• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Cookbook
  • Media
  • Recipe Index
    • Recipes by Category
    • Cultural Recipe Index
  • Podcast
  • Contact
  • The Little Ferraro Kitchen
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
The Little Ferraro Kitchen

The Little Ferraro Kitchen

World Cuisine, Made Easy

Home » Dining at the #4 Restaurant in the World

Dining at the #4 Restaurant in the World

by Samantha · 5 Comments

We just dined at the #4 restaurant in the world. Mugaritz has earned 2 Michelin stars which is the equivalent of the Food Oscars. Renowned chefs work their asses off and try to be as original and creative as possible to even earn just 1 star. Mugaritz focuses on gastronomical cuisine, and as I like to think of it..a chess game between your mind and palette- who will take over?

We knew we were in for an experience like no other.

As their website states, “the challenge is on the table, you chose how to address it”.

 

So let me introduce you to all the courses and I will try and do my best and describing what I tasted, felt and thought. There were approximately 20 courses of small bites totaling about a 3 hour experience.

 

Dining at the #4 Restaurant in th World via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

It is off-season in San Sebastian and the start of winter. Even though it was a rainy Friday night, Joe and I were both a little taken back by how quiet and empty the restaurant was. They greet you with “we want to make you feel at home” and even though we did feel more realized and comfortable, the initial feel was a bit blank. The restaurant is a huge open space with minimal decorations in the way. I was thinking that they want you to think of your  plate as the art against a clean, blank canvas. I do love the abstract plates on the tables. Those were pretty neat.

They then took us into the kitchen and gave us a quick tour of how they work and then presented us with our first bite. A blood and foie macaron (sorry, I don’t have the photo). Before telling us what it is, the chef had us guess the flavors. I didn’t guess blood at all, but he explained that both egg whites (what macarons are made of) and blood have the same protein component, albumin. This allows the blood to whip up just like egg whites would to make the macaron. This was a delicious bite. It was salty and a bit briney. At this point I thought we were in for the win.

Edible Stones-

Dining at the #4 Restaurant in th World via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

 

I believe this is one of their signature dishes. A perfect example of gastronomical cuisine and your mind playing tricks with you. This looks like rocks sitting on grey sand. What it actually is, is a boiled potato covered in edible clay. The sand is made up of breadcrumbs dyed with ink. This was a fun start and tasted good. Oh, and the sauce was used to dip the potato in, a dijonnaise I think.

Carrots and Smeared Flowers-

Dining at the #4 Restaurant in th World via LittleFerraroKitchen.com
This photo is angled a little off (sorry),  but you’ll get the idea. These are baby carrots with a carrot puree/ The dish was adorable to look at and the carrots were s sweet, almost like candy.

Tendon with Honey, mead, yolk an dipping ash-
Dining at the #4 Restaurant in th World via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

They must have an insanely fun time thinking of ways to plate their dishes! This is a piece of food art, visually. This was where things started to get interesting and I wish I didn’t know what I was eating before I did. Just as the name says, its tendon, but I forgot to ask from what animal. This tasted like a very crunchy and hard cracker. It was a bit sweet when dipped in the ashy honey sauce. If I didn’t know what this was, I would have never guessed it was made from tendon!

Chicory, Sesame seeds and Honeycomb-

Dining at the #4 Restaurant in th World via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

 

We had the most fun interacting with this dish. A simple chicory leaf (which I had to google) and on a separate plate was wooden tongs holding a small piece of honeycomb. You were supposed to ick up the wood tongs and gently squeeze the honeycomb and then drizzle honey all over the leaf. This tasted great…a savory leaf with sweet clean honey..we loved this!

Ice Shreds with Shrimp Perfume-

Dining at the #4 Restaurant in th World via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

 

I will never, ever forget this dish…ever. You know when you taste something or smell something and it makes such a huge profound reaction, you know you will never ever forget that moment. That’s how this dish was. What it was, was a plate of very light ice shreds, or similar to a light shaved ice. Separately was a small vile of dark orange liquid that you were supposed to then pour over the ice and eat before it melted. The orange liquid was the most concentrated shrimp flavor I have ever had. Now I love a good shrimp bisque, but think of that flavor times 100! This was so intense, in such a pure shrimp flavor, that Joe and I both had a difficult time finishing it. Even when I took a sip of water right after, I could still smell the condensed shrimp smell for the remainder of the night every time I drank water. This..was a little much for us.

Tanned Lobster with Fermented Rice-

Dining at the #4 Restaurant in th World via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

This was another interesting dish. I had to step back in time and remember the fermentation lecture in my Microbiology class a few years ago. As I sat at the table last night, I was confirming in my head…”rice…goes bad…bacteria eats sugar..ferments…yeast…alcohol”. These keywords were not exactly getting me whipped up and exited as I remember my Micro professor telling us what would happen if we left cooked rice out overnight. I took a quick whiff of the dish first and the initial smell that hit me was yeast. You know…that sweet, yeasty, pungent smell we know so well when making bread.  The flavor tasted just like that…room temperate, and almost glue-like starchy rice with sweet pieces of lobster. I would give this dish….2 stars.

Threads of Crab with Macadamia Nut Cream-

Dining at the #4 Restaurant in th World via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

Yes! finally something I recognize…crab and macadamia nuts! I love crab and I love nut creams. Nuts can make some of the best creams, milks and sauces so I was really excited about this dish. The crab was tender, sweet and very well shredded and the nut cream was luxurious and creamy. This, I enjoyed.

image

 

You read that right…baby eels. Another dish that I wish I didn’t know before I ate. Joe said he almost had a difficult time finishing this one, because he knew what it was. See…the whole mind over palette challenge. Its crazy!

So according to the waiter, baby eels are a delicacy and are only available during the cold winter months. We were the first ones to have this dish and they were very proud of serve it. Baby eels are scooped up from their environment and quickly sautéed for the dish. Without knowing, you think you’re enjoying a pasta dish, it has the same exact texture- a bit al-dente. But then you look closer and that’s when you see it…baby eyes! Now I’m great with “face on my food”, you know, like lobster heads and shrimp heads…those don’t bother me at all! Bit this….baby eels with tiny baby eyes was a game changer. Another texture I don’t think I will ever forget. The flavor was great though, garlicky and delicious…but alas this was another mind over palette challenge.

Poultry Juice with Tofu-

Dining at the #4 Restaurant in th World via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

 

This dish confirmed my challenge with soft textures. Think of a very condensed chicken stock flan. Odd right? Soft tofu was the base but then poured on top was a very concentrated, not salty,  but concentrated chicken jus. Picture the most amazing chicken stock you have ever made and then reduced for hours and hours. It was thick and the poultry flavor was pronounced well. What threw me off besides the soft texture was that it was at room temperature. After having the room temperature fermented rice, this dish did not exactly save the day. Another one that we both have difficulty finishing.

Textures of Coastal Fish-

Dining at the #4 Restaurant in th World via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

At this point our palettes felt like it just lost a match with Mike Tyson. Our mind and taste buds were exhausted and I was begging for some texture..anything..crunchy, snappy and fresh.  This dish was a variety of fish (I forgot to ask what). There was a filet of fish, what I think was hake that was cooked perfectly and a little under done and was topped with another variety of fish. I think I would have enjoyed this more if it was not after palette punching dishes as served previously. The dish, again was a huge flavor boost of seafood.

Sweetbread of Lamb with Seasonal Mushrooms-

Dining at the #4 Restaurant in th World via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

The colors of this dish are beautiful. Mushrooms are gorgeous in Spain and the mushroom used here was left raw and sliced very thin, it was wonderful to taste. And sweetbreads on the other hand, I like as well and had them in France a few years ago, however, being that sweetbreads is a gland, it offers an almost ‘organy’ taste. Which I don’t mind if it was cut with something bright and sharp. The earthy mushrooms with the earthy and savory sweetbreads was a good dish, but again, after finishing several heavy on flavor dishes, I was still eager for something to brighten my senses.

Iberian Pork Tail with Sour Leaves and Crème Fraiche-

Dining at the #4 Restaurant in th World via LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Picture the crispiest pork belly you have ever had! With small pieces of pork meat and fat still accompanying. The first 2 bites were rockin- almost like a thick cut of intensely fatty bacon, crisped up to perfection. The crème fraiche helped cut the fat of the pork, it was cool and creamy, so that was a nice addition. But again, and this is probably just a personal thing, I was still craving something fresh and green!

Frozen Almond Turron-

image

Yes…dessert!! Oh I was so excited about this and it did not disappoint! This was almost like an amazing almond ice cream terrine an on the outsides was this see-through thin edible wafer paper. I saw them all over Barcelona and it was the perfect book-ends to hold the terrine in place. This was not overly sweet with great almond flavor.

7 Deadly Sins-
Dining at ge #4 Restaurant in the World via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

This was a fun dessert to pay with! each tier represented a “sin”; pride, envy, gluttony, etc.  I didn’t take a photo of each layer (sorry), but each had different treats like mini chocolates and condensed fruit syrup. It was fun.

Edible Paper with Dried herbs (extra dessert)-

Dining at ge #4 Restaurant in the World via LittleFerraroKitchen.com

This was an extra little treat because I don’t eat chocolate (it gives me headaches, so I jut avoid it). This was paper-thin edible paper with dried herbs from their garden! They plated it in a small box with other dried leaves that I don’t think were edible because I smelled a bit of eucalyptus. The paper was sweet and some of the herbs they sued were sweet and floral…it was a fun thing to try!

 

 

Ok…well that covers our dinner at the #4 restaurant in the world! I have to say that I really believe the Chef and his imagination and creativity are far passed what we are accustomed to in this lifetime. He is so advanced in flavor profiles and imagery, I don’t think we have caught up yet…if that makes sense? Each course had a strong purpose and was beyond what any of us thought. It was artistic, creative and straight forward. We are so glad we were able to challenge our minds and palettes.

 

Share
Pin
Tweet
Email

This post may contain amazon affiliate links which means if you make a purchase after clicking one of those links, I will receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Filed Under: Travel

Weeknight Mediterranean Shopping List

Subscribe to get the Mediterranean shopping list and to be the 1st to get brand new recipes!

Previous Post: « Spaghetti Squash Sausage Pasta {Guest Post by Your Living Body}
Next Post: One Pot Garlic Chicken with Israeli Couscous »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Jeff says

    November 17, 2013 at 11:31 am

    Wow!

    Reply
  2. Rhonda says

    November 18, 2013 at 10:57 pm

    Samantha darling, this exciting food experience was described with brilliancy for us readers also, you were able to share it so well I feel as if I had the same journey, I thank you for taking the time on your vacation to write this up, Bravo!!

    Love Mom

    Reply
  3. Rhonda says

    November 18, 2013 at 10:59 pm

    Moderation?

    Reply
  4. Karla @ Foodologie says

    November 30, 2013 at 5:51 pm

    Wow that looks awesome!! Glad you enjoyed it 😀

    Reply
  5. Vicky says

    April 1, 2014 at 8:45 am

    Ok that looks like the most absurd and incredible meal ever!!! I dream of trying something like this!!!!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I’m Samantha!

I started this blog for my love of world cuisine and cultural flavors! You’ll find everything here from Jewish recipes, Middle Eastern, Italian and more!

Read More

Order My Cookbook!

The Weeknight Mediterranean Kitchen

Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Buy from Barnes and Noble
Buy from IndieBound
The Weeknight Mediterranean Kitchen
Buy now!

Weeknight Mediterranean Shopping List

Subscribe to get the Mediterranean shopping list and to be the 1st to get brand new recipes!

The Little Ferraro Kitchen
*Chicken Saltimbocca with Speck and Herbes de Prov *Chicken Saltimbocca with Speck and Herbes de Provence*⁠
⁠
Boy oh boy, do I have a weeknight chicken recipe for you!⁠
⁠
My version of saltimbocca takes a bit of French inspiration and in my (humble) opinion, has bolder flavors!. ⁠
⁠
Pounded chicken cutlets are seasoned with aromatic herbes de Provence and layered with basil and smoky speck, seared and finished in a light white wine sauce.⁠
⁠
Saltimbocca translates to 'jump in the mouth', which is exactly what these flavors will do. ⁠
⁠
**Recipe is live on the site, head to the link in my bio and click on the photo for the recipe!**⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
*Homemade Preserved Lemons*⁠ ⁠ New on the site *Homemade Preserved Lemons*⁠
⁠
New on the site, is a step by step guide on making your own homemade preserved lemons with some recipe inspiration and tips.⁠
⁠
There is nothing like the aroma of preserved lemons. Citrusy, bright and floral.⁠
⁠
You just need two ingredients and about two weeks time. Then chop or slice up to use in so many things, such as tagine or preserved lemon compound butter for fish.  How good does that sound?⁠
⁠
How would you use preserved lemons?⁠
⁠
(For the recipe + tips, head to the link in my bio and click on the photo!)
*Herb and Citrus Roasted Salmon*⁠ ⁠ Oh hello t *Herb and Citrus Roasted Salmon*⁠
⁠
Oh hello there citrus season! Sure, you could take winters sunshine and bake it into a cake or curd, but there is something about citrus + salmon that never goes out of style. ⁠
⁠
Wild salmon filets are packed with a fresh herb "crust" and poached in a bright white wine lemon and olive oil marinade. ⁠
⁠
I've made this recipe with so many different variations...different herbs or with blood orange would be fantastic! ⁠
⁠
What would you make this citrus season?⁠
.⁠
.⁠
(For the citrus salmon recipe, head to the link in my bio and click on the photo!)⁠
⁠
*Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine*⁠ ⁠ What is *Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine*⁠
⁠
What is your favorite method of cooking? If I was left to one, it would be braised. ⁠
⁠
A good hard sear, then low and slow (preferably in red wine) for hours until the tough muscle fibers are forced to break down, soften and literally melt in your mouth. ⁠
⁠
A few herbs, some aromatics and then just let the braise do the rest of the work. ⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
(Head to the link in my bio and click on the photo to get this classic recipe!)
*Four Ingredient Lemon Herb Couscous*⁠ ⁠ Today *Four Ingredient Lemon Herb Couscous*⁠
⁠
Today, we're chatting about "back pocket recipes" as I'd like to call it. ⁠
⁠
Recipes that we all should know and can whip out at a moments notice. A few of mine are: creamy polenta, a bomb roast chicken and classic spaghetti and meatballs. ⁠
⁠
The other day, I shared my chicken tagine recipe and this simple lemon herb couscous would the perfect companion to those bold flavors. ⁠
⁠
What are you "back pocket recipes?"⁠
.⁠
.⁠
(Head to the link in my bio and click on the photo for the recipe, but really...just remember the 1:1.25 ratio and you're set!)
* Turkish Lentil Soup with Mint and Lemon*⁠ ⁠ * Turkish Lentil Soup with Mint and Lemon*⁠
⁠
When I think of Mediterranean cuisine, one of the first recipes that pops in my head is this robust lentil soup. ⁠
⁠
We were first introduced to this lentil soup in Istanbul and since, I have bright it to my  cooking classes, my site and in my book because everyone needs to experience how fantastic Turkish lentil soup is.⁠
⁠
Vegan and full of hearty grains such as rice, quinoa and lentils and flavored with smokey paprika and finished with fresh mint and bright lemon. This is what Mediterranean cooking is all about...bold, fresh flavors!⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
For the full recipe, head to the link in my bio and click on the photo!
*Weeknight Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons an *Weeknight Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives*⁠
⁠
When someone asked me why I don't have more Moroccan recipes on my site and in my book, well, they were right. It's not a cuisine I grew up with, yet a lot of the flavors are very similar. ⁠
⁠
I took inspiration from the classic flavors of tagine and gave my own twist on it. ⁠
⁠
Chicken is marinated in an intense spice rub with saffron, preserved lemon and spices before being seared for that crispy chicken skin. Then simmer along with aromatics, sweet and tart apricots, buttery olives and more preserved lemon. ⁠
⁠
Have you made chicken tagine? What is your twist on it?⁠
.⁠
.⁠
(For the full recipe, head to the link in my bio and click on the photo!)

Copyright © 2021 · Samantha Ferraro · Little Ferraro Kitchen · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy