La Ontina

Despite being located in a monumental hotel, this is not a hotel restaurant or anything of the kind, something that sets apart quite a few NH establishments, part of a chain that shows a contrasting interest in offering compelling gastronomic options. It has full autonomy on all levels, and exploiting this is the responsibility of a magnificent chef and manager, Enrique Martínez, who has given it the imprint of the mother restaurant, Maher, to the point of populating the menu with innumerable dishes sanctified in Cintruénigo. Ramiro Sánchez, an intelligent, meticulous, pragmatic…and effective chef, is in charge of the execution. In short, contemporary creative Navarre cuisine with a cosmopolitan edge, somewhat accommodating to local sentiment and preferences.

For years, the star dish, for its simplicity, idiosyncrasy and, above all, its deliciousness, is the carline thistle—raw, crisp, incredibly natural—with partridge pâté. Of course, there are other glorious tidbits, honored by time and the clientele, such as the timbale of eggs with Cristal peppers and pan-fried potatoes—exquisite! The region’s heritage is evident time and again in dishes such as the borage sautéed with roast pork jowl, potato cream and herring roe; or the cod, wonderful in quality and perfection (how juicy!), served over Empeltre olive oil with salad and black olives. They specialize in salt cod, evident in other recipes: in bell pepper stock with mixed vegetables, or masterfully ajoarriero style with prawns. The roasted turbot with apple compote and cider broth displays various things: always stellar raw materials and almost always precise, and rather bold, doneness. Another sure bet is the tuna belly with fried biscuit. And the meat category always presents us with an irresolvable dilemma: lamb or suckling pig? The latter is served confit and fried, in two textures, enriched with spices and contrasted with dried apricots. And the lechazo (suckling lamb), of exceptional quality, is offered in two versions: one is more rustic and conventional, the wood-fire roasted stuffed shoulder; the other is somewhat more refined and sophisticated, glazed with the small rack covered in spices, plus the relevant sides that change depending on the chef’s mood and preferences. The desserts, the service, the wine list… it all fits in.