The history of Zarate is that of a man passionate about fishing and the sea, to the point where his cooking is described as “tidal-inspired cuisine”. Chef Sergio Ortiz de Zarate started his career in Lekeitio (Vizcaya), where he began to make a name for himself thanks to his superb baked wild fish. His traditional cooking gained further recognition following his move to Bilbao and a widening of his repertoire that involved more modern dishes and a focus on locally sourced ingredients. The strong guiding principles of the restaurant, the façade of which it shares with the “Taberna Zarate” (the latter offering an array of delicious tapas), are based around his exceptional knowledge of fish – Cantabria’s finest raw ingredient that he sources daily from the ports of Lekeitio and Ondarroa. The à la carte is complemented by two tasting menus with differing numbers of courses (Menú 13 Pasos and Menú 17 Pasos), on which you can find options such as marinated sardines with “migas” breadcrumbs and grapes, the monkfish and duck “mi-cuit” with wakame and apple, and squid risotto without rice.