Occasionally, simplicity is the greatest of treasures! Here, the experiment of combining the time-honoured techniques of Japanese cuisine with the barbecue techniques of a typical Basque “asador” has really paid off. Japanese chef Tetsuro Maeda, who has renovated a century-old house in a small village so quiet it’s almost possible to hear the silence around you, has taken simplicity as his leitmotiv, basing his cooking around exceptional ingredients (many from his own vegetable garden) to create dishes that reveal new and surprising nuances. Recipes that appear on the single surprise menu (kabayaki eel, oyster with goat’s milk butter, king fish with pak choi, aged T-bone steak, cherry blossom flan made from the restaurant’s own cherries, etc) are based around the best possible seasonal ingredients and are constantly evolving. The experience begins with appetisers in the kitchen, where guests can admire the open grill, and reaches its climax in the attractive dining room. They expect you to be punctual as every dish is explained in great detail.