The Monument Hotel is in luck: they have just won a Michelin Guide Key, which recognizes them as one of the best hotels in Spain, and, in addition, they have opened a new room in the Oria restaurant, designed by architect Tote Moreno, with a new curtain and a large gueridon table in the center. "We are very grateful for the Michelin Key. It is an award for hospitality and excellence in architecture, design, service, personality and, of course, gastronomy," explains Inés Vázquez, Director of Communication and PR, who adds: "keys and stars are a perfect combination and a recognition of the effort of all the teams."
The hotel, which opened in 2016 under the gastronomic direction of Martin Berasategui, the chef with the most stars in the country, has always put cuisine at the center. For this reason, a few months after opening, Lasarte became the first restaurant with 3 stars in Barcelona, while Oria would win its first in 2018. Today, in addition, they continue to innovate in proposals and formats. As Vázquez explains: "We have planned the imminent launch of the new Chef's Table at the Lasarte restaurant, with a renewed, more experiential and innovative gastronomic proposal."
An Ithaca between the sea and the mountains
At Oria, they have not only renovated the space, but also the menu, which is offered in three tasting menus: the Oria Formula (€85), the Tradition Menu (€145) and the Itsasmendi Menu (€195). The latter, the most extensive, seeks the richness of local products while establishing a dialogue with the Basque Country. Its name means sea and mountain, and also refers to one of the best-known txakolis from Gernika, the land of head chef Xabier Goikoetxea. "The name expresses the fusion of Basque and Catalan cuisine. Not only in the dishes, but in the journey of the products we offer," he explains.
This harmony manifests itself in various preparations and ingredients, such as a suquet that evokes the flavors of a Donostiarra-style soup, Figueres onions reminiscent of red onions, or Maresme tear peas that transport us to those of Getaria. The new menu, more than ever, delves into the chef's gastronomic origins. "All chefs, at the beginning of our careers, explore different cuisines of the world. But, as we mature, we all culinarily return home," reflects Goikoetxea, who has been at the helm of Oria for eight years and collaborating with Martín Berasategui for fifteen. "When they ask me why I dedicated myself to cooking, everything leads me back to my grandmother, to my mother, who used the same ingredients I use now, but in a homemade way."
In fact, for the chef, the difficult part is translating traditional grill preparations into haute cuisine. "We rack our brains to achieve it," he says smiling. Other dishes on the menu, which change seasonally, include the oxtail ravioli, tempered scallop with hollandaise, boneless rack of suckling lamb, or chocolate in textures, which hides a porcini mushroom cream. "In Martín's sweet world, we really like to combine vegetables: basil, porcini mushrooms, or carrots allow us to avoid excess salt or sugar."
The most outstanding dish, however, is the turbot with its sofrito emulsion and caviar. "It is inspired by grilled turbot, so traditional in the Basque Country and which I love. The most difficult part is incorporating this type of cooking into the tasting menu, maintaining its juiciness and mellowness when you portion it." And one of the great secrets of gastronomic restaurants is consistency. "There are many dishes that never reach the dining room," notes Goikoetxea as he walks through the new room accompanied by the charismatic head waiter Zoltan Nagy, capable of enlivening any conversation, and the sommelier Ricard Amoròs, a great discoverer of wine gems.
Much more than two great restaurants
The culinary fascination of Monument Hotel does not end in Lasarte and Oria, but continues in spaces such as Terraza Verbena, the Yummy Sundays brunch or the Glasss breakfasts. "All the breakfast pastries, the bread for the room service hamburgers, and all the chocolates and room details are homemade," says Goikoetxea, adding: "Being able to eat, while staying here, a pizza like the one eaten here, is an exceptional experience."
This is possible thanks to the existence of a department dedicated exclusively to pastry and bakery, a practice uncommon in other hotels in the city. This explains why Lasarte crafts six different types of bread, while Oria is responsible for three others. "We believe this adds value," highlights the head chef, who also explains that Oria has 12 people on staff and Lasarte has more than 30. "Here there is meticulous work and internal organization, so that the experience is artisanal and people enjoy it." A team effort that, without a doubt, functions as a compass for gastronomic trends and innovation.