With a total of 11 Michelin restaurants, San Sebastian is one of the best locations for foodies in the world. In this culinary land of milk and honey, can a restaurant stand out at all? Yes, if it breaks all the rules.

That's exactly what Mugaritz, the famed restaurant of Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz, one of the most influential culinary masters of our time, is doing. With his interdisciplinary approach to his craft, his willingness to take risks, and an insatiable curiosity about the limits of taste, the 51-year-old is considered a rebel in the kitchen. His place is not only one of the best restaurants in San Sebastian, but in the world. But what makes Mugaritz so special?

The Most Creative Restaurant in San Sebastian ... and Beyond?

What definitely makes Aduriz's food stand out is its creativity. But it's not just the individual dishes that are so artistic and unusual, because at Mugaritz, the entire concept dances off the rails. À la carte? Doesn't exist. Special requests? Sadly, no. Anyone thinking of dining at this temple of culinary art is embarking on a wholly unexpected sensory experience. Allergies and intolerances can be made known when making reservations, but the rest remains a secret. Guests are served a customized menu of more than 20 "suggestions" paired with exclusive wines that reflect the essence and philosophy of the restaurant during their visit over a period of two to three hours.

No Risk, No Fun

What if a culinary experience was about more than just the taste of the food? Not an unknown thought process in haute cuisine. But does it also make sense to serve food that intentionally doesn't taste good? In Aduriz's world, that's very much justified. "Flirting with violations," is what the notorious chef calls his willingness to take risks in the kitchen in order to raise some eyebrows and questions about the meaning of culinary art and taste itself. After all, without mistakes, there is no opportunity to learn and improve. But guests can definitely also benefit from trying something that is a taste risk over a fine dinner. When was the last time you were forced to take a leap of faith and face a potentially unpleasant sensation in a restaurant?

Back to Nature

According to Aduriz, globalization and technological progress have fundamentally changed the definition of the word "exotic." This no longer refers to distant, but unknown things, explains the master chief. And unknown can also be the things that are right in front of our eyes. Mugaritz's team realized this when they explored the surrounding nature. As a result, they developed a new way of being in touch with nature that changed their dishes from the ground up. Thus, at Mugaritz, they are not only experimenting with the ingredients themselves, but they are also expanding their understanding of plant-based foods by extending their garden to the sea.

Let's Play a Game

A strong sense of humor is not only a rarity for a San Sebastian restaurant, but rather unusual in general. At Mugaritz, however, it's part of the overall experience, designed to shake up guests' preconceived notions a bit and get a reaction out of them. That seems to be a general goal that runs through the entire concept: Eating here won't live up to expectations, but it will definitely bring some positive surprises. Eating with your hands, for example, is also welcome, and there's plenty of philosophizing about the sound of a bite. Particularly imaginative: it can happen that just one small portion of caviar is put on the table and guests are encouraged to play a game to decide who gets it.

Striving for Excellence

At the end of the day, what makes Mugaritz tick is its commitment to always improving and pushing the envelope. The experiments here don't end in the kitchen - frequent collaborators include scientists, philosophers and artists who bring their expertise to expand the experience. By asking new questions, Aduriz is inspired to stretch the boundaries of cuisine and see things from a different angle. That's how he came to study the fermentation process in depth and find his obsession with kombucha, which is always incorporated into the inventive menus. Music is also an essential component of dining at Mugaritz, for which exceptional artists are always brought on board. Last but not least, the experimental chef also collaborates with neurologists to explore the relationship between the individual senses. Which other chef can make that claim? 

Ready to visit the most unusual restaurant in San Sebastian? One thing is for sure: dinner at Mugaritz may not appeal to everyone's taste buds, but it is undoubtedly a culinary experience like no other. Reservations are still possible between May and October, for which a deposit of €110 per person is required. Date changes up to 48 hours before can be considered.

Mugaritz

Aldura Gunea Aldea, 20, 20100 Errenteria, Gipuzkoa, Spain
Tel.: +34 943 52 24 55
Web: mugaritz.com
Price: €242,- per person, drinks not included

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