Gandarias — Restaurant in San Sebastián

• The police were called! *

POST REPLY EDIT: The reply from the restaurant confirms the position they took on the day. However I must stress that the plate of food delivered to the table was just bones with the merest hint of meat holding the ribs together and was deemed unacceptable by everyone who saw it including the diners at an adjoining table and the attending police. We have never been to a restaurant where they don't do everything in their power to satisfy the customer. All we wanted was a replacement dish and this problem would never have happened. Finally, the tone of the reply sounded gracious and explanatory and I thank the writer, however on the day the tone of the on-site restaurant staff who dealt with our problem was rude and dismissive.

Now read on but I suggest you get yourself a cup of tea/coffee before you read this review as I will go into great detail.

Firstly, let me tell you that 3 out of 4 main courses delivered to our table were fine, however because of the 4th main course the police had to be called to our table.

Our party consisted of 2 Australians and 2 British couples (all in our early-mid 60's). Starters and main courses were ordered and the evening was looking good. After the starter plates had been removed the main courses arrived at the table. Three of these looked wonderful, however the fourth plate was a plate of what can only be described as cooked bones with barely any meat on them. We immediately brought the state of this food to the attention of the waitress who, after looking embarrassed about the situation, went to get the head waitress. The head waitress arrived and could not understand why we were complaining and when we informed her that we would pay for everything but that dish (note: nothing had been eaten from the 4th plate) she just walked away smirking. Time passed with no one returning to sort out our problem so we asked for the manager. This time the head chef attended the table and said that the food had been ordered, and cooked, and delivered to the table so we HAD to pay for it or the police would be called. The manager (Eduard), who was apparently off site, eventually turned up and after the story was re-told again stated that the bill would have to be paid in full. So at this stage we agreed that the police should in fact be called. Our neighbouring table agreed that the food in question definitely looked substandard and to them our argument was valid and waited to see if the police would come in. The police did attend, 4 of them! The entire scenario was explained and the English speaking policeman looked very embarrassed by the position the restaurant had put him in. He explained that if we did not pay for the food on the table we would be charged with fraud as the restaurant had made a non-payment complaint. He saw the food on the table and agreed that it looked poor and it did not look like the food on the website promotional shots but if the restaurant wanted us arrested for non-payment he would have to do so. The restaurant would not replace the food and demanded that every dish was paid for even though nothing had been eaten from the one substandard plate. They would not accept that we pay for everything but that dish. So, with the police in attendance the bill was paid in full.

Would we advise you to eat at this restaurant... well the good food was nice but if you have a problem they are not the sort of establishment to try and resolve it amicably they would rather just take the money and run. I have written many reviews, mostly good, some average but this restaurant deserves a bad review because on this occasion they acted like thieves. The phrase 'caveat emptor'...

Oh sweet Jesus

The food in this place is unbelievable.

After a thorough research as to where to eat the best txuleta in San Sebastian we agreed this place should be our go to.

It was only 2 of us and we went to the restaurant around 8pm to see if they would have a table for later in that same day. We got a table for 10pm easily which was fine by us. The place was he's ING with people having a drink and a pintxo near the counter whereas the restaurant is towards the back of the bar and a total different vibe. We came back and got a lovely table. The restaurant was busy but the tables are not packed in top of each other which I like.

We ordered some wine by the glass, a crab salad, andalucia octopus and of course, txuleta. All to share.

The salad came first. Everything km thst plate was so fresh. The roman letucce was so crisp and the tomatoes so juicy. It was a large salad but sharing was ok. I could probably have stop eating there but I wanted to try more food

Then the octopus arrived. Sliced with what I believe to be paprika on top. OH MY GOD, it was the best octopus I ever had. It was melting in your mouth with the smokey taste. The plate of octapus disappeared in seconds.

But then, txuleta was to come and looking around tbe restaurant it was a popular choice. The waiter told us it was about 1.2kg of meat (with the bone) it comes with a few chips. But thank God not a lot because it was impossible to eat it all

I have to say this meat was on my top 2 of best meat I ever ate in my life. I just can't make my mind up as to which one would be number one. And this one is competing agaisnt waguy beef.

There are no words to describe. The flavour in the meat was unbelievable. Right amount of salt, the fat tasted like salami. My vains are probably about to explode this morning after that dinner, but everything was worth it. I felt like taking the bone home to secretly devour the rest which wouldn't look very good in the restaurant. It was served rare, the way we like, and would. Probably taste different if cooked for longer.

I said no to dessert but then I said yes to a pantxineta, a classic basque puff pastry tart with custard and almonds.

We also ordered the cheesecake.

The pantxineta was huge. The chocolate ice cream that came with it was really tasty, one of the best I had as I'm not big fan of chocolate ice cream. The desserts were nice but not exceptional like the main dishes.

3 glasses of wine plus all that food came to 141 euros, that including the 10% service. Very reasonable, especially for us used to london prices.

When in San Sebastian, make sure you come to this place and order the octopus...

One of the iconic Restaurants (or Jatetxea in Basque) that dot the old town of San Sebastián/Donostia. At lunch time or in the afternoon/evening you'll find a vibrant atmosphere inside, with a large counter full of fresh, colourful Pinchos around and small counters lining the walls where customers can place their platters of Pinchos while they eat. The environment can be a little intimidating at first as the Restaurant's front room will often be crowded with people ordering or enjoying their Pinchos, talking with their friends in what will look like a chaotic scenario to an outsider, but the overall experience will pay off. The Pinchos on display all have a delightful appearance and there's also a wide selection of wines (local or otherwise) as well as beer. Apart from this being a very typical and charming place, it's also one of the (thankfully) numerous places in Donostia that offers Gluten-Free food - Pinchos and 'regular' meals, even at the counter. We ended up having Pinchos twice and for our final day there we reserved a table for dinner and, every time we went there, had a grwat time with delicious food and drink. If you choose to sit in (make sure you call ahead and make a reservation) you'll be treated to a menu with a very comprehensive selection of apetizers, dishes and desserts. We had the dry-aged T-bone steak which was close to amazing (had a bit too much salt) and finished with the Cuallada - a local dessert that I strongly recomend - accompanied by a local wine the 2017 Bengoetxe that I much apreciated. To sum it up, this Restuarant is very much worth a visit (or more) and I'll be sure to get back there on...