There are few restaurants any where which are as special as El Kano and on the coast of Spain near to San Sebastian, and missing El Kano is like missing truffles when in Alba.

The turbot described and commanded by the owner Aitor, he is deeply involved in his work and whatever he does it is taken seriously, and without any doubt this restaurant is top choice all the world over.

Aitor, and Niko the resident sommelier are working hand in hand, and focusing on the clients experience and managing the room which is always filled with locals and tourists. The one thing about El Kano is many locals take the time to satisfy themselves with the ultimate Bay of Biscay and the treasures found under water.

There is no doubting El Kano is located in one the top historic seaside villages on planet earth. Some would argue Korćula in Croatia is guaranteed this Adriatic prosperity for over thousands of years when the sea brought Greeks and Romans, Byzantines and Venetians. Nowadays in the village of Lumbarda, a fish festival is held throughout the summer of Fridays and fishermen grill the catch of the day, snapper, sardines, squid in the square opposite the village beach.

But wherever you look for sea food it points to Portugal who remains the absolute champion in terms of per capita consumption. After Portugal, Spain and Malta are the countries in which most fish and seafood is eaten but its not about consumption.

The idea of eating the worlds best Turbot could be arguably in three places; Japan, Spain and Turkey. One could argue Turbot, also known as the king of the sea, is still wild caught in Irish Sea & English Channel. But what makes any turbot special and its the season, the currents, the temperature and most of the cooking technique.

The turbot is considered by many as an inshore flatfish that in European waters, thriving in the Mediterranean and on sandbanks in the North Sea. During their first two or three years, turbot live close to the coastline, moving further away as they age.

The Atlantic coasts of Europe are bathed by the current called the North Atlantic Drift, a prolongation of the Gulf Stream. The latter is born to the south of Florida then runs northward along the American coast before moving eastward. Thus it brings warm water to the European coasts, making the climate milder.

The Atlantic ocean to the west and parts of the north and south, and the Cantabrian Sea to the north where we follow the shoreline to El Kano produce some of the best Turbot and for a good reason. Not only the fisherman’s village but historically Getaria is an important for being the hometown of Juan Sebastián Elcano: an important explorer and sailor for being the first to circumnavigate the world. He was the captain of the Nao Victoria, the only ship in Magellan‘s ill-fated fleet to complete the voyage.

Today, Getaria is famous for the Turbot grilled fish and drizzled with white vinegar and neutral oil and when there do not miss the Cristobal Balenciaga Museum, but only after a meal at El Kano.

The grilling is undertaken by the chef, a mastermind in grilling and knowing the fire, the heat and the timing. Without years of experience you cannot grill these fish without crushing them with too much heat and ruining the meat.

The end result is a fish which is grilled and soaked with the the secret sauce ans the basic principle of grilling whole turbot in the El kano style is simple. A whole fish, weighing as little as one kilogram and going up to 2.5 kilograms, is seasoned with salt, placed in a specially designed metal fish basket called a besuguera, and set on the grill close to the coals.

This vinaigrette keeps the skin of the turbot from drying out as it cooks, and later becomes a sauce that will be spooned over the fish. Once you begin to carve the fish into fillets, gelatin-rich juices from the turbot mix with the dressing and the remaining juices are poured over the turbot and this mixture emulsified into a glutinous sauce.

But what makes El Kano one of those culinary experiences you get addicted to….is it the fish alone, and or the place itself which has evolved and become more ‘a la mode’. Or is it the idea of having the perfectly cooked and served fish. I would say, El Kano is unique, the servers are all women for the better part except on man who is a foreigner.

The ladies are all locals and all are dedicated to the idea and ideology of what El Kano stands for as a emblem of Getaria and a family run business. Aitor, and his Mom are icons of a restaurant which is true to its nature and what they do best which is bring sea treasures at the right time to their clients and showing respect, passion and dedication is what glues the entire experience.

Aitor Arregi was born in Getaria and grew up with his grandmother Joxepa in the kitchen of the family bar, and with his mother Mari Jose in the dining room and on the grill at the side of his father Pedro, in the Elkano restaurant. These are three great pillars in his life who have transmitted him a “philosophy” and a ” savoir faire”, which is the family’s hallmark.

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Aitor operates the restaurant “Cataria” in Chiclana de la Frontera (Cádiz) together with the Head Chef of Elkano, Pablo Vicari, adapting the gastronomic offer to the Culinary Landscape of the coast of Cádiz. The Elkano opened a new restaurant in Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain) called Guethary to cook the culinary landscape of the Mediterranean Sea and cook it on fire.

I love the energy, the philosophy and the idea of eating some of the best bites you’ll ever taste!