Casa Julian

Casa Julián in Tolosa is the house of the perfect chuleton and a must-visit institution. Originally, it was a fruit shop that offered ham sandwiches and vermouth on Sundays. One day, Julián’s friend returned from Argentina with some grills, rods, and secrets of Argentinian steak. Julián fell in love with the art of grilling so much that he started organizing “discussion days,” where surgeons and doctors from the area would discuss the perfect cuts. He eventually opened Casa Julián in 1951, which was later taken over by his close friend Matías Gorrochategui, whose three sons are now running the asadors in Tolosa and Madrid.

Casa Julián’s steaks are aged for a period of around 20 to 30 days (a perfect duration, in my opinion). They are grilled with a generous amount of salt (brushed away afterwards), left to rest, and then grilled again, resulting in a perfect crust and a very tender inside. The menu hasn’t changed since 1951, with candied piquillo peppers being a must.