Click here to read the Spanish version.
At Tapas we love four-handed menus and even more when two quality gastronomic proposals come together and match very well. This is what happened a few days ago with the international cuisine of Chispa Bistró and the Basque market flavors of Mina. Chefs Gabriel Sodré and Juan d’Onofrio joined forces with Álvaro Garrido to offer an exclusive service through the best dishes from both restaurants. Below, we reveal what the original menu between Chispa Bistró and Mina consisted of.
The exclusive menu, which was only served on June 26 during lunch and dinner hours, included great classics from both Chispa Bistró and Mina. Diners were able to enjoy, among others, cappelleti of txipirones, ikura, mushroom dashi and toma; txangurro soup with yolk in brine and flakes; cabbage, green curry and tomato; smoked bonito, codium and toasted juice; or pigeon with leek and pear cannelloni. For dessert, a surprising asparagus with yolk and oatmeal, or smoked butter, hazelnut and spicy chocolate.
This special proposal was paired with a spectacular selection of wines, highlighting the good work of Ismael Álvarez, sommelier of Chispa Bistró. Among the wines that accompanied the four-handed menu and gave shape to the concept created by the Chispa-Mina duo were a Sancerre Florès 2021 from Vincent Pinard, a Saint-Péray from Domaine de Lorient or a Marcel Lapierre Morgon 2021, among others.
How did this four-handed menu come about?
The Chispa Bistró restaurant, which will celebrate its first anniversary in September, in just a few months has already established itself as one of the gastro proposals to be taken into account in the capital. Behind this concept of international cuisine, with special attention to Asian flavors, are the young chefs Juan D’Onofrio and Gabriel Sodré, who decided to undertake their first personal project together.
Gabriel has worked in the kitchens of prestigious restaurants such as Albert Adrià’s Enigma, El Celler de Can Roca or the Brazilian restaurant Glouton. While Juan, despite his youth, has extensive experience in Santceloni, Mercado de Liniers and has worked in the kitchens of Mina, where he forged a close friendship with chef Álvaro Garrido that led to this meeting for the delight of a lucky few.
For his part, Álvaro Garrido has been at the helm of the Mina restaurant for 15 years, which has become a culinary benchmark in Bilbao, thanks to the care with which he uses the product and a constant search for creativity in his dishes.
After enjoying this meeting that we didn’t know we needed, we can’t wait for these chefs to get together again to propose a new four-handed menu, but this time at the Bilbao headquarters. Who’s up for it?