Review
Far from the major capitals of European gastronomy, 55 Pasos in A Coruña in Galicia stands apart for its deeply personal approach to cooking. The restaurant is run entirely by chef Balázs Menyhárd and his partner Nataly, with the level of ambition and execution more often associated with restaurants operating with much larger teams.
Before opening 55 Pasos, Balázs spent years as head chef at the legendary Hedone in London, and much of that philosophy remains intact here. The cooking begins with sourcing: exceptional Galician seafood and vegetables, French poultry and dairy, Japanese miso, soy and fresh wasabi, all selected with the same obsessive attention to product and seasonality that once defined Hedone.
The cooking is highly seasonal and rooted in exceptional produce, but without dogma or fixed borders. The menu shifts constantly according to weather, mood and improvisation, moving between precise, deeply traditional dishes and combinations shaped by smoke, spice or Japanese grilling techniques.
The wine list deserves special mention too, with strong representation from Galicia and France alongside grower Champagne, Jura, the Loire and low intervention producers from across Europe- reflecting the same curiosity that defines the cooking.