Nafarrola: Hotel Nafarrola Gastronomy & Wines has made a name for itself among the most essential wine and food accommodation options in the Basque Country, all thanks to the expertise of chef Gaizka Goikoetxea
Nafarrola: Hotel Nafarrola Gastronomy & Wines has made a name for itself among the most essential wine and food accommodation options in the Basque Country, all thanks to the expertise of chef Gaizka Goikoetxea
In just a few years, Hotel Nafarrola Gastronomy & Wines has made a name for itself among the most essential wine and food accommodation options in the Basque Country. Located in the coastal town of Bermeo –in the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve– and surrounded by lush forests, this cozy boutique hotel with eight rooms (each measuring between 25 m2 and 45 m2 and featuring a king-sized bed, a hydromassage bathtub, a wood-burning fireplace, and a large terrace) welcomes guests from all over the world eager to sample the culinary specialties of the famous Basque cuisine. Chef Gaizka Goikoetxea is responsible for representing Basque technique in the hotel’s restaurant, called Rola. After his time in the kitchen of the renowned Zuberoa restaurant, where he delved into traditional Basque cuisine, Goikoetxea turned his professional sights to Rola with the sincere vocation to offer intimate cuisine that combines flavor, tradition, and freshness.
During the meal service, Rola has just four exclusive tables where diners can enjoy an impeccable tasting menu that invites one to discover the geography of Urdaibai. Dish by dish, diners embark upon a sensory journey through the mountains, beaches, forests, and valleys of the Biosphere Reserve, tasting specialties made with local ingredients: pigeon, vegetables, sea bass, egg… all presented coherently in atmospheres that take us to the origin of the ingredients; to the oak forests, eucalyptus forests, pine forests, and lemon groves.
At night, the restaurant is reserved exclusively for the 16 guests staying at the hotel who have the arduous task of choosing between off-menu dishes (delicacies such as San Sebastián-style txangurru crab) and the proposals on the menu designed by Goikoetxea: sautéed foie-gras with port wine and apple in texture; lobster ajoarriero with a coral emulsion; roasted sea bass in its skin with pilpil sauce; and beef sirloin with its juices and tuber creams. The desserts are also noteworthy: French toast bathed in infused milk with vanilla ice cream; baked cheesecake with hibiscus ice cream and red fruit gel; and apple puff pastry with cinnamon and apple ice cream, topped with Worcestershire sauce.
Wines are yet another delight at Nafarrola. Their underground wine cellar is home to nearly 200 top-level national and international labels: Quiñón de Valmira, Pingus 2021, Mauro VS, Alabaster Teso La Monja, and Louis Jadot 1er Cru Boucherottes. They also have collector’s bottles: Remírez de Ganuza 1992, Artadi Viña el Pisón Reserva 1994, Doce Linajes 1995, and Miserere 1995. But the real star is the txakoli. The menu features a large section dedicated to white, rosé, sparkling, and red txakoli wines with labels from extinct wineries, award-winning wines, limited editions, and great names: Artizar, XX, Terlegiz, Baserritar, Hegan Egin, and the magical Lexardi are just a few.
Likewise, Nafarrola offers its guests a number of gastronomic activities: a visit to an organic animal farm where they can enjoy a snack and learn about farmhouse traditions, a tuna-themed cooking demonstration, a wine tasting event, and a pintxos workshop – among others. With all this, Hotel Nafarrola Gastronomy & Wines manages to bring the culinary and wine culture of the Basque Country closer to its guests, all of whom are eager to experience the recipes of the famous Basque cuisine.
Nafarrola
Barrio Artike 45, Bermeo.
Tel.: +34 613 006 827
