Narru was the newest and most modern restaurant we visited. It was also our first meal in San Sebastian, and it couldn’t have been more ideal. The restaurant is below ground, and the wood door entrance and minimalist décor reminded me of modern izakayas in Tokyo. We started the meal with jamon and pan con tomate, and for a second I thought that I would be deeply torn if I had to choose between sushi and jamon as my favorite food. Luckily, I don’t have to choose, but suffice it to say, the jamon was an epic start to the meal, and the experience only got better with each dish. My favorite offering was the creamy seafood rice: the first bite was extraordinary — the flavor of the sea permeated my palate, so much so that I felt like I had taken a bite of fresh ocean. And the contrasting textures of the creamy rice with the crispy soccorat were in perfect proportion. The table next to us was a gathering of the chef’s relatives, enjoying what seemed like a common gathering for a family meal so welcoming and friendly that it piqued my interest, so I asked about each dish they were having. Unsurprisingly, many of the dishes were off-the-menu. Our waiter was a darling young man who served us well; I also asked him about many other dishes that neighboring diners had, and he tried his best to translate. Narru is a neighborhood restaurant after my own heart — this experience was love at first meal.