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When chef Alicio Garro decided to close the Ibai restaurant a few years ago, he left behind one of the best Basque cuisine restaurants in San Sebastián. Since then, those who have passed through there at some point still miss the charisma of that place but above all, the food. Their prayers have been heard and, finally, the Ibai is going to reopen its doors.
It will be revived by Paulo Airaudo, an Argentine chef with two Michelin stars, but who has lived in San Sebastián for many years, where he learned in the kitchens of Arzak and where he opened his first restaurant, Amelia, in 2017.
Now he undertakes a more difficult task if possible, that of being able to restart a place with a unique essence. There, Alicio shouted loudly the dishes that were not on the menu, because it varies depending on the season, and the atmosphere was as if you were in the house of some colleagues.
Its raw material was also special. The best fish were found by Alicio among the fish offerings of the day and served in Ibai, the cow was “from there” and the hand of the kitchen (Juantxo and Isabel) had come to perfect simple dishes until they were elevated to the highest level.
The fish was the jewel in the crown: hake in green or koskera sauce; candied or battered kokotxas; clams with soupy rice; elvers; Bacalao Al Ajoarriero. They also served seasonal vegetables: beans, artichokes, peas, or asparagus.
The reopening will not entail a facelift; quite the contrary. Alicio Garro will walk through the kitchen to make sure that Airaudo and his team comply with the Ibai tradition. Martín Flea will be the sommelier, who has already set to work to create an offer worthy of Ibai regulars. All this so that the new Ibai can once again be the same as always.