The BEST FOOD GUIDE to San Sebastián

The BEST FOOD GUIDE to San Sebastián

Welcome to my favorite city on planet Earth. Wow. A place that has one of the most beautiful urban beaches in Europe and known for being an absolute gastronomic juggernaut. You could come here for a month and never eat at the same place. We’re talking more Michelin stars per square meter than anywhere else in the world. It’s basically where food goes to get knited. From sea urchin soup to suckling pig, cheesecake, burgers through to baskets of lobster and dining at one of the best fish restaurants in the world. We’re going to be trying the lot. This is San Sebastian. [Music] [Applause] First stop, this isn’t just the best breakfast in San Sebastian. It’s the best breakfast on planet Earth. We’ve been to San Sebastian three or four times now. And we come to this spot every single morning for breakfast without fail. And the one thing to order, the tortilla. You can walk past this spot, but then you just see a crowd of people and you just want to go inside. You go inside and then you see this tortilla on the counter and people are there like fighting. [Music] >> We make uh 10 tortillas in a day. >> 10 tortillas. >> Yeah. Eight in the morning and two in the evening. >> But let’s find out what goes into making San Sebastian’s most famous breakfast. You walk up this tiny staircase into this kitchen which literally you can barely stand up in. And this is where they’re making the famous tortilla. So the process, it takes them 1 hour and a half to make the tortilla. It starts off by these huge watts of oil which they caramelize the onions in. Then they add the peppers. Then they add the potatoes. And at this point after around 40 minutes, they then strain it. And then they add the eggs. Not a single piece of shell. One-handed. 32 eggs. What? They give it a little season with salt. Add the peppers, onions, and potatoes before adding to the heat where it’s finished off. And rapidly, the heat is searing. Once it’s cooked and firm around the outside, it’s time for the most impressive part, the flip and transfer. [Music] Then they head down this tiny staircase and give the crowd what they want. [Music] This spot is outside the old town, a place where it’s a lot more quieter. Look above my head. Look at the amount of people literally queuing for the tortilla which they serve up every hour. People are like children in there. They’ll be fighting for their slice of tortilla. And for €350. 350. If you go to PR in London, it cost you £4 for a porridge. I’m very, very, very, very excited. Just look at the layers in it. It’s built like a brick [ __ ] house. Potato, green peppers, the caramelized onion, and the egg. This is meant to be like a tortilla where you see it, it’s very eggy, but this is like glistening. Holy [ __ ] [ __ ] Wow. The thing that I love is the sweetness. The way that they caramelize those onions for over 40 minutes brings this sweet joy. I can’t believe they don’t use any sugar. It’s the way >> the thing that makes special is that we make the tortilla with 35 eggs. >> 35. >> 35x. And any anybody makes tortilla so big like this one. >> How much does the tortilla weigh? Do you know like how many kilos? >> Like 6.5 or something like that? >> 6.5. So it’s basically like more than a small baby. >> Yeah. For each tortilla we make like one piece for for egg. So, 35 pizzas in one tortilla. >> Wow. Cheers. [Music] >> Bloody hell. This always happens. I get stuck eating tortilla until the sun goes down. Time to move on. And quick, [Music] >> we’re now heading to a pinchos bar which is loved by locals. You go over the river to a place called Baressi, famous for their chilleta burger. >> Nice to meet you. One chilleta burger, please. >> Whilst we were waiting, we asked them to recommend one pinchos. And the bar is full with three locals who literally dine there every single week. And they were like, “You have to get this. It’s crusty bread with pancon tomat anchovies, but two different types of anchovies. You’ve got the more salty one, which in the UK would be from a tin, but obviously they’re not from a tin over here. And then you’ve got the fresh anchovies, and then anchovi cheese on top of it. Cheers. M. That is incredible. The ancheries are so soft and so fresh, but then you’ve got the richness of that tomato, the crustiness of the bread. Boy. [Music] Shut the [ __ ] up. That is mental. Just look at that. When you squeeze it open, that beef is so juicy. These guys are literally buying a Chilleta T-bone steak. They’re mincing it, smashing it into the grill, and then topping it with a cream cheese. I’m excited. M. Wow. >> I love how rare the beef is. If you were serving that in England, you’d be shocked. But you get this like nice funky dry-aged taste. You get that crust from the patty and the cream cheese. It just balances the fat. But honestly, the bun, the bun, the bun, the bun. There are two things that make every single burger, and that’s the meat and the bun. Both of these are literally executed with perfection. I would come to San Sebastian just for this burger. They’ve got a cheesecake. Just look at this. We’ve just been speaking to the owner and he was like, I make one a day. One a day. Half nine. You have to be here. It’s got that like perfect jiggliness. But then the top it looks like it’s been on a sunbed. It’s that orange. Oops. [Music] >> It’s sweet. It’s creamy. I love that caramelized top. But the thing that makes this cheesecake so different is the cheesiness. >> Now, there are three different cheeses. >> Three. >> Three. >> Wow. One is the camera. Yes. >> The other one is the fresh and the other one is a secret. But I will tell you something in the year. [Music] >> I’m going to tell everyone. No, I’m joking. >> He’s not. >> But remember, these guys only do one cheesecake a day from this window. So, you’ve got to get down quick. What time do you need to get here to get to get the cheesecake? >> We prepare in the morning. So, it’s at 10:00. It’s on the bar now. And it’s the whole day. >> And you can get a burger at 10:00 on the bar, too. >> Yeah, for sure. >> That’s the perfect breakfast. Burger and the cheesecake. Now, I thought that place was going to be good, but [ __ ] me. That was absolutely insane. The burger was like I thought it was going to be like a seven out of 10 and it was a nine out of 10. And then the cheesecake. The cheesecake. Everyone goes mad for Lvina. They’re like it’s the best cheesecake in the world. Tell you what, that’s not far off. That is not far off. And they only do one a day. Now, let’s head into the old town, one of the highlights of San Sebastian. First off, we’re heading for some suckling pig at Lara de Santelon. >> It’s literally mental. We are here in like a shoe box of a restaurant. You have a queue down one side and then you have people eating down the other side. >> It’s just after midday and just look at this place already. It’s bursting at the seams. >> The suckling pig large. And then what do you recommend? One of your choice. >> Did you fly the gorgeous? >> No. Let’s go for it. >> Nice. >> Okay. Amazing. Whilst the suckling pig is the hero here, one of the most entertaining parts is watching the kitchen in action. And of course, I couldn’t just order one dish, could I? We’ve got the beef cheek. And God knows how long they braze this thing for. You’ll see as I literally just rag the fork through it, it practically disintegrates. [Music] >> I don’t even need to tell you it’s good. Just look at it. You can just tell the time, the care, the attention, the delicacy of those cheeks. They’re so rich, fatty, salty. It’s literally got everything to one bite. [Music] >> That’s really bad. >> You definitely shouldn’t get this. Nah. But now, the Pierre the resistance, the suckling king. Cheers. Wow. Wow. The skin is so like paper thin, but it’s still so crackly and the meat is so tender. And you almost get a double-sided crackling from the way they’ve flattened it on the grill. And then it’s hit with like a fresh chimmy jury and an apple sauce just for that sweetness to contrast the fat. This is contender for number one dish along with the omelette. However, I feel like it’s a bit hard, isn’t it? Because the suckling pig, that’s like Chelsea or Man City or Man United, but then you’ve got the poor baby omelette. That’s like Sunderland. It’s like playing Sunderland away. >> But somehow Sunderland have the game of their life. They score in the 90th minute and they win that best bite of San Sebastian. But it’s been a close game. Talking of that famous tortilla at Bar Antonio, we were strongly advised to come back after 12:00 where you can try all of their pinchops. Some years ago, Ole Michelin starts from this from San Sebastian and and around here. Yeah. >> They started doing one thing that is what’s called the 99 best pinch of San Sebastian. So, we have four pizzas in that list. Okay. We’re the only bar that has four pizzas in that list. So, one of those is this one over here. This is a crish ravioli on a white martini sauce. Okay. And this is called eiguelo. This is a pinch with with some roasted tomato, tuna belly, local peppers, and anchor. Okay. And I’m coming with some other stuff right now. Okay. >> Okay. Nathan, thank you. Cheers. [Music] >> Come to papa. M. What if I just eat them? There’s so much butter, so much flavor. I’m going straight back in for another bite. That is absolutely delicious. Well, M people just come here for the tortilla. >> Come here for everything. It’s bloody delicious. Cheers. M. You kind of get the same taste of a Gilda with that with the pepper, with the saltiness, with the acidity. Then you’ve got that belly of tuna which is so tender, the sundried tomato and the olive oil, balsamic vinegar. That is absolutely incredible. [Music] This is why I love this place. Honestly, you can order anything off the menu in there and it literally tastes straight. Oxtail in a fried chip with grated parmesan. You’re having a giraffe. Wow. That is sensational. I’m starting to rethink all of my life choices. Why aren’t I here every single day eating pinch of drinking wine? Come on. What am I doing? These guys have four of the 100 best pincho spots in San Sebastian. And to be honest, they put their mind to it. They could probably take all hundreds. I’m not even going to say goodbye. I just want to give you a hug. >> Thank you so much. Thank you so much. >> Really kiss me then. >> Thank you so much. I can’t kiss you. I can kiss you without problem. Thank you so much. Thank you guys. [Music] Next up, you know what time it is? Cheesecake time. [Music] Whilst I totally respect Bardessi for their delicious cheesecake, it’s only right that we come to the birthplace of the ultimate taste. >> We’re at Lvina. These guys were the creators of the Basque Cheesecake back in 1988. Lucky now. I’m excited for this one. [Music] You can just see here, look how creamy it is. It’s like you’ve got the contrast of the like the actual cheesecake at the back, then you’ve just got this like purified liquid like condensed cream at the front. M. That is ridiculous. We came here before and like I thought the cheesecake was good. This with that like creamy gelatinous just sweet I don’t even know what it is. Delicious though. >> Cheers. >> Yes, it’s the OG. Yes, it’s super popular. Yes, the line runs down half the Oldtown. However, let me tell you, it’s for a very good reason. And to think you get two slices for €6. That’s like £250 a slice. You can’t even get a can of Coke in London for £250 anymore. >> Wow. One final stop in the old town. We’re heading to a bit of a crowd favorite. Next up, we’re at Bar Sport where the atmosphere is always electric. There’ll be people enjoying pictures outside drinking beer. But we’re here for one thing and that’s the sea urchin. I love how you just walk into the bars and they just filled with the most delicious treats. Just look at it. It’s like an artist display full of culinary delights. [Music] So, this is it. The sea urchin. You get that creamy sea urchin bisque inside a sea urchin shell and then they’re topped with salmon row. This thing’s going in by hand. Cheers. Oh my god, that is ridiculous. M. You don’t even have to like sea urchin to like these. They almost taste like like a lobster bisque. It’s salty. It’s creamy. The reason why these are so good is because they don’t even fill you up. You can just stop on by. You can have a sip of these and you can go on to the next spot. Honestly, this is like a 10 out of 10 bite of food. That’s what I like to describe as a rather [ __ ] delightful bite of food. Right, it’s time to escape the city and head west about 30 minutes outside San Sebastian to a little beach town called Garia. [Music] Lemon Sylvester. >> Thank you. >> Bloody beautiful. Most of the seafood you eat in San Sebastian all comes from this port. We’re going straight to the best restaurant here. Every single person is a local, still sat outside drinking, eating. The Spanish culture is just unmatched. They’re renowned as some of the best fish cookery in the world. They’re rated in the top 25 restaurants. They have one Michelin star. This is Elc. But I’m here for one thing. The legendary turbo. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Oh no. [Music] Outside the front of the restaurant, you have the chef cooking with live charcoal. It’s like theater as you walk into the restaurant. To think that some of the best fish cookery in the world is happening behind me and it is so simple. You have the turbo, you have the salt, you have the fire, and you have their special sauce. [Music] This is how simple our order is. We have the famous turbo, we’ve got the hank cheats, and we’ve got mushrooms. Three simple ingredients. And oh my god, I already know how good this is going to be. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Once the fish has finished cooking, they bring it to your table as a whole piece of turv and then it’s carved tableside into the muscle group. So you get the fillet, you get the cheeks, you get the the gills around the side of the bone and you’ll get literally one of each part of the fish each. And it just adds to the theater, having the fish carved right next to you, tableside, seeing exactly what you’re about to eat. There can be like a real like pontiness to the way that people perceive a Michelin star restaurant, but here, look at it. You’ve literally got a head of a turbo on the plate. You have the dark side, the side that faces the bottom of the ocean. You have the top side, the side that sees the sun, and then you’ve got the crispy skin. >> Okay, I see what the fuss is about. We’ve had turbet in so many different places now, inside Sebastian, outside Sun Sebastian, but nothing just as tasted so clean as this. Normally, like there’s lots of sauce, there’s lots of smokiness here. The others are just additives. Like it’s 90% fish, 10% fire, sauce, salt. You can just taste delicacy in the fish. It’s absolutely delicious. We haven’t even got to the best part, the head. If you get into the cheek. Oh, that’s like the crown jewel of the fish. It’s like a fish sweetie. It’s like the sweet part of the fish. That is so tender. Problem is, there’s only one. They just took the fish away and we thought it was bye-bye to the head, but oh no, they’ve just taken it to a fish butcher. This guy out the back and it’s come back like edible artwork, including the back of the fish eye. If I was not in this restaurant and it didn’t have a Michelin star, this teaspoon would be going over my shoulder. You know what? You actually really can’t taste much. Like, it’s so small. You just get like a salty. >> But the idea was nice. I guess all I can say is please, please breast. Please, Jean Sebastian Alano, thank you for a lovely meal. [Music] With the trip drawing to a close, this is the final stop on our San Sebastian Grand Tour. [Music] We’re now on our way to one of the oldest seafood restaurants in the whole of Spain. It goes back 150 years. However, there is a slight catch. You have to get a small boat to get there. [Music] [Applause] [Music] But inside there’s a nice surprise. [Music] The lobster cage. What kind of restaurant has a lobster cage in the middle of the restaurant? I love how you walk into the restaurant and it literally still remains untouched from when it first opened. You can tell that it literally has the same flooring. It has the same beams, has the same concrete, and then you go onto the atmosphere where you can literally hear the plates being put down on the table. You can hear conversations from the table next to you. There’s no music. It’s just eating and drinking. Would you like to choose? >> Yeah, perfect. >> Atlantic. This is the regular lobster. >> Perfect. >> Yeah. The other one, the orange, the red one, is a spiny lobster. >> And the charming thing is the restaurant has been open since 1884 and it’s still owned by the same owners now in the fourth generation. That’s the best bit. The soup at the bottom of garlic and herb butter. [Music] So, first up, we’ve got the spiny lobster. You can tell it’s a spiny lobster because it doesn’t have the claw. However, what we do have with the spiny lobster is a boat full of mayonnaise. I think it’s mayonnaise. [Music] >> The lobster meat is delicious. Super simple, steamed, and all you can do is just really let that meat speak for itself. And I mean, it doesn’t get much fresher than this, like from those cages literally behind me. So when she just put that down, I just got this whiff of butter straight through my nostrils and it is bloody delicious. The main difference is that you get two claws. [Music] I can’t really compare the spine lobster to the regular lobster because there’s just so much butter and smokiness from the grill with this one. But I have to say, I love the char around the outside. I love that garlic butter and the fact you get to hold claw. I could get it open. What do we do here then? [Music] The meat on the claw is so sweet and then you get the butter which is like the perfect lubricant as it makes its way down into my tummy. For me, this dish just embodies what San Sebastian is. Simplicity done perfectly. Guys, we really hope you’ve enjoyed this video just as much as we’ve enjoyed making it. Please like, subscribe, join our journey. We’ve put all the other videos on the screen now from our trip from San Sebastian. Please let us know in the comments where you want us to visit next. If you can’t take a day to commute, enjoy.

We are back ay my favourite city on planet earth, San Sebastian. The home to food. This is my 4th time in this sacred place and these are my favourite spots to eat!

Where did we miss? Let us know in the comments your favourite spots so we can check out next time.

0:00 Intro
00.57 Bar Antonio
04:44 Bar Desy
08:26 La Cuchara
10:54 Bar Antonio part 2
13.19 La Vina
15:00 Bar Sport
14:56 Elkano
21:00 Casa Camara

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