After the great success of the summer of 2016, the famous chef Hélène Darroze, holder of a Michelin star for her eponymous restaurant in Paris and two stars in London for the restaurant "Hélène Darroze at the Connaught", will resume her quarters at the Maria Cristina, a Luxury Collection hotel in San Sebastian, for three months.

Photo: DR

The ephemeral restaurant "Hélène Darroze at Hotel Maria Cristina" will pay tribute to the cuisine of the Basque Country so much appreciated by Hélène by highlighting, for the second consecutive year, a whole range of local seasonal ingredients.

The restaurant, which can accommodate 50 people, will be open from Friday to Sunday for lunch, and every day except Tuesday for dinner, from July 1 to October 15, 2017.

“San Sebastián is one of my favorite cities. It is one of the most important gastronomic scenes in the world which gives access to both agricultural and seafood products " , explains Hélène. “I spent several months with my family each year in San Sebastián and Biarritz. My menus are therefore always inspired by these gastronomic memories. "

"We are delighted to partner with Hélène Darroze again after her success last summer", underlines Stijn Oyen, the director of the Maria Cristina hotel for four years now. “The unique culinary experience imagined by Hélène was greatly appreciated by foreign customers, but also by our local customers. We are convinced that once again this summer, the pop-up restaurant will bring added value to the gastronomic offer of the hotel and of San Sebastián. "

Hélène Darroze - Photo: DR

Hélène and her teams will offer the daily menu made with local products and ingredients. The formulas will be € 98 (four courses including appetizers and a dessert), € 135 (six dishes, appetizers and desserts included) and € 180 (gastronomic selection of seven creations) HT per person. A three course menu will be available for € 59 HT per person for lunch only.

On the summer menu of "Hélène Darroze at Hotel Maria Cristina" you will find typical dishes from the region including:

  • Carabineros (shrimps) roasted with tandoor spices, carrots and candied citrus mousseline, Timut pepper reduction with fresh coriander
  • Black rice in ink and white rice, squid (squid) with chorizo, bitter juice spiced with parsley, emulsion of Reggiano parmesan
  • Roast Landes chicken stuffed with porcini mushrooms, tender eggplants, tarragon sauce
  • Grilled Txuleta beef from Galicia, black truffles from Austria, Pont-Neuf apples, Bordeaux sauce
  • Baba Armagnac soaked in Bas-Armagnac from Hélène Darroze's cellar

On the list of privileged suppliers of Saint-Sébastien with whom Hélène has partnered for the design of her menus for the Maria Cristina are: Andignac - Festins de France (foie gras from the Landes); Louismi (Galician beef); Karabalcko Farm (herbs, flowers and salad leaves); Iker (Iberian ham and other types of cold cuts).

As for local fish and vegetables, these are bought every day at La Brexta market.

French and Spanish wines from different regions, mainly Rioja and Ribera, will perfectly complement the flavors of Hélène's cuisine.

San Sebastian and its surroundings are full of establishments offering exceptional culinary experiences. Hélène gives us her good gourmet addresses to savor delicious pintxos (traditional tapas from the Basque Country): Ganbara for Amaïa mushrooms, Casa Urola for beef cheeks and Idiazabal risotto, or La Vina for their tarta de queso, “The best cheesecake in the world” according to Hélène.

Hélène has developed a solid network of personal and commercial contacts with the best farmers, fishermen and other producers based in San Sebastián and the Basque Country. These “gastronomic” relationships will bring a very particular local touch to its menus at Maria Cristina during the summer of 2017.