Azurmendi - seven 3* in one week

Azurmendi held the distinction of being the first stop on this tour of seven 3* meals in one week throughout Spain.

It set a very high bar.

What a delight it was to talk with Chef Eneko Atxa about his passion and projects. You can truly see his point-of-view and intentions on the plate.

Due to a very late-arriving business party of 17, I had the restaurant to myself for most of the meal which allowed a free-flow conversation of ideas and information download from the marvelous team.

As with many restaurants now, you're guided through multiple spaces as you enjoy your meal. I don't know if Azurmendi pioneered this, but they seem to have perfected it.

Gernika bean soup stood out among the "picnic" portion of the snacks for its depth of flavour on a chilly day.

On to the kitchen, an interactive display of the bounty from the sea.

Led to the next room, it was an opportunity to "play with your food" using a mix of fragrance and rose nectar.

Once at the table, the progression began, the first focusing on different preparations and textures of mushroom. The favourite being the silky egg yolk with truffle.

Some standout dishes included:

Coal-grilled pepper and fermented juices in Aribizu txistorra juice paste. What a masterful interpretation. This just exploded in flavour with tangy sweetness.

The pork with black pudding was coated in viscous sauce, rich and meaty. It felt substantial, but also ate clean and not heavy.

But the bon bon that followed, partridge in chocolate, was a genius bridge to get from savoury to sweet. This morsel was, in no uncertain terms, perfect, and emblematic of Chef's cooking.

Every pastry course matched the artistry and technique of the savoury courses.

Azurmendi, start to finish, was stunning and debuts in the top 10 of my world restaurant rankings.

The Single Table pays in full for all meals it posts about.