Laia Erretegia

The Ayala brothers, in the Arkolla district

Laia is at Arkolla Auzoa 33, the rural district of Hondarribia that climbs inland, far from the old town and the Marina. It is a grill run by two siblings: Jon Ayala runs the grill and the kitchen, and won the National Grill Championship at San Sebastián Gastronomika in 2015; Arantza Ayala runs the dining room and advises on wines. Everything goes on the grill: meat, fish, vegetables and even fruit.

The txuleta, by the kilo and by days of ageing

Meat carries the most weight on the menu. There are three txuletas, ordered by weight and shared: the Premium, aged a minimum of 30 days, at €98 a kilo; the Dry-Aged, at least 60 days, at €115; and the Premium Top, 30 days, at €135. To go with them, risolé potatoes (€10), lettuce with spring onion (€5) or piquillo peppers (€12). Ask in the dining room how much the cut weighs before ordering it.

Starters and grilled fish

Before the meat, the menu offers half and full portions of almost everything: chargrilled artichokes or leeks (from €12), wild mushrooms, spider crab, clams with rice, scarlet prawn, veal sweetbreads or stewed tripe, and by the piece a chargrilled oyster (€19) or a scallop (€18). Anchovies come in a portion of ten for €35. For fish, monkfish at €35 and cod at €30. The aperitif service, bread, water and petits fours is charged separately, €5 per person.

Wines, ciders and dessert

The wine list is long: Getaria txakoli by the glass at €6, Riojas, Burgundies, ciders from €10 and a list of sherries by the glass from €4. Desserts cost €9: lemon verbena ice cream, smoked sheep's milk ice cream with apple honey, molten chocolate cake or flan with caramel foam; the cheese board, from €16 to €32.

Days, hours and how to book

Lunch is served Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 13:00 to 15:00, and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 13:30 to 15:00. Dinner only on Saturday, from 20:30 to 22:00. Closed on Wednesday. You book online, through TheFork, from its own website, or on 943 646 309. They accept Visa and Mastercard.

Getting there

You need a car or a taxi: Arkolla is outside the old town, in the countryside. It fits as lunch on a Sunday in Hondarribia, after the walls and the boat, or on the way down from Mount Jaizkibel. If you are staying in the old town, the Hotel Palacio Obispo is beside the church of Santa María.