotel where cuisine is just as important as the glamor and elegance that have characterized it for more than 100 years.
Hotel María Cristina
Paseo República Argentina 4, San Sebastián.
Tel.: +34 943 437 600
