Etxebarri

It’s well worth making a detour into the countryside between San Sebastián and Bilbao for the thrill of discovering chef Victor Arguinzoniz’s extraordinary avant-garde barbecuing at his restaurant, Etxebarri, in the tiny, pretty village of Axpe. Arguinzoniz is Spain’s wizard of smoke, and almost everything he prepares is grilled or griddled over a variety of charcoals he makes himself. A former dairy-company executive, he abandoned his day job to subsume himself in his passion for cooking with fire, a tradition in the Spanish Basque Country, several years ago, and Etxebarri has since become one of the hottest insider’s addresses in Spain. You’ll know why when you sample Arguinzoniz’s grilled octopus with peas and asparagus, griddled wild mushrooms and grilled squid and onions in a sauce of squid ink. His smoked-milk ice cream, the grand finale of a meal here, is one of the most original dishes in contemporary Spanish cuisine.