Mugaritz

Empire's new cloth?

First kiss natura

Mugaritz is world-famous, and one of the most hyped-up restaurants with its progressive, experimental fine-dining approach. The restaurant has always heavily featured in the top 10 within the World 50 Best list, with 2 Michelin stars to its name. Chef-owner Andoni Aduriz is a global superstar chef, appear on TVs and magazines countless time and aspire young chefs from around the world. The philosophy of the restaurant means the restaurant would shut down for 3 months a year to develop new concepts for the year, which means every year you would get something totally different than the last. The restaurant offers a tasting menu and nothing else, with about 22 courses.

3 thrilled tripes

Game and black trump

Albacore and seacoast herbs

Apricot, milk form and asparagus

Mellow form

Sadly, there were more questionable dishes than the enjoyable ones. The 'First kiss' wild forged flowers with honey were perhaps one of the better dishes, the freshness, and sweetness of the honey was outstanding, which worked well with the crispness of the flowers. The wacky milk sponge dish was very unpleasant, it lacked any flavours and the texture was like cardboard in cream form, I only ate everything out of being polite and didn't want to waste food. The other really disappointing dish was a calf brain in a vanilla and cinnamon sauce, were the kitchen trying to offer me a savoury rice pudding? the flavours just didn't work for me with the earthy tone really clashed with the spices. The milk and sea urchin dish was better, the clear milky taste bring out the bold umami taste of the sea urchin nicely.

Foie and sauternes

Clams and soldier shrimp

Milk & sea urchins and oyster

Calf and cinnamon

Pesto and chicken concentrate

To sum it up, I found the cooking was too extreme and experimental for my liking. The fact that we were served some sweet dishes in between savory dishes just really messed up my palate, also some choices of ingredient combination was just really odd, not something I would be keen to try again for me. The kitchen can cook without a doubt, as some of the less daring dishes were actually pretty enjoyable. I just don't get why it is trying so hard to do something unusual and almost mad scientist like, I wouldn't mind that if the cost is half of what I paid, but at the 200 euro+ price level with its reputation, felt like it was an empire's new cloth experience for me.

Food 2.5/5

What I paid: 
280 Euro per person with wine

Average cost without drinks and services:

231 Euro

Aldura Gunea Aldea, 20, 20100 Errenteria, Gipuzkoa, Spain

https://www.mugaritz.com/