Ankapalu Jatetxea

Chef Aitor Calvete pays tribute to good local products in a farmhouse that stands on a hilltop above the historic village of Larrabetzu. 15 minutes from Bilbao, the magic of the rural world of Biscay is on full display.

The culinary suggestions at Ankapalu draw on Calvete’s 25 years of experience in the kitchens of Don Pablo in Pamplona, Zintziri Errota in Bakio, Akebaso in Durango or the nearby Azurmendi.

The menu offers a selection of fine traditional dishes such as grilled beef cutlet and whole pieces of excellent fish from the Cantabrian Sea. The raw material shines “with the right touch”.

Ankapalu’s signature cuisine creations of Basque-Japanese inspiration, such as the grilled monkfish taco with crayfish on creamy potato, shellfish juice, wakame seaweed and codium gel, complement Ankapalu’s character. I collect the codium seaweed myself in Sopelana”.

We always try to make all the preparations here, such as marinated smoked salmon, foie gras with armagnac and, of course, all the pastries”, stresses the chef, who hopes to have his own vegetable garden near the cooker in the spring.

Ankapalu is open from Thursday to Sunday and it is recommended to book in advance. “At Ankapalu we show our passion for cooking,” concludes Calvete.