This is a special post to mark a truly memorable meal. Gourmand Gunno normally restricts himself only to reviewing restaurants on his home UK turf. Top dining tips for elsewhere can generally be found in the global section of the website.
A visit to Horma Ondo is an experience. Take in the views, enjoy the food and wine. This is the sort of place where one could comfortably spend a whole day. It’s located in the hills outside Bilbao and easy to miss if one does not know the way. Fortunately my host was a local to the area and successfully navigated the winding road up to the venue. Once there, we relaxed and enjoyed the restaurant to the full.
The first thing that assails any visitor to Horma Ondo is the smell. The restaurant describes itself as an ‘asador’, the Spanish word for grill. Step out of your car and a pungently intoxicating breeze of smoked meat greets guests. It gives a sense of what is to come. The venue itself was refurbished in 2007 but is modelled on a traditional Basque farmhouse. The central room comprises a high, wood-beamed, ceiling and exposed original style brickwork. There are large windows on three sides offering stunning views across the Basque hills and down to the sea.
At the helm of this venture is a wonderful couple. A local from the region serves as front of house while his partner – an Englishwoman from Blackpool – concocts wonders in the kitchen. Their daughters are often found waiting the tables (and helpfully translating the menu for English guests).
Of course, the reason for dining at Horma Ondo is to experience its grill. What goes on it though is critical. The team has always shown huge respect for the local land, growing much of its fresh produce on the property. When it comes to meat, Horma Ondo ensures that the cows it cooks have lived a long life (typically around ten years as opposed to the two most beasts have) and only eaten grass. There is a corresponding difference to the meat when eaten. Take a beef tartare dish. It glowed a much brighter hue of red than typical versions, and the meat had a tender juiciness that was probably unrivalled elsewhere. At Horma Ondo, you feel as if you are eating the very essence of meat.
Over the very pleasurable two-and-a-half hours my dining comrade and I spent at the restaurant – the Spanish know how to do lunch properly – it was abundantly evident that Horma Ondo was about more than just meat. Much thought is put into every dish. One particularly memorable example was a fresh hen’s egg served on a bed of puréed potato and topped with grilled red pepper. The intermingling of flavours and textures was supreme.
Horma Ondo’s wine list also deserves mention. Choosing off a wine list in Spain is always a pleasure. While there was a very heavy emphasis on domestic wines, the value-for-money ratio was second to none. We were lucky to sample a bottle of Daniel Landi’s cult Comando G wine at a price you would be lucky to buy a bottle in the off-trade in England.
Once you’re done with Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum (which is definitely worth a visit), take time to go to Horma Ondo. Get a taxi and ensure that your return booking is several hours later. Make the most of it.