Question about food at Orrison

[waveprof]

In spite of having recommended Orrison to several people, including a group of my current students who are doing the camino next month, I've never actually stayed there. The year we did the Frances there was a major late may snowstorm that trapped people in SJPDP for 3 days. Since we had a 13 month old in tow and the weather was so bad, we took the train back around to Pamplona/Iruna and began our camino there.

In the past I'd been told that the owner of the refugio was obsessively Basque and served a traditional basque meal. Lately I saw someone refer to it as more of a "traditional pilgrim's meal" (which I usually found to be very non-local, pasta pasta pasta, and maybe a bad version of spanish tortilla). Does anyone have more information on the meal so that I can be more accurate when talking about Orrison to first timers?

 

[Tincatinker]

The last mention of a menu that I saw was Cassoulet followed by Roast Lamb. Very typical pilgrim fayre

 

[peregrina2000]

I have no memory of the food served at the meal, but I have a very strong memory of the events surrounding the meal, so I'm not sure it will be hugely important to people if you aren't able to describe it accurately.

But in the interest of accuracy, take a look at some of the pictures. I didn't do an exhaustive search but these two meals, a year apart, seem to be essentially the same -- chicken with a potato/pea/carrot vegetable dish at the side.

https://entrepreneursodyssey.com/refuge-auberge-orisson/
http://lifepart2.com/camino-de-santiago-day-3-refuge-orisson-france/

Are you walking again waveprof?

 

[waveprof]

Are you walking again waveprof?

Long term we want to do the Norte (since we live on that route in summers) and the Frances from SJPDP (since we had to begin in Pamplona the first time). Also, when we retire, my wife and I plan to do Paris to Santiago.

But I think we are waiting a few years. Carrying a 13 month old, though hard work, was doable, especially because his personality led him to love it. But I'm not carrying a 5 year old (haha) and I don't think he's ready to walk it himself yet. So we are on the sidelines until he is.

The good news is he has the right temperment, and is quite the walker. He walked Donostia/San Sebastian --> Pasaia (11 km, and one of the tougher stretches of the Norte according to the forums) 3 times last summer all by himself. Just have to keep building...... And as we all know, it isn't about how far you can go in a day, its about getting back up and doing it again tomorrow. But he has the right temperment to "want" to do it, so in a few years, we'll probably be planning a Camino. But NOT the year he is 9.....we won't be doing it on a holy year (can't take the crowds)

 

[waveprof]

Tincat and Peregrina---thank you both! All sounds yummy fwiw

 

[Mark Lee]

What's the cost? Isn't it like 35 bucks for a bed, dinner and breakfast? Heck, for that much you could feed me bologna sandwiches and beer to go with the bed.

 

[waveprof]

What's the cost? Isn't it like 35 bucks for a bed, dinner and breakfast? Heck, for that much you could feed me bologna sandwiches and beer to go with the bed.

It's 36 euros now.

I wasn't asking because it mattered oh so much. More because I'd been quoting what I'd been told then read something that contradicted it. I'm happy with simple fare and good fare, but if I ended a big climb with a basque meal promised and got handed bologna, then I'd be a bit more disapointed. You know, expectations impacting reaction and all that. Like if you go see a movie you think will be awful and its mediocre you like it, but if you went in expecting the best movie of the year you would have been disapointed.

Either way, basque or not, both of the meals quoted above sound prettyyummy. My students wont think I lied to them

This really came up because they get into St JEan 6 PM the night before. They had planned to spend 2 nights in st jean, resting up, and having a nice dinner (their words). One member of their group wanted to head out instead of doing that, and I suggested orrison as a compromise. they could still spend a leaisurely morning in SJPDP, not have a super intense walking day (they are young), still get a nice meal and experience, but yet have at least gotten a "start" on the camino

 

[Dave C.]

I was at Orisson a few days ago. Lots and lots of wine. Vegetable soup (very good), pork loin and some type of bean stew, and basque cake for dessert. Very good meal. Food kept coming until we said no more. The price was expensive, but it was a great start to the walk. The introductions after dinner were hilarious. Made the night. Would definitely recommend a stop!!

 

[FLEUR]

The soup was great and is still memorable since we visited in 2012. Staying at Orisson is a great and very good experience IMHO.

 

[Mark Lee]

It's 36 euros now.

I wasn't asking because it mattered oh so much. More because I'd been quoting what I'd been told then read something that contradicted it. I'm happy with simple fare and good fare, but if I ended a big climb with a basque meal promised and got handed bologna, then I'd be a bit more disapointed. You know, expectations impacting reaction and all that. Like if you go see a movie you think will be awful and its mediocre you like it, but if you went in expecting the best movie of the year you would have been disapointed.

Either way, basque or not, both of the meals quoted above sound prettyyummy. My students wont think I lied to them

This really came up because they get into St JEan 6 PM the night before. They had planned to spend 2 nights in st jean, resting up, and having a nice dinner (their words). One member of their group wanted to head out instead of doing that, and I suggested orrison as a compromise. they could still spend a leaisurely morning in SJPDP, not have a super intense walking day (they are young), still get a nice meal and experience, but yet have at least gotten a "start" on the camino

Speaking of kilometers and food, ha ha, I did the CCC last weekend. The red beans and rice and jambalaya at the end, though a bit dry were okay, but they really need to change beer sponsors. That Michelob Ultra...ugh. I remember a few years ago they had Abita as a sponsor. Much better.
cheers

 

[waveprof]

Speaking of kilometers and food, ha ha, I did the CCC last weekend. The red beans and rice and jambalaya at the end, though a bit dry were okay, but they really need to change beer sponsors. That Michelob Ultra...ugh. I remember a few years ago they had Abita as a sponsor. Much better.
cheers

Yes. If I run 10K I want better than Michelob Ultra. Especially in New Orleans. Abita. LA31. NOLA. SOMEthing.

But nothing stacks up to when I spent a semester at Oxford undergrad and saw people spending export prices to drink Bud. I am in no way shape or form above a cheap american beer in america where they are, you know, cheap. But I was watching people pass up really good european beer to spend twice as much for a Bud.

 

[jo webber]

If your expectations are more than a hot meal and a dry bed at the end of the day on an adventure, you will be disappointed at some point.

Just take each day as it comes and be great-full for what you have.

 

[Swinslow]

In spite of having recommended Orrison to several people, including a group of my current students who are doing the camino next month, I've never actually stayed there. The year we did the Frances there was a major late may snowstorm that trapped people in SJPDP for 3 days. Since we had a 13 month old in tow and the weather was so bad, we took the train back around to Pamplona/Iruna and began our camino there.

In the past I'd been told that the owner of the refugio was obsessively Basque and served a traditional basque meal. Lately I saw someone refer to it as more of a "traditional pilgrim's meal" (which I usually found to be very non-local, pasta pasta pasta, and maybe a bad version of spanish tortilla). Does anyone have more information on the meal so that I can be more accurate when talking about Orrison to first timers?

The food was fabulous. Very nourishing and well rounded. Started with a salad, a white bean soup call panchos (or some such), a meat dish (can’t remember) and desert. It was an evening worth every penny and many more. Made lifetime friends and so many I leapfrogged with across the camino. It’s a great way to start the camino, a short 5km straight up and beer on the patio. Don’t get there too early as you won’t be able to check in until mid afternoon - or go early and sit on the patio and make new friends. We left at 11 am from SJPDP and arrived around 1pm. Request the lunch “to go” for the next day as there is only the guy at the top with a food truck. Food truck has your last France “sello”. We had hot chocolate and hard boiled eggs for a snack (wet, cool and cloudy that day). The bocadillo from Orisson was much needed as we arrived Roncesvalles mid afternoon…and hungry again! Orisson is a gem.

 

[ELHS220]

I was at Orisson a few days ago. Lots and lots of wine. Vegetable soup (very good), pork loin and some type of bean stew, and basque cake for dessert. Very good meal. Food kept coming until we said no more. The price was expensive, but it was a great start to the walk. The introductions after dinner were hilarious. Made the night. Would definitely recommend a stop!!

Yes, the soup was good. I dispatched what was left!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

If your expectations are more than a hot meal and a dry bed at the end of the day on an adventure, you will be disappointed at some point.

Just take each day as it comes and be great-full for what you have.

That is not the point of the OP's question: he had heard the meal was excellent Basque food, and suggested a stop in Orisson based on that, and doesn't want to mislead those he is advising.

 

[Patch]

I had a ham sandwich and a beer there for lunch a couple of years ago. It seemed typical Spanish to me, certainly not Basque

 

[aisbr]

I can't remember what i had but I'm coeliac & do remember that when I mentioned that they organised an alternative for dessert which was great & they reassured me that the rest of the meal was ok. Mightn't be the highest standard to set but i'm always very appreciative when i'm not unwell the next day!!!

 

[waveprof]

If your expectations are more than a hot meal and a dry bed at the end of the day on an adventure, you will be disappointed at some point.

Just take each day as it comes and be great-full for what you have.

A great sentiment, and I try to follow this mantra in life, especially on Camino, but it isn't really relevant to this specific discussion in my opinion. My issue isn't good vs bad, its being accurate in what I've told people, especially since I've been advising them to stay at Orisson against their better judgement (because its only 7 km) in part because of the food. If I had been completely wrong about the food (it sounds like I was mostly right), that wouldn't be a reason to throw a hissy fit about it (on that you are quite right), but it would have been a good reason for me not to advise people to stop shorter than they wanted to because of the food.

 

[marjm007]

Orrison is a wonderful way to start your camino. I met people there my first day and had friends til the end. We ate family style and there was a time for each person to introduce themselves in a non threatening manner.

 

[gerardcarey]

Good Tucker.

 

[J Willhaus]

We did not have lamb at Orrison.The main course we had last spring was roasted chicken on the bone and some kind of potatoes. There were also vegetables It was all delicious, but I cannot say whether it was basque or not. I just looked at our photos and there were was nothing left on anyone's plates up and down the tables at the dinner apart from a rare crust of bread. People are still drinking wine and water in the photos so there was plenty of that!