A new Basque steakhouse has opened in the City specialising in dishes from the French side of the Basque country – and with long-term plans to showcase the first Galician Blond beef bred in the UK.

Ibai, close to Smithfield Market, brings together former Chiltern Firehouse head chef Richard Foster (pictured centre) with Nemanja Borjanović (right) and William Sheard (left), the duo behind meat importer Txuleta, which introduced beef from retired dairy cows to Britain.

Nemanja, who co-owns the Spanish Basque twin restaurants Lurra and Donostia across town near Marble Arch, is breeding Galician Blond cattle on a smallholding on the Gorhambury Estate in St Albans. Also known as Rubia Galega, the breed from northwest Spain is said to produce some of the world’s best steak – but it grows slowly, so we might have to wait five years to taste it.

He said: “Bringing the Galician Blond beef to the UK has been a personal project of mine and I’m thrilled to launch it as we open Ibai, which I’m extremely excited to open in the heart of the city and showcase our amazing produce.”

On the launch menu at Ibai are Galician Blond and black Angus steaks from Spain and wagyu from Norfolk, along with French Basque specialities including octopus & piperade marmitako, turbot chop, slow-grilled poussin with Espelette pepper, gateau Basque with summer berries, and Ossau Iraty and Bleu des Basques cheeses.

Richard said: “I’ve travelled extensively from the small towns of Espelette to Biarritz, which has shaped my passion for this undiscovered region, and it’s from my travels that the menu at Ibai has been created.”