Given its longstanding reputation and unique location, Azurmendi had long been on our list of fine dining restaurants to experience. We chose to go to Azurmendi for lunch so that we could best experience the restaurant’s natural surroundings in daylight. The restaurant is located more or less in the middle of nowhere with the only real option being to drive or taxi (~20-30€ each way) about 20 minutes outside of Bilbao. At 315€ per person, and with 3 Michelin stars, our expectations were high going in.
Food (8/10):
After a welcome glass of Txakoli, we enjoyed their well known picnic basket in the foyer before enjoying snacks in the kitchen, ‘garden’ and then being seated for the main courses in the dining room. The flavours, and in most cases, the textures too were great, and the ingredients and flavour combinations were creative. It was refreshing to see their use of castañeta (pig salivary gland) for the main meat course, as it’s not a part of the pig typically used in fine dining. While all of the courses were beautifully presented, and there were some strong standouts (picnic basket lime snack, rose nectar snack, caviar tartelette, Motril shrimp) there were a couple dishes that were misses for us (almond flower, ravioli in broth). The flavours were fine, but we didn’t particularly enjoy the textures. The almond flower was too ‘solid’ given its gelatinous texture and perhaps would have been better with a creamier flan-style consistency. The broth for the ravioli felt over-reduced and coated our mouths. As well, while not necessarily a negative, all 3 dessert courses had an ice cream / sorbet component. While we love ice cream and as delicious as all the desserts were, we felt they could have offered more variety in their sweet courses. That being said, we did love their selection of petit fours, as they bring out a big box with seemingly endless compartments and they really do let you pick as many as you want. With the petit fours, there was a lot of variety, from jellies to truffles and macarons.
Drinks (N/A):
Other than the included Txakoli, we just had water. The Txakoli was nice and refreshing but we aren’t exactly wine connoisseurs so it’s difficult for us to assess its quality other than saying we liked it.
Service (7/10):
Dishes were well explained and the service team was attentive and professional, but overall we felt that they lacked the warmth and friendliness that we’ve enjoyed at other fine dining restaurants. One comment my partner made to me that stood out was “I don’t think I’ve seen our server smile.” For such a well established restaurant in a unique and beautiful landscape, we had expected warm hospitality as if we were visiting the chef’s home, but unfortunately this wasn’t the case. Watching and listening to other diners interact with the service team and sommelier, there was a definite stiffness to the staff. As well, from the moment we asked to get the bill to when we actually got the bill, took around 10 minutes. It felt a bit awkward waiting with no food or drinks and then having to check with a second member of the service team to ensure the bill was still coming. One thing to note was that we only speak English, so the service experience may be entirely different if your native language is Spanish or Basque.
The one bright light in the service was the chef, Eneko Atxa, who came around to each table and took the time to chat with each table for a few minutes. He was very friendly and his presence was warm and inviting – if only the service team had the same energy as him. Our short interaction with Eneko felt genuine and we could tell that he’s really passionate about what he does and was thankful for us dining at Azurmendi. We also saw another table ask to take a photo with him and he gladly obliged.
Atmosphere (10/10):
The atmosphere of Azurmendi is everything one would expect a 3 Michelin Star restaurant to have. Located a 20 minute drive outside of Bilbao, Azurmendi is perched atop a hill, in a large greenhouse-like structure surrounded by nature. From just the exterior of the restaurant, the tone was set that we were in for a special fine dining experience. From the gorgeous lobby complete with a living wall, to the ‘garden’ with faux flowers created from the restaurant’s waste, to the glass dining room full of natural sunlight and views of greenery, Azurmendi was one of the most beautiful restaurants we’ve been to. We loved the way we were invited to explore the restaurant, moving from room to room, enjoying snacks along the way. We especially loved the presentation of the snacks in the ‘garden’ room where the snacks were incorporated into the room’s decor. If there’s one thing to be picky about, we felt that there was a missed opportunity with the limited storytelling throughout the snacking tour. This comment is probably more on the service side, but it would have helped to further immerse ourselves in the chef’s world and values.
Overall (8/10):
While Azurmendi offers a truly unique dining experience given the restaurant’s location and stunning atmosphere, the food fell just short of exceptional with a couple ‘misses’ and the service was professional but stiff. We really wanted to love Azurmendi given their story and sustainable approach, and while the experience was certainly enjoyable, we were left wanting more. At a price point of 315€, plus the cost of a taxi to and from the restaurant, it was also our most expensive dining experience, all in. Overall, we felt that the highlight of our experience at Azurmendi was the restaurant’s atmosphere but with that allure gone, we wouldn’t return for just the food and service. In our opinion, Azurmendi is an experience worth having at least once, but a return trip may not be necessary.
by gonehalohunting