Is This London’s Best Basque Restaurant?

2 months ago

Ibai opened its doors in July 2024

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There’s a new hidden gem in the City, and it should be top of your bucket list, says Olivia Emily. From chef Richard Foster and the team behind renowned meat supplier Txuleta, Nemanja Borjanovic and Will Sheard, Ibai is a sprawling corner-plot Basque steak restaurant in a lofty industrial space, hidden behind an unassuming facade right in the heart of the City. Step inside for London’s best taste of the Basque country.

Restaurant Review: Ibai, City of London

Hidden between everything ancient (St Paul’s), new (the Barbican) and newer (skyscrapers galore), you’ll find, or perhaps stumble across, Ibai. In this strictly not 24-hour city – despite the soaring population – the streets here are deserted once the clock (or St Paul’s bell) strikes 6pm. If you find yourself in the area, Ibai is the place to be, attracting groups with its sharing-size steaks and convivial booths. If you’re not in the area, time to hop on the tube – Ibai is worth the journey.

Step inside to be greeted by the host, ready to check your outerwear (summer, who?) and uncover the restaurant hiding behind a thick curtain with a flourish. Despite the city location, the interiors are all very East London industrial: exposed brick, concrete floor, thick silver pipes climbing up the walls and across the lofty ceiling. But it’s all brought back down to earth with warm wooden chairs, a big wooden bar teeming with glinting bottles, cosy brown sofa nooks, and pools of candlelight casting a yellow glow across crisp white tablecloths.

Start with a cocktail as you ponder the menu; the bar can shake up whatever you like, but the Spicy Margarita is a must. On the food side, to start, there are daily specials to enjoy, but the permanent menu also includes the likes of Cantabrian anchovies with arbequina olive oil, the Croque Ibai with prawns, blood sausage and cheese, and the melt-in-the-mouth Carabinero tartare – delicate prawns you’ll take pains not to gobble up in a matter of seconds. To be transported to the streets of the Basque Country, don’t miss the La Noir de Bigorre ham and crisps: paper thin, moreish ham piled atop a bowlful of homemade crisps with a smattering of vibrant green piparra peppers for a kick of spice.

At this point, it’s time to wrap your hands around a glass (or bottle) of wine. Consult the exuberant and passionate sommelier Hugh if you’re not sure what to go for, and he can guide you through a curated list of classic and vintages, many sourced directly from producers and seen rarely in the UK. I enjoyed a crisp cold glass of ‘La Ficelle’ Rouge 2023 by Union des Vignerons Cave Co-opérative in Saint-Pourçain, poured tableside from a bottle decorated with a Charlie Hebdo cartoon. Enrich your dinner with a journey down to the wine cellar, where bottles upon bottles line the walls, ready for your exploration.

The wine cellar

For mains, from a huge flame grill (almost) stealing the spotlight come produce-led authentic Basque dishes galore. Think octopus and piperade marmitako, charred cauliflower with Ossau-Iraty cheese, slow-grilled poussin marinated in Espelette pepper, and the Tuna T-bone with herb and chilli salsa.

But, drawing on Txuleta’s world-class beef supply, tucking into a steak is, of course, a must. Bringing a new meaning to ‘farm to table’, through its in-house beef distribution business, Ibai has full control over sourcing, butchery, ageing, delivery, prep, grilling and serving the likes of Spanish Black Angus, British Fullblood Wagyu, and Spanish Galician Blond. Thanks to a pioneering project spearheaded by Txuleta founder Nemanja, the latter will soon be sourced closer to home: just 20 miles from Ibai at St Albans’ Gorhambury Estate, Nemanja has helped to launch the first UK herd of Galician Blond cattle. Flame grilled to perfection, expect a smokey flavour elevated with the selection of sauces, spanning rich red wine to a salty anchovy salsa verde.

End the Basque way, whether that’s with a platter of Basque cheeses or slicing your spoon into the Gâteau Basque with summer berries. There’s also Pain Perdu (divinely soft), rich chocolate pudding with cherries and creme fraiche, and the lighter Mountain Cider sorbet for fuller bellies.