I have been very much into Chef Aitor’s food ever since I encountered it at the one Michelin starred restaurant he previously headed. So it was with great excitement that I made a reservation at “Basque Kitchen by Aitor” the moment I read @bibikgourmand‘s post about this opening.
It was great to have my foodie friend @szeliang888 join me for lunch and without hesitation, we zeroed in on the Tasting Menu.
What ensued was a series of soulful Basque dishes reinterpreted by Chef Aitor’s modern vision that appeared simple but were clearly, sophisticated. Here is what we had...
Two snacks to warm us up - cured anchovies from the Bay of Biscay with tomato and olive oil “caviar”, plus crunchy croquette with Jambon de Bayon.
Then came housemade sourdough with espelette pepper butter.
This was followed by a gorgeous ruby-coloured cherry and watermelon gazpacho which Chef proceeded to shower with a flurry of cottage cheese snow.
Next, his innovative take on the classic Basque dish of “Marmitako”, a stew made with fish and potatoes. Tradition took a back seat with brined bonito replacing the cooked fish, giving extra definition to an otherwise “comfort food” profile.
I wasn’t wrong when I felt there was something familiar about the oxtail risotto with truffle and foie gras that came after. Chef confirmed it’s basically the same pasta he use to serve but done with rice here. Topped with a confit egg yolk, it’s as delicious as ever.
Course number five was a large, fresh piece of wild-caught Black Grouper plated with tiny, ridiculously sweet peas and a piquilla pepper sauce. I loved this.
Szeliang had to literally, take a moment for himself when the leek broth was brought forth. Its basic looks belied the astonishing complexity from a dashi of smoked leeks. Hence his reaction.
The final savoury item was a perfectly done, juicy piece of Australian 200days grain-fed prime rib. There’s no need for much else with a meat like that, so a silky-smooth mash sufficed.
Our lunch ended with a delectable dessert of sweet strawberries accompanied by a creamy milk and vanilla ice-cream.
At $115++, I think this is really worth it. And if you can secure a booking before 24th October 2018, the ongoing 50% discount they have till then, elevates it to a steal. A $45++ Set Menu++ is also available if something lighter is preferred.

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