Artola offers us to enjoy the Basque gastronomy and contemplate the panoramic view of San Sebastian from its cider house.
The Artola cider house was founded in 2001, a family business located in a baserri (farmhouse) of the sixteenth century where we can taste the typical Basque cider house menu. In this farmhouse we will have the opportunity to enjoy the seasonal Basque cider, the Basque culture and the views it offers over the city of San Sebastian.
In order to give our opinion about Artola cider house we are going to divide this article into 4 sections:
The premises: A large dining room welcomes us to Artola cider house. In it, we will find kupelas (barrels) of up to 5,000 liters accompanied by tables to accommodate large groups. If we want something more modern, with a more careful design and heating, Artola cider house has a new dining room for about 40 diners.
In our humble opinion, the small dining room is a great success, since we can distance ourselves from the “txotx” area (the area of the barrels, where people pile up waiting to taste the Basque cider), thus separating two totally different atmospheres.
Artola cider house barrels
The location: 6 kilometers from San Sebastian we will find the Artola cider house. Located 2 kilometers from the urban center of the most famous Basque cider locality, Astigarraga, the Artola cider house family awaits us with open arms.
The cider: A cider with a very good taste, smell and consistency. A cider (sagardo in Basque) created using the same techniques used by our ancestors with native apples.
The food: The cider house menu we tasted consisted of:
-Chorizo a la cider.
-Codfish omelette.
-Fried cod.
-Steak.
Artola cider house steak
When we finished with the steak, one of the waitresses, very nice, approached us to ask if we wanted to repeat, which we did without hesitation. As you can see, we are not going to stay hungry at Artola cider house.
-Cheese, quince jelly (homemade), nuts and cheese.
Artola cider house dessert
The menu met all the necessary requirements for our approval. Quality and quantity are two properties that every Basque cider house menu should have.
Although we have not had the opportunity to try it, the sagardotegi (cider house) Artola also has a farmhouse with 5 rooms. The house has a fireplace, heating and a terrace of approximately 200 square meters and can be rented by rooms or as a whole for groups or families of up to 16 members.
Artola cider house façade
A curious fact to say the least: large buses can not access the door of the cider house, a situation that the owners solve by offering customers a free shuttle service to the door of their dining room. A trip, which is made in a van that is also used in the work of the farmhouse, creating a somewhat peculiar atmosphere. If you are one of those who get dizzy, we recommend warning the driver not to go too fast.
As you can see, this is a recommended cider house, we are waiting for your opinions!
0 Comments