Chloe Jade Meltzer, a travel influencer, recently criticized the famous restaurant Mugaritz in Spain’s Basque Country for serving her what she called “the worst meal” of her life. She expressed her disappointment in a series of TikTok videos, which have collectively gained 8 million views. Mugaritz, a two Michelin-starred restaurant known for its creative cuisine, failed to impress Meltzer during her visit.
Meltzer was intrigued by the innovative dining experience promised by Mugaritz, where diners are taken on a sensory journey through various courses. However, her meal quickly turned sour as she described the first dish as being reminiscent of Vaseline. Other unpleasant dishes included a “sea rash” resembling a soggy cigar, a belly button-shaped mold meant for sucking out juice, charred spinach with BBQ sauce, and more. The total cost for the meal was 897 Euros, which Meltzer found exorbitant for the quality of food served.
Despite receiving a disclaimer at the start warning that not all dishes may be to their liking, Meltzer criticized Mugaritz for serving only “utterly disgusting” dishes throughout the meal. She even mentioned a patron who refused to pay the bill until the police were called due to his dissatisfaction with the food. This led her to conclude that Mugaritz was the worst restaurant she had ever been to in her life.
Meltzer’s scathing review on social media garnered mixed reactions from viewers, with some expressing fascination with bad Michelin-starred restaurant reviews. Many criticized Mugaritz for serving what they perceived as “pretentious garbage” and felt that the dining experience was not worth the high price tag. Comparisons were made to the movie “The Menu,” where diners are subjected to a sadistic social experiment under the guise of an avant-garde tasting menu.
While Mugaritz currently holds an average rating of 3.5 stars on Tripadvisor, recent reviews have been overwhelmingly negative. Meltzer emphasized the importance of food tasting good regardless of the chef’s creativity or experimentation. Despite acknowledging the talent of the chef at Mugaritz, she concluded that none of the 22 courses served were to her liking. Ultimately, Meltzer urged restaurants to focus on creating dishes that are not only innovative and challenging for guests but also taste good.
Overall, Meltzer’s experience at Mugaritz highlights the subjectivity of fine dining experiences. While some patrons appreciate the adventurous and imaginative approach to cuisine, others may find it unpalatable. The restaurant’s unique dining concept appears to have polarized diners, with Meltzer falling on the side of extreme dissatisfaction. This incident serves as a reminder that culinary creativity must be balanced with the fundamental expectation of serving delicious food to patrons.
