This was the first 3* meal on our trip to Portugal and Spain. Overall we found the experience a bit underwhelming. Food was plated beautifully, wine selection was great but service and food weren’t exactly what we would have expected.
The food was good but maybe just not to our taste as much. Sometimes hard to explain. We could tell it was fresh, well prepared, etc but it just wasn’t that mind blowing, something that a 3* restaurant usually gives me.
The wine pairing wasn’t my favourite, again was just kind of flat for me.
Service wasn’t the startlingly good service you usually see at a 3*. Water glass sat empty, sometimes waited a bit long between courses.
I think we just had really high expectations based on the reputation and it didn’t match up. I’m sure others have had amazing experiences here but it just wasn’t for us.
by ochief19
3 Comments
Went in ‘21 and felt same. Also, this looks like almost the *exact* menu I had two years prior to your visit, in a totally separate season (September). The fact they haven’t meaningfully changed the menu year over year or season by season doesn’t sit right for me.
Were Elena there? She would usually come out and talk to each table. You should have mentioned it. I found her quite engaging.
Echoing other comments here, this was disappointing for us as well. I had a couple other 3*s on the same trip and Arzak was several notches below. Was there in spring 2022.