Basque Kitchen by Aitor

Simple and unpretentious, Basque cuisine is built around a handful of core ingredients that are native to the area: olive oil, salted cod, cured meats, peppers, anchovies, and cheese. The grilling culture is strong here — Basque Country is home to some of the finest grilling restaurants — and the new Telok Ayer joint seeks to highlight it. It just outfitted its kitchen with the Basque Grill, made by Josper, a Spanish brand that produces hybrid charcoal grill-ovens that are beloved by chefs worldwide.

Priced at $98 per person (with a minimum of four people per table), Head Chef Aitor Jeronimo Orive’s five-course dinner tasting menu will take patrons through the hot and homely Basque flavor profile — one filled with rich sauces and expertly prepared meats. This set doesn’t include drinks, but diners can add the wine pairing option for another $65.

The meal kicks off with an assortment of small bites (including fancy pintxos and a lightly fried oyster), which is then followed by the delicious Mud Crab, an umami-heavy bowl of Sri Lankan crab cooked in its own juice, and placed in sweet tomato water with katsuobushi bonito flakes.