70. San Sebastian - The Buena Vista

We have come to San Sebastian to eat.  

Seems indulgent I know, but San Sebastian (Donostia in Basque) is home to a large number of world class restaurants and with so many great places to eat, so close together, why not take advantage.

San Sebastian is also one of the most expensive places to stay and it always proves difficult to get accommodation.  But back in November last year, Paul brushed up his Spanish and exchanged several emails in Spanish with a family-owned osteria in the hills above the city. 

This little place, called the Beuna Vista has great views, a great terrace and a great restaurant.  We discovered it during a wet week here in  2011.  Turns out they have rooms to let and we have found ourselves in a big, basic room for a week, breakfast included, for a reasonable rate.  Throw in car parking and one of the best restaurants in the town, and you couldn't wish for more.

Our first meal on the terrace was accompanied by sunset.

This is not just any sunset but sunset over the Bay of Biscay, northern Spain.

It was also accompanied by a fine Rioja - pronounced 'Ree-ork-ah'. 

And some fine company.

Nothing like a fine red and the anticipation of a great fish dinner, to get me to smile.

Spain eats late so they don't start service until 8.30pm.  We determined to eat light because we had a big lunch planned for the following day. Paul served his own fish soup. It was magnificent - it was really made of fish.

I had bonito tuna tartare with wafer thin slices of watermelon, plums, beetroot, avocado and papaya. Heavenly.

The squid were probably swimming this morning, the calamari was so juicy and fresh.

Shallow fried merluza (hake) with smoked red capsicum.  Thick, juicy, perfect.

What a great start to our week in San Sebastian.

The hotel staff were so nice.  Sonia was on deck every morning for breakfast with a happy smile and great coffee.  She was also there at midnight several times.

Itsaso made sure we understood the menu and had everything we needed - her English was excellent.

And happy Ainhoa, always smiling worked around me when I sat at table in the corner of the restaurant with my computer for hours on end.

Here are some other great dishes that we enjoyed at the Buena Vista.  An entree of grilled mushrooms on creamy mashed potato with broken egg and wafer thin, Iberian ham. These were not your normal cultivated mushrooms but something that really grew in a paddock underneath a tree - fabulous.

Baked monkfish and prawns for two, in a garlic and lime sauce with grilled asparagus. Wow!

Apple slice on flaky pastry with patisserie custard, applesauce, flamed sugar edges and vanilla ice-cream.  Chef must had made this hundreds of times - refined, precise, perfect. As good as you would find anywhere.

And a new dessert, not yet worked through, I suspect.  Sweet fruit ravioli poached in red wine. A bit rough around the edges but it will improve. My advice would be to loose the pineapple foam and the chocolate crumbs, and intensify the richness of the fruit and the pastry.  

Good luck to you all - we had a lovely, relaxing week staying with you and eating at the Buena Vista.