If you're staying in Bilbao and you don't feel like driving out really far for dinner, consider eating at Extanobe Atelier, which is right in Bilbao's city center. Chef Fernando Canales (a true local, born in Bilbao) is the executive chef at Extanobe Atelier.
The restaurant focuses on seafood, particularly fish (which I love).
There are two Extanobe restaurants that are located side by side. Atelier is the higher end one, (1 Michelin star), while The Shelf is the more "casual haute cuisine."
There are several different types of tasting menus (they call them "experiences", which you can book beforehand. We went with the Chef Atelier Menu Experience (130 EUROS).
Appetizers
We begin with an unusual start: a glass container shaped like a fish head sits in front of us. They say it's a hake's head, and it's their favorite fish, which they call "the bride of the Basques." The server removes the top portion to reveal a "treasure" inside called the "kokotxa", a jewel cooked on the grill and seasoned with garlic and chili. It is a single bite of what seems a bit like lightly breaded and deep fried fish.
Four our second appetizer (right), a lobster carpaccio with a bacon vinaigrette.
The Tasting Menu Begins
Anchovy lasagna is one of their signature dishes and it is absolutely phenomenal. Though they call it "lasagna", I feel it's more like a gazpacho. The base "sauce" is a creamy tomato soup made with ripen deseeded tomatoes emulsified in olive oil. On top sit layers of anchovies which have been marinated in salt and vinegar for about 15 minutes. The flavors are beautiful. We're off to a great start!
Truffle Ajoblanco is a white garlic soup which is traditional in the the south of Spain. Though the traditional version uses garlic and almond, Extanobe exchanges garlic for white truffle. This results in a beautiful expression of the dish, which pairs really well with the single piece of asparagus on top.
For the next course, Chef comes out to sear our dish table-side.
A Few Meat Courses
Desserts
*Caprice of Eucalyptus Raspberry and Coconut
The first "palate cleanser" dessert includes a raspberry “chip” (like meringue) that melts in your mouth, a minty floral whipped foam, and coconut jelly.
The next course is simply called "Carrot, Ginger, Tonka bean and Lime" on the menu, plus words that peaked our interest . . . "you will see it at your table."
Finally our last dessert is the most memorable. They bring over VR glasses (!) for us to watch while enjoying our last bite.
The dessert experience is called "Panna Cotta Violeta and yuzu in 3D". The dessert is a tribute to a violet candy from La Pajarita, the oldest candy shop in Madrid. On the side is a liquid sphere of yuzu, which gives a burst of surprising flavor.
The video shows an idyllic and colorful scene of flowers (maybe lilacs?) and the sky. Honestly, the resolution of the VR machine isn't super great, so the effect feels a bit cheesy. Still, I commend the creativity and out-of-the-box thinking for this course.
General Thoughts: Extanobe Atelier Bilbao Spain
All in all, we had a really enjoyable meal at Extanobe Atelier. The quality of the food was enjoyable, and there were definitely some standout dishes. The creativity is there, and I certainly wasn't expecting the VR course. I very much enjoy the seafood focus. Overall, I would be happy to recommend this to others.
Extanobe Atelier Bilbao Spain
Calle Juan Ajuriaguerra,8
48009 Bilbao. Vizcaya.
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