Aaron Tidman

Some meals stay with you as much for the person behind them as for what’s on the plate. Friday evening @somnirestaurant felt like getting to know Chef @aithor_zabala on a personal level. His Basque and Catalan roots, years at el Bulli, and life in California all find their way onto the menu - from a Spanish mussel snack with an edible shell to his unexpected take on avocado toast (poking fun at LA!).

I loved the playfulness alongside all that precision: a croissant made of potato, golden “pasta” made entirely from egg yolk, a tiny sheep perched on the cheese course. And the “pizza Margherita” takes on another dimension knowing he once spent six months at el Bulli’s lab working exclusively on meringues. So much patient experimentation behind something that simply makes you smile.

But the hospitality is what made it feel personal. Everyone was attentive, friendly and welcoming, with the ease of being invited into someone’s home. I later learned that Chef Aitor traces that approach to his mother’s bar, where he grew up watching the connections she built with her guests. That spirit comes through, even in a 3 Michelin star restaurant.

I also greatly appreciated the time he spent after dinner chatting with me about the industry, what it takes to open and run a restaurant like this, his background, life in California, and much more.

Somni means “dream” in Catalan. After years of hard work and rebuilding, this is Chef Aitor’s dream brought to life, and I feel lucky to have experienced it.