Brace yourself, this is going to be a long post because this was a special meal. True to the nature of tapas, we tried SO many things on their menu and they're all unique and delicious, representing the cuisine in the Basque region. Really opened up our palate and culinary worldview.Open kitchen, cozy space, and lively energy. The ambience at Urdaneta made for a fun dining experience. We started off with some delicious and refreshing house Sangria. We were also given some complimentary marinated olives which were BOMB. And, I'm not even an olive person. These had great a texture and well-balanced flavors. Next came the assortment of pinxtos: Mejillones En Escabeche, Bikini, and Morcilla. These were small biters that were somewhat shareable but we totally wished we just got one each of everything...The Escabache had a crispy paella base topped with slightly brined mussel, playing with the contrast in textures. The Bikini was a twist on the classic ham and cheese sandwich with super crisy toasty and the gooeiest cheese. The saltiness from the jamon serrano paired amazingly with the touch of truffle honey. So good! Last but not least of the pinxtos, the Morcilla was some of the best, if not the best, blood sausage served on a tasty toast. Now we might make this sounds average but it's so tasty we wished they sold the blood sausage in bulk.The primeros were equally impressive. We tried the Pan with whipped olive oil topped with sherry brown butter. Need I say more. Loved the airy texture of the olive oil, didn't know that this is a thing! The Nuestra Ensaladilla Rusa was an albacore paradise with the fish prepared in multiple ways on the dish. It sorta reminds me of tuna salad but with more umami. The thin and crispy waffle potato chips were a great company to the dish. Then there's the Croquetas De Jamon which were the croquetas to beat all corquetas. The outside crispy and thin while the inside was soooo creamy. I don't know how they do it but it's amazing.Hope you're still with us cause we got segundos. The Piquillos Rellenos were wild boar stuffed peppers stewed in a rich yet bright sauce. The gaminess of the board worked surprisingly well. Not to mention it's very tender and juicy. Meanwhile the lamb loin in the Cordero was equally delicious and so preciously presented we didn't want to touch it. But we did and it's great.After all of these delectable dishes, we're satisfied but, you know what they say, go big or go home so we got not one but two desserts and a decaf espresso to round of our food adventure. We got the Arroz con Leche with bruleéd top which to our surprise was served cold but it worked! The rice was very creamy and not too sweet. The crunchy sugar top added a nice contrasting texture and it's fun to break into. The lavender was present but in the most perfect way, not at all overwhelming. The star of the desserts though was the Tarte de Queso or Burnt Basque Cheesecake. So creamy and smooth and the membrillo was so damn good.This was a spendy meal but we couldn't be happier with it. The restaurant and the team put in thoughts and efforts to create such a unique experience. They regularly travel to Spain to refine their menu and techniques so you can be sure to have a great time whenever you go.
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